Applying to Schools: School Visit

Beyond the Brochure: Getting a Feel for the School

Campus visits, interviews with admission officers, and conversations with students, faculty, coaches, and alumni are invaluable methods to determine if a particular independent school is right for a student. Although brochures, catalogs, and web sites give an overview of school programs, philosophy, facilities, and offerings, these publications cannot convey those intangibles that may be some of the most important determinants of a student’s success and happiness at school.

The Campus Visit
It’s certainly a good idea to visit the campus of a prospective school before making the final decision to enroll, and sometimes a campus visit can be scheduled before the student decides to apply to a school. It is best to visit a campus when school is in session so that prospective students may sit in on a class or two, speak to current students and teachers, and get a sense of the school’s everyday atmosphere. It is generally not a good idea to visit campuses during special weekends, student holidays, and exam periods, as the school environment will be atypical.

If students are unable to visit a particular school because of geographic inconvenience or other such reasons, many schools offer videos that, although not the same as an in-person visit, provide families with a sense of the school beyond what is conveyed in the brochure.

To schedule a campus visit, a parent should call the school’s admission office and:

• Thank the school for materials received
• Indicate that the student is seriously considering attending the school
• Refer to the application and indicate that the school transcripts and teacher recommendations have been requested
• Inform the school that you have registered for the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) if the school requires it
• Propose dates for a campus visit and interview.

What to Look For When Visiting a Campus
Most schools have an impressive campus visit program. The school tour is often conducted by a student who has been instructed to present the most positive image of the campus as possible. This is, however, only a brief glimpse of the life of the campus. Feel free to ask the campus tour guide any questions that come to mind.

Campus Atmosphere
Talk to students when they are travelling between classes. What do they like and dislike about the school? What do they think of their course workload? Are they involved in extra-curricular activities? Do students like the campus facilities? How do they describe living conditions? How do they describe dorm life? What does the school provide for weekend activity?

Classroom Atmosphere
When you visit a class, notice not only the way the course material is presented, but also: do teachers encourage student participation, or are classes more lecture-oriented? What are students studying? What books are they reading? When you talk to teachers, ask them what they like about the school.

Extra-Curricular Life
Talk to coaches, band leaders, theater teachers, art teachers and faculty advisors for any extra-curricular activities you might be interested in participating in. How many students participate in the activities that most interest you? Are school athletics very competitive, or can students of all levels of athletic ability participate? Does the school sponsor theater and music productions? What is the on-campus social life like? Do students participate in activities?

Go to next topic: Interview.