You're standing outside the admissions building, tour about to start, and you realize you have no idea what you're supposed to pay attention to. An hour later, you're back in the car with a folder of brochures and a vague sense that the campus was "nice."
That's how most campus visits go. And it's why most families can't meaningfully compare schools three months later.
This checklist fixes that problem. Use it at every campus visit (whether you're carrying a dedicated college visit journal.com/products/college-visit-journal), a notebook, or just your phone. The goal is consistency: document the same information at every school so you can actually compare when decision time arrives.
Refer to it immediately after each visit while details are fresh.
School Facts
Capture the basics you'll reference later. Much of this is available on Niche.com or the Common App, but documenting it at the visit creates a single reference.
- School name (obvious, but write it down to anchor the entry)
- Location (city and state)
- Setting: Urban, suburban, or rural?
- Public or private?
- Undergraduate enrollment (how many students?)
- Acceptance rate (ask at info session or check beforehand)
- Tuition (sticker price (ask about net price too)
- Room and board estimate
- Travel time from home (door to door), including flights if relevant)
- Application deadlines (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular)
- Required application components (Common App? Supplements? Interview?)
Why this matters: During application season, you'll be comparing dozens of data points. Having school facts documented in one place (alongside your impressions) saves hours of research.
The Visit Experience
What you actually did during the visit shapes what you learned. Document this to explain gaps in your knowledge later.
- Date of visit (you'd be surprised how often this gets forgotten)
- Tour type: In-person or virtual?
- Tour format: Guided by student? Admissions staff? Self-guided?
- Weather that day (affects your impressions more than you'd think)
- Information session attended? (Yes/No)
- Campus tour completed? (Yes/No)
- Dorms visited? (Yes/No, and which ones?)
- Dining hall visited? (Yes/No, did you eat there?)
- Talked with current students? (Beyond the tour guide?)
- Sat in on a class? (Yes/No (which one?)
- Met with coach), professor, or department? (Yes/No)
Why this matters: If you rated a school's dorms as "unknown" because you never saw them, that context matters when comparing. A school you only toured virtually deserves an asterisk when weighed against in-person visits.
Academics
If you know your intended major (or have a shortlist), these questions become critical.
- Does this school offer your intended major? (Don't assume (check)
- Department reputation? (What did they say about it?)
- Average class size (for freshman classes and upper-level)
- Student-to-faculty ratio (tells you about access to professors)
- Teaching style: Lectures), seminars, discussion-based?
- Research opportunities for undergrads?
- Internship/co-op programs?
- Study abroad options? (Percentage who participate?)
- Academic support services? (Tutoring, writing center, advising)
- Honors program or special tracks? (Requirements and benefits)
- Library impressions (Matters more than people admit (you'll spend time there)
Why this matters: Academics are the point). Capture specifics about your potential major, not just general impressions of "strong academics."
Campus Life
Where the "can I imagine myself here?" feeling comes from.
- Campus feel: Did it seem lively? Quiet? Stressful? Relaxed?
- Student body vibe: What types of students did you notice? Who seemed to thrive here?
- Dorm impressions: Room size, common spaces, overall feel
- Freshman housing: Where do first-years live? Guaranteed for all four years?
- Dining hall quality: Did you eat there? How was the food?
- Dining options: Meal plan flexibility? Late-night options?
- Campus activities/clubs: What's available in areas you care about?
- Greek life presence: How dominant is it? (Ask students, not just admissions)
- Athletics: D1, D2, D3? Game day culture?
- Fitness facilities: Gym quality, accessibility
- Mental health resources: Counseling availability, campus climate around mental health
- Diversity and inclusion: What did you observe? What did students say?
Why this matters: You're not just attending classes. You're living somewhere for four years. These details shape daily experience.
Practical Matters
The stuff that affects whether you can actually attend.
- Financial aid mentioned? (Merit-based, need-based, specific scholarships)
- Net price calculator used? (Do this before or after the visit)
- Scholarship opportunities for your profile?
- Work-study available?
- Estimated total cost (tuition + room/board + fees + books)
- Application fee (or fee waiver available?)
- Interview required or recommended?
- Portfolio or audition required? (For specific programs)
- Test-optional policy? (COVID changes have made this variable)
- Demonstrated interest: Does this school track it? (Some do, some explicitly don't)
Why this matters: The sticker price isn't what you'll pay. Understanding aid options early helps you prioritize applications.
The Surrounding Area
You're not just attending a school (you're living somewhere).
- Walkability: Can you get off campus easily without a car?
- Town vs. city: What's the surrounding area like?
- Things to do off campus: Restaurants, shops, entertainment?
- Safety impressions: How did it feel walking around?
- Weather: What's the climate like year-round? (Matters if you're not used to it)
- Distance to major city: If the campus is rural, how far to an airport or city?
- Job market: For internships and post-graduation opportunities
- Public transportation: Available? Necessary? Useful?
Why this matters: A great school in an area that doesn't suit you leads to an unhappy four years. Document your impression of the place, not just the campus.
Personal Response
The subjective stuff that matters most but fades fastest.
- What did you like? (Be specific: not "nice campus" but "the library had natural light and quiet study spaces")
- What didn't you like? (Be honest (you're documenting for yourself)
- What surprised you? (Positive or negative)
- Best reason to go here #1
- Best reason to go here #2
- Best reason to go here #3
- Concerns or hesitations?
- How did it compare to expectations? (Better), worse, different?)
- Can you imagine yourself here? (Yes/No (force the answer)
- Ideal for your desired major? (Yes/No/Unsure)
- Questions you still have? (Follow up with admissions)
- Overall rating (on a consistent scale), like 2-9)
Why this matters: These are the impressions that blur together after five schools. Capture them immediately. The "best reasons to go here" prompt forces you to articulate what actually stood out (if you can't list anything), you didn't learn enough on the visit.
Tour Quality
The tour itself deserves documentation because it colors your impression of the school.
- Tour guide quality: Knowledgeable? Enthusiastic? Honest?
- Questions answered well? (Or dodged?)
- Memorable quotes or information?
- Info session quality: Useful or just marketing?
- Anything the tour seemed to skip or hide?
Why this matters: A bad tour guide can tank your impression of a great school. A charismatic guide can oversell a mediocre one. Document the tour quality separately so you can adjust your overall impression accordingly.
How to Use This Checklist
A dedicated college visit journal with these prompts built in makes this easier (it ensures you capture the same information at every school without having to remember what to write). Our Campus Visits Remembered journal has room for 20 schools with three pages per visit: one for facts, one for impressions and ratings, and one for notes.
For a deeper guide on documentation strategy, see our complete college visit journal guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use this checklist if I'm visiting with my parents?
Divide and conquer. Have the student focus on campus life, academics, and personal impressions while parents track practical matters like financial aid and safety. Compare notes after each visit (you'll notice different things), and both perspectives are valuable.
Should I complete this checklist during the tour?
No. During the tour, focus on observing and asking questions. Trying to fill out forms while walking means you'll miss things. Complete the checklist immediately after the visit ends, while everything is fresh.
What if I can't answer some of these questions?
Leave them blank and note that you don't have the information. That's useful data (it tells you what gaps exist in your knowledge of that school). You might need to follow up with admissions or schedule another visit.
How detailed should my answers be?
Specific enough to be useful three months later. "Dorms were nice" won't help you. "Dorms had suite-style layout, common room between two doubles, felt spacious for shared housing" will.
How do I remember what questions to ask?
Review this checklist before each visit. Star the items most important to you. Write 3-5 specific questions based on what you want to learn at that school. Ask them during the info session or tour (don't wait).
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