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Campus Visits
In this competitive admission climate there is an inevitable tendency to focus on how colleges select students, when really the question we should be asking is how do students select colleges. The campus visit can play a pivotal role in both a student’s enrollment decision as well as a college’s admission decision, particularly at schools that consider demonstrated interest.
Scheduling
Plan well in advance. Reservations are typically required for campus tours, information sessions and interviews.
College admission websites provide a great deal of information such as tour and information session hours, directions and local accommodations, sometimes even directions to nearby colleges. Students can register online.
On campus offerings may include:
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Campus Tour, led by a current student
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Information Session, led by an admission officer
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Interview (Note: many colleges, especially larger schools do not offer interviews)
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Class Visit
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Meeting with a professor in your intended field of study
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Meeting with a coach (for serious athletes)
Do not schedule more than two colleges per day. Allow yourself plenty of time to explore the campus, neighborhood and city/town.
Do not schedule interviews until you are ready, ideally the summer after your junior year. This spring we will discuss and prepare students for interviews in our Seminar class. Of course if you are visiting schools over spring break, which are far from New York, you may want to go ahead and interview while you are on campus. In that case, please schedule a mock interview with the college counselor to whom you are not assigned before break.
If you are seriously interested in a specific major, ask if you can meet with a faculty member in that department. If you do so, you will need to be prepared with a list of well thought out questions to ask.
Be aware of college calendars. If you plan your visit for the week of final exams, the students and community will likely seem quiet and stressed out. Likewise if you visit on Homecoming weekend, it will be hard not to have an overly positive impression.
On your visit
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You are a researcher in this process and you should not hesitate to dig for the information you need. You may want to create a list of standard questions that you ask at every school so that you have similar information to compare.
Pick up the campus newspaper to find out what issues concern students. Check out the bulletin boards to see what events and activities are scheduled on campus that week. Tune in to the campus radio station.
Talk with students on your own. Tour guides are chosen because of their outgoing natures and positive attitude towards the school. You can often get a more realistic perspective from random students you approach in the cafeteria or bookstore.
Eavesdrop on students—what are they talking about? What issues are important to them?
Be sure to check out the dorms and sample the food in the dining halls.
Be aware of walking distances. How easy is it to get around campus? Are students friendly or stand-offish?
Check out the local community. Are there places to eat off campus? Is it easy to get into town? What is the relationship like between town and gown (college)?
If interviews are not offered, ask if there is a specific admission counselor who works with students from New York City. If so, ask to say hello. Be sure to have one or two questions prepared.
Questions to ask your tour guide:
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Does the school have a core curriculum?
Distribution requirements?
How restrictive are the requirements?
When do you have to declare your major?
Is it easy to double major or major and minor?
Is there a foreign language requirement?
What percentage of students study abroad?
Is the administration encouraging of study abroad?
How large are your classes?
Have most of your teachers been TA’s or professors?
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What do you like best about your experience here?
What would you change if you could?
Why did you choose this school?
Is there a Greek system (fraternities and sororities)? If so, how many students participate?
What do students do for fun on the weekends?
Are some dorms better than others?
How is the food?
Where do you study? In the library? Your dorm room?
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Are the arts supported here?
How hard is it to get into a photography class?
Audition for a play?
Are students politically active and aware?
How active is the student government?
What clubs are most popular right now?
Is this a diverse community?
Do students from different backgrounds interact?
What is the biggest issue on campus right now?
How competitive is the student body?
Do students work in study groups?
Do kids talk about grades a lot?
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If the tour guide is a junior or senior you may want to ask about their impressions of the graduate school or career placement offices.
You can also ask these questions of the admission representative in the information session.
Do NOT ask your tour guide for their personal credentials.
i.e.: SAT scores, GPA, etc….
It is none of your business.
After your visit
If you did not jot down notes during your visit, try to capture your thoughts on paper or electronically as soon as you leave campus. Schools will begin to blend together after a few visits and these notes may help you to keep them clear and distinct in your mind.
If you interviewed, write a thank you note to your interviewer soon after you return home.
College Interviews
When, Where and Why?
Students should interview in the summer, fall of 2025 and/or the winter of 2026. Interviews can be conducted either on campus or virtually with an admission officer, student, or an alumni interviewer. Some schools require interviews; at some, they are optional; at some, there are no interviews at all. The interview is an opportunity to present yourself personally to the college. At some schools it is also seen as a serious demonstration of your interest in the college, which can factor favorably into your admission decision.
How do I set it up?
Information about interviews should be available on the college’s admission page. Typically students can sign up or submit a request for an interview online.
Be sure to ask if the interview is evaluative or informative, individual or group. You may also want to ask if you will be interviewed by an admission officer, a student or an alumnus.
What do I wear?
Aim for a business casual look. Students should dress more rather than less modestly (no very short shorts, exposed midriffs or visible undergarments) as well as neat and put together (no shirt tails hanging out, no t-shirts with inappropriate messages).
Tips for Virtual Interviews
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Test your technology in advance. Make sure the camera and microphone are working. Turn off your phone or any electronic device with audio notifications.
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Choose an appropriate background and space. What is on the wall behind you? Make sure you are in a private, distraction-free space. Do not interview in your bed!
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Set up lighting coming towards you rather than from behind, so that your face is well lit.
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Try to center yourself in the camera's frame. The lens should be even with or slightly above eye level.
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Remember to make eye contact with the camera lens not the person on the screen
How can I prepare for the interview?
Read all available material on the college beforehand. If possible, schedule your tour and/or information session before the interview. Do not ask questions you should already know the answers to, such as “How big is the college?” or “Do you have a Political Science Department?”
Many students wonder if it would be useful to do a “practice” interview at a school in which they are not interested. No. It is a waste of the interviewer’s time and takes an opportunity from a student who is truly interested in the college. Moreover, the interview will not likely be a true reflection of how you will do in one that “counts.” You are not likely to have researched the college well, be prepared with thoughtful questions, or give compelling answers to questions about why the college is appealing to you. Instead, if you are anxious about your first interview schedule a mock interview with either Audrey or Justin, ideally the one who is not your assigned counselor.
You should also spend some time thinking about your possible responses and preparing questions for your interviewer. Consider what you have gained from your educational experience thus far and what you hope to accomplish in the years ahead. It is also wise to have a familiarity with current events. You don’t need to start reading the NY Times religiously but you should be aware of what is going on in the world around you.
What kinds of questions will they ask me?
How do you like Friends Seminary? What has been the most positive experience you have had? The most negative? What would you like to change about Friends? What is it like to go to a Quaker school?
What are your favorite subjects/activities and why? What is your role in the community? What would your teachers say about you as a person? as a student?
What are you looking for in a college? How did you become interested in our school?
What are you interested in studying in college? What are some of your goals- personal or career- for the future?
How would you describe yourself? What three adjectives best describe you and why?
Describe a challenge that you have faced? Describe a stimulating intellectual experience you have had?
How do you spend your free time? your summers?
In what ways do you hope to be active in a college community? Do you plan to continue any of your current activities in college?
What book or author has made a lasting impression on your way of thinking? Why?
Many qualified applicants apply to our school. What characteristics make you stand out from others? Or, why do you think you are a good match for this college?
What kinds of questions should I ask them?
What distinguishes this college from others?
If your interviewer is a student or alumni, ask about their experience.
How do students spend their free time?
What issues are important to students here?
Can non-theatre/non-music majors still participate in the plays/orchestras?
What athletic opportunities are available to non-varsity athletes?
What suggestions do you have for making an application stand out?
Obviously, not every question will be appropriate for every student; your questions will depend on your interests.
Should my parents come along?
That is a family decision. Parents are almost never invited to participate in the interview, but they are occasionally given a chance to ask questions when it is over.
Students are the primary concern of admission officers and should be seen as being mature, independent and responsible.
What are they looking for?
The interviewer is looking to get an overall impression of who you are as a student and person, and how well you fit with that particular community. They also want to answer any questions you have about the college and to encourage your interest and application.
Most interviews are considered informational, meaning that they are not formal evaluations. Even if the interview is evaluative it is not likely to have a major role in your admission decision. Typically interview evaluations reinforce what is already presented in other parts of the application. Regardless, however, it is important for you to put your best foot forward in the interview. Use this opportunity to present your most positive self and to demonstrate your interest in that particular school.
Other tips: Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and a smile. Maintain appropriate eye contact and good posture during the interview. Use correct grammar and avoid “like,” “you know” and “um.” Exude confidence.
What should I do once it's over?
Make sure you know the interviewer’s name before you leave so that you can write your interviewer a note thanking them within 10 days. Try to include a reference to something specific that was discussed in the interview.
Sample Thank You Notes
It is not only wise but also good manners to follow up with thank you notes to interviewers (on campus and off), coaches, professors, and teacher recommenders. In this day and age of technology, it is often acceptable to send a thank you note via email. In fact, in the case of college admission professionals, this can often be a good way of establishing an email rapport. A major exception to this would be the final thank you to teacher recommenders; these notes should be handwritten on stationary.
Students often struggle with the content of thank you notes, so samples are provided below. These are samples and should not be copied verbatim! As a general rule, thank you notes need not be long and should include one or two specific comments so as not to seem generic.
