Questions to Ask Each College
Whenever you visit a college or university, you need to ask questions to find out if the school will be right for you. Below is a sample list of questions that you can ask at any school to get a good idea of what it can offer you.
- What are your Academic goals?
- How strong is the program in which you might want your major?
- Are there professors in the department who specialize in an area in which you are interested?
- If you are interested in a career that requires professional certification, does your school offer the appropriate training? Is the program accredited? How many students enrolled in the program pass the certification exam?
- How easy is it to change majors?
- What is the average number of students in each class? Will you get enough contact/attention from your teachers?
- What is the retention rate (How many students come back after their freshman year)?
- What percentage of the students graduate in four years?
- How easy is it to get the courses you want at the times that are convenient for you?
- What opportunities will you have to interact with your professors? What is the faculty/student ration?
- Will you be required to write a thesis or take competency exams in order to graduate?
- What kind of programs or services does the school offer? Programs or services could include personal and career counseling, internship programs, student employment help, alumni connections, and more.
- Do most students live on campus or commute?
- Are freshmen allowed to bring a car to campus?
- Where do freshmen/sophomores/juniors/seniors live?
- How much does housing cost? Is it easy to get on-campus housing? How hard is it to find housing off-campus?
- What kind of meal plan is offered in the dorms? Do they provide menus for special diets (vegetarian, kosher, ethnic)?
- How accessible are laundry facilities?
- What size student body fits you?
- Is the campus in the inner city, countryside, or somewhere in between?
- What is the community around the college like?
- How safe is the college campus and the surrounding community?
- What kind of weather does the school have throughout the year?
- How far is the college from home?
- Is the school known for attracting students of a particular political view?
- What religious affiliations, if any, does the school have?
- How many computers/computer labs are there? Are they up-to-date?
- What is the quality of the library and research facilities?
- What kind of health facilities and services does the college offer?
- How much does the program cost? What does that include?
- Are payment plans available?
- What kind of financial aid does the school offer?
- How easy is it to find a job on campus? Are there work-study programs?
- What kind of refund can you get if you have to drop out?
- What percentage of the students are male? female?
- How diverse is the campus?
- What percentage of the students are commuters?
- What do students do for fun?
- What student organizations are active on campus?
- What percentage of the students are in fraternities or sororities?
- What kind of recreational facilities are there?
- What varsity and intramural sports are on campus?
- What kind of transportation is available on campus?
- What kind of transportation is available to go home or to other cities?
- Do you like the college?