A Campus Checklist for Seniors Who Are College-Bound

If you’re a college-bound high school senior and you haven’t made plans yet to visit some of the campuses you’re considering, it’s time to get moving.

Here are some tips for checking out a college on a campus visit. Exploring properly, you can get a pretty good idea of how happy and successful you would be at a particular college or university.

A good place to start is with a standard tour led by a student or member of the college staff. It can give you a good overview.

But don’t stop there. Choosing a college is a big decision. You owe it to yourself to be thorough.

Keep in mind that learning something is the primary purpose of going to college--really!--so start with a look at the school’s methods of instruction.

If classes are in session, look in on half a dozen at random and pay particular attention to two things: Is the class size tolerable? And who’s doing the teaching--a graduate student or a full-time professor?

Give some thought to the school’s location. You probably have your own preference regarding rural versus urban or suburban setting, but also think about it in terms of your own social, cultural or recreational needs. Is the campus in an area that is as quiet or as busy as you need it to be?

Safety is, of course, a big concern. Visit the campus security office--if there isn’t one, that’s a bad sign--and get last year’s statistics on campus crimes. Compare those with numbers at the other schools you’re considering.

Find out if there’s an on-campus escort service and shuttle van service, their hours of operation, and the length of a typical wait.

In addition, is the lighting adequate at night, or will you have to regularly walk through dark stretches?

Check the safety of the dorms or apartments where you might be living. Consider their location, cleanliness and surrounding noise levels.

Spend some time looking over the libraries and labs. You’ll be spending a lot of time there.

Does the library carry ample current materials in the fields you’ll be studying? Do the science and other hands-on labs provide needed supplies, or will you have to purchase and carry around your own little warehouse? Is the equipment in the computer lab modern enough, and is there a reasonable waiting list to use it?

For getting around campus and the neighborhood, what kind of transportation is there? At some campuses, it’s hard to function without a car. At others, bicycles are the rule. Will parking be convenient and safe?

Find out about other needed resources, such as health care and counseling services.

Is there a health clinic and physician available on campus? If not, how far is the nearest hospital?

And how long must you generally wait to see a counselor or adviser? Sooner or later, most students feel the stress of college life, so make sure peer counselors, support groups or workshops are available.

Of course, there’s more to college than academics, so see if the campus offers an outlet for your extracurricular passion, whether it’s political action, fraternities and sororities, or religious organizations.

Fitness is something many college students overlook--in fact, many experience an unwelcome weight gain during these years.

So explore the recreation center or gym. Ask whether it offers a pool, weight room, aerobics classes or other facilities for use at your convenience.

Cafeteria food doesn’t make or break a college’s appeal, but it should be considered--you’ll be eating it every day for a long time if you’re planning to live in the dorms.

Eat a couple of meals in the lunchroom you would mostly likely use. Is the food clean and healthy? Could you tolerate it day after day?

People-watching is a good way to assess the general feel of the campus. Are these the kind of people you want to make college memories with?

Ask them some questions. Are they happy with their college choice? What’s best and worst about the school?

Finally, look over the college’s code of conduct or regulations of student behavior. Are these rules you can live by? Is there a dress code that is simply unacceptable to you?

Like choosing any product, finding the right college education is always a bit of a gamble. But using these simple guidelines can increase your odds of picking a winner.