by Steven Tagle
College Visit Questions Every Parent Should Ask
Visiting colleges with your high schooler is exciting, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. Often, you’re traveling across the country, attending campus tours, sampling dining hall food, and trying to help your teen decide whether the school is somewhere they will thrive and gain a quality education. That means talking to as many students at the school as possible and asking copious questions. Your child will likely be focused on dorms, majors, and the social scene, but as parents, you’ve got your own priorities. Here are some questions related to academics, safety, finances, career prep, and parental involvement that you will want to be sure to ask.
Academics
Let’s start with academics, the main reason your teen is going to college. Does the school offer your child’s desired major? Does that major require writing a thesis or completing a capstone project? What’s the average class size? What percentage of classes is taught by professors versus teaching assistants? How accessible are professors outside of class for office hours, research opportunities, or mentorship? When do students declare a major? What is the process of changing majors or double majoring? How many credits do students typically take per term? Do most students study abroad? What academic support (e.g., tutoring, writing centers) is available?
Campus Life and Safety
College is many students’ first experience living away from home, and most campus tours include a visit to a sample dorm room. As a parent, you’ll want to know what safety measures are in place on campus and in residence halls. Who lives on campus? Just first years, or upperclassmen, too? How is housing assigned, and is it guaranteed beyond freshman year? How do resident advisors support first-year students? Does the college offer different types of living arrangements? How do students find roommates? Where do they spend time studying? What do they do on weekends? What is the college’s policy on alcohol and drug use? How easily can students get off campus and engage with the local community? How easily can students get involved in clubs, sports, or extracurriculars? How inclusive is the campus environment and wider community for international students, LGBTQAI+ students, and/or students from diverse backgrounds? How accessible are campus health services? How does the college support students’ mental health and wellness needs? College is stressful, and support makes a difference.
Cost and Financial Aid
For many prospective students, cost plays at least a small role in determining which school they attend. Even if your child is laser-focused on their dream school, you’ll want to ask about the percentage of students who receive financial aid. What types of financial aid are available? How do merit-based scholarships work? Are they renewable? What’s the average yearly increase in the cost of tuition, room, and board? Are there any additional costs, such as lab fees or textbooks? Does the college offer grants to support student research, travel, and creative projects?
Career Preparation
College isn’t just about the four years students spend on campus, it’s also about preparing students to enter the workforce. You will want to ask about what resources the school offers to help set your child up professionally or for an advanced degree before and after they graduate. How active is the career center at sharing internship opportunities, hosting job fairs, and helping students write resumes and cover letters? Is there a strong alumni network that can help with the job search? What companies recruit on campus? What percentage of students do summer internships? Does the college have an office dedicated to assisting students with competitive grants and fellowships?
Parental Involvement
Finally, you want to find out how the school communicates with parents. Does it send out emails or newsletters? Are there parent organizations you can join? And what’s the school’s policy in the case of an emergency? How will you be notified when something important happens?
At the end of the day, let your student take the lead and ask their own questions first. But inquiring about these topics will give you valuable insight as a parent into a school’s safety, resources, and values. Together, you and your child should come away with the full picture – and a better understanding of whether the school you just visited is the right fit for them.
A Stanford graduate and the recipient of prestigious fellowships from the Fulbright Program and the Institute of Current World Affairs, as well as a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, Steven Tagle has taught and mentored students for 20 years. As a published writer, journalist, and former speechwriter for the U.S. ambassador to Greece, he knows how to draw out applicants’ unique stories and craft compelling personal statements that help their applications stand out from the pack. Click here to get in touch.
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