The college journey can be a daunting task, with pressing questions like where to go, what to major in and how to apply.
A good place to start is with college visits. Visiting colleges can help a prospective student and their family decide what they want (and what they don’t want) out of a campus or an academic program.
While on a college visit, tour guides and flyers and presentations will tell you everything a college thinks you need to know about their campus, but what do you want to know? Here are 10 tips for making sure you get the most out of an upcoming college visit.
- Picture yourself here: Scope out the best selfie spot on campus and let your friends know you’re checking out colleges! Lander’s campus has plenty of places to snap a photo, including our gorgeous front lawn and fountain, and just outside of Old Main. Another one of our favorites is our big blue chair in the center of campus.
- Pick up a campus newspaper: Campus newspapers provide insight into the goings-on throughout an entire campus community, as well as opinion pieces, information about campus events and more. They’re also usually written by students, so they can provide another lens through which to see the college you’re touring. Lander’s newspaper, The Forum, is available in almost all campus buildings, and you can also read it online.
- Get the student perspective: Who knows better about life on campus than those currently living it? While you’re visiting, you’ll get a chance to speak with current students. Make sure you ask about their courses, how they engage in student life and what they do for fun!
- Talk to campus offices and departments: If you’re concerned about financial aid, have a goal of studying abroad during college, need accommodation for your classes or any number of other college-related questions, there are offices and departments on campus who are happy to chat with you. Some departments might even have tips and tricks to make the college application and decision process easier.
- Grab a t-shirt: Rep the colleges you’re considering! Grab a t-shirt or hat in the campus bookstore to show off your top contenders.
- Attend an event: While you’re visiting campus, take in a game or concert. Pay a visit to their art gallery. See what all the hype is about whether it’s athletics, arts or other on-campus offerings. One fun option that’s always available at Lander is our self-guided Public Sculpture Exhibit. Make sure to bookmark this for your next visit to Lander’s campus.
- Explore beyond campus: Good times during your college years won’t just happen on campus. So while you’re visiting, make sure to check out the surroundings and grab a bite to eat or do a little shopping. While visiting Lander, we suggest checking out Uptown Greenwood and the many shops and restaurants it has to offer!
- Check out LinkedIn: One thing you’ll want to know is what fun and exciting things a college’s graduates are doing with their education. Using LinkedIn to see the career paths of alumni from the college you’re visiting is a great way to brainstorm questions and consider what you might want out of your college journey.
- Ask questions: Bring your curiosity to your college visit! Admissions and academic teams know you’ve got a lot to consider when choosing where to continue your education and they’re prepared to give you answers to your questions. So come curious.
- Stay in touch: After your visit, make sure you’re following the college you visit on social media and are signed up to receive communications from them. You can follow Lander on Instagram at landeruniversity and find all of our socials, news and important links at Linktree.
Ready to plan your own visit to Lander University? We have several different options to choose from, including our “Bearcat for a Day” experience and Saturday Open Houses. Schedule your visit now by visiting
www.lander.edu/visit.
