Making Contact

Planning A College Visit

Campus visiting is an important part of the college application process.  Previous Walnut Hills students have found it useful to think of three types of college visits:

1. “Once Over Lightly” – to see the physical setting of the school, to get a sense of the general school “culture” (i.e., the classroom buildings, the library, the student center, the surrounding community, etc.)  You can combine these visits with family trips and vacations, usually in the summers between freshman and sophomore years and between sophomore and junior years.

2. “In Depth Visits” – to meet with admissions personnel, to tour the campus and to get a closer look at whether this might be a school to which you might actually apply.  This visit should also include a close look at various aspects of the school “culture.”

3. “Final Choice Visit” – once accepted, some students elect to visit certain schools a second time, spending at least one night in a student dormitory, sitting in on classes, visiting a sports practice, arts or theater performance, etc.  This kind of visit can be particularly helpful in deciding between schools when many other factors seem equal.

The Walnut Hills Junior/Senior Campus Visitation Policy provides two days in Grade 11 and two days in Grade 12.  After you have planned your visit, and several days before the planned visit, bring a note to school from your parents, giving permission, stating the date you will be gone and where you are going.  The counselor aide will fill out a sheet which your teachers must sign.  Turn in this form to the assistant principal in charge of attendance before you leave. 

Please be reasonable in the amount of time you want to be gone from school for college visits.  If you miss too much time, your high school record will be affected and, in turn, your college admission!  You are eligible for two excused absences for college visits.  No absences can be excused for college visits if the required procedures are not followed in advance.

After you have developed a list of colleges that meet your criteria, it is time to consider visits.  Catalogs and view books introduce you to a college, but nothing equals the experience of seeing it for yourself.  Seeing the school first hand allows you to see for yourself if the college suits you.  However, many happy and satisfied students have gone to colleges that they have never seen.

You may have only a few hours to spend on campus, so how one spends the time is most important.  One suggestion is that you do your homework prior to the visit.  Read the view book and curriculum guide so you are familiar with the program.  Plan pertinent questions to ask during the interview, rather than questions that are easily answered in the catalog.  Plan to take your report cards, test score reports and a list of activities with you.

Make an appointment for a college visit.  Call the admissions office to make necessary arrangements at least four weeks in advance.  Plan a time when Walnut Hills is not in session, but the college is.  Let the admissions officer know if you have already applied for admission.  Numerous colleges offer overnight (weekday or weekend) programs for potential applicants. 

Remember that admissions people are very busy and cannot usually take care of you on the spur of the moment.  Generally, colleges prefer that juniors visit after mid-April decisions are made.  Seniors should plan fall college visits after the second week of October. 

If possible, plan to visit when college classes are in session.  Although you will not always be permitted to observe a class, the students give an important feeling to the college’s atmosphere.

Most admissions offices are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except on Saturday, when they are generally open from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  They are not open on Sunday.  While a planned tour is best, an impromptu college visit during a family vacation can be of value.

If possible, inquire about staying overnight in the dormitory or eating a meal with the students so you can talk with students and get more of a feeling for the school.  If you cannot stay in a dorm or eat a meal in the student dining room, go to the Student Union, to a dorm - where the students are - to talk with students.  Get a feel for the student population on the campus.

When you visit, if you have the opportunity, take a formal tour.  Notice which buildings are being shown to you.  Are they a good cross section?  Make certain you have a chance to see a typical freshman dormitory.  Ask about the availability of off-campus housing.    Dorm living may cease to satisfy you in your junior or senior year.  If you are athletic-minded, you will want to visit the gymnasium or field house.

Approach several students and ask them why they selected the school and how their expectations have been met.  What do they see as the school's strengths and weaknesses?  Most collegians will be only too happy to chat with you.  Their perspective is not to be overlooked!  Don't be bashful.  Ask questions!

Have a meal in the campus dining hall.  What are the meal plans like?  How is the food?  Look around at the other students.  Will you be comfortable with their group?

When shown the student center, carefully check out its decor, physical condition, and facilities.  You may spend a lot of  time in this particular area.

Pay attention to such telling things as posters, notices, and graffiti.  Take home a copy of the campus newspaper and then read it.  This is a great way to "in-depth" a school, as to current campus social, political, and intellectual issues.

Stop by the counseling and placement office and pick up some placement brochures.  Such literature can give you insight into student career preparation or graduate school.

If you know the discipline in which you want to major, you will want to visit that department and facility, especially if it was not part of the tour.  Many departments are housed in their own buildings.  There just might be a department professor available to meet with you.  You might even want to attend a class or two.  Note the "culture" on the campus, including the rapport between students and professors.