One crucial aspect to consider for your college experience is the environment on campus.
Do you want to be in a big city or a rural setting? Do you want to live in student dorms or find your own apartment? Are you concerned about safety and campus security? Campus life varies from college to college, and for some people it can be just as important as the academics in shaping their experience.
As you investigate colleges, learn what you can about the campus culture. Some schools have a bustling campus community full of events and student organizations. Others are commuter schools, where very few students, if any, live on campus and participate in extracurricular activities.
Always, the best thing you can do is visit the campus in person. It will give you the opportunity to walk the grounds, feel the energy, taste the food, and most importantly, ask detailed questions. You may even be able to sit in on some classes.
Some students with the financial means even schedule a second campus visit. This is not an option for everyone because even one visit is expensive. But it illustrates how important it is to see the school with your own eyes. You’re going to be spending four or more years of your life in this place. So you want to be certain that it is somewhere you want to be.