Top 5 Tips for a Campus Visit Overseas

The Campus Visit

Adapted from an article By John Wallis, Co-author of Uni in the USA

You can read every blog, book and bite of information on US unis that there is, without comprehending the true je ne sais quoi of the experience they provide. In terms of making the raw knowledge palpable, there's nothing like a campus visit (or preferably multiple visits) to see past the hype with your own eyeballs. Here are a few suggestions for getting the most from your visit.

1. Prepare

There's little point in visiting a campus until you know what kind of beast the US uni is, and what you personally want to get out of it. You don't have to know exactly what kinds of university will be the best for you, as this is what you're trying to find out with the visit, but you should know what the playing field looks like. You should also have a rough idea about each specific university you go to, so you can concentrate on the aspects that most excite or worry you, or on the bits you weren't able to find out in the guidebooks.

2. Don't overuse the admissions office

The tours and open days arranged for prospective students are probably biased. This is an incredibly obvious point, yet constantly overlooked. I therefore repeat: anything that's been arranged for you by the university itself will not provide a full sense of what the university is like. It is imperative to leave the beaten track. That's not to say the admissions office is useless – a campus tour can be a nice introduction or overview, and the office itself should be used for answering follow-up questions and factual details, but still: be judicious.


3. Soak it in

Many are too business-like on campus visits. US universities are often happy and beautiful places – leave time to simply enjoy yourself and relax. But more importantly, aimless wanders and thoughtful bench time are a good way to attempt to judge that most elusive but vital part of the university – 'atmosphere'. Try to visit the campus in the middle of a normal working day, and to judge the ambience in multiple parts of the campus – the communal joy of the main quad may stand in stark contrast to silent drudgery of the science block.

4. Talk to those who know

There's only one group of people whose opinions matter when it comes to deciding if a campus is right for you, and that's current students – and not just your tour guide. So be brave, and accost unsuspecting undergrads in their natural habitat. There's no need to interfere where you're not wanted; the best tactic is simply to ask groups or individuals sitting at tables in the cafeteria or maybe outside on a lawn if you can join them and ask a few questions quickly as a prospective student.

Having done this myself dozens of times, in campuses across the country, I can assure you that everyone is extremely friendly and more than happy to gush about everything they like and dislike. Make sure you drive the conversation into the areas you're most interested in, as they're unlikely to spill the beans on many important topics without being prompted. Especially ask about negative views, as these can be very telling. Try to talk to multiple students – the more opinions you get, the better a sense you can build of the uni overall. Take notes.

5. Don't be overwhelmed

Remember: the campus visit isn't the be all and end all of a university. You might turn up on an unusual day or accidentally speak to the only students who happen to hate the place. Maybe the tour guide was particularly dazzling with her selling pitch. It's always best to work off your campus high with some solid fact-based research online, as well as canvassing opinions from other sources such as internet forums   or guide books.

Note: If you are being advised by Study-International , we will be able to give you our owb unbiased opinion of the Campus.

Remember also that America has a huge number of excellent colleges and universities that you won't be able to visit in person. If you feel a particular campus really clicks, it's probably a good indication that it's the right place for you – but don't let your initial enthusiasm overwhelm you into doing anything rash, like ignoring everything else that's on offer.


Study-International can arrange Campus Tours to several locations and to any of the Universities listed on this web site.