We've curated a list of the most impactful questions to ask during your college tours, organized by topic for easy navigation. While some topics—like housing—are universal, other questions may be more specialized depending on the institution. You might even find that you already know some of the basics from the school's official literature.
Think of these lists as both a practical checklist and a creative spark for your own inquiry. Use them to dig deeper into specific programs mentioned in brochures or to assess how well the campus supports your personal interests. For example, if you're a photographer, you might want to ask specifically about darkroom access or digital labs.
Pro-tip for your visit:
- Print it out: Keep this list handy while you're on the move.
- Take notes: Use the provided space to jot down answers and observations.
- The Post-Tour Review: Even if you prefer to stay present during the tour rather than taking notes, reviewing these questions on your trip home is a great way to lock in your impressions before they fade.
Administration
- How hard/easy is it to work with the administration?
- How hard/easy is it to work with the financial aid office?
- Does it seem like there is a lot of red tape or bureaucracy?
- How hard/easy is it to register for classes?
- How hard/easy is it to change classes/majors/departments?
- Is it easy to get face-time with administrators?
Housing
- How many dorms are there?
- How are the dorms different from each other?
- What are the options (co-ed, suite-style, freshman, houses, honors)?
- Are students required to live on campus?
- Do most freshmen live on campus?
- Is there guaranteed housing for freshmen?
- What's the off-campus housing situation like?
- How are roommates paired up?
- What if that roommate doesn't work out?
- How many roommates per room for different dorms?
- What are the laundry facilities like?
- Are there curfews?
- What kind of security/entry is there for dorms?
- Are there refrigerators/microwaves/group kitchens?
- Are there dedicated study areas?
- Are there dorm events?
- Do the dorms close down during holidays?
Academics
- What are the most prominent majors and programs?
- Are those majors more difficult to get accepted into?
- Do they offer the major in my area of interest?
- How large or small are the classes?
- What is the student/faculty ratio (especially for the freshman class)?
- Are there freshman seminars?
- How much contact is there between students and professors?
- Are professors required to teach undergraduate courses or do they mostly focus on research?
- Are classes taught by graduate students, especially freshman classes?
- Are there research opportunities with professors?
- What is the Honors Program like?
- Is there a special winter or summer term?
- Who are the best professors?
- What is the quality of the student advising?
- Is there tutoring help on campus?
- How do we contact the office that helps students with learning disabilities?
- How do we contact the office that helps international students?
Athletics
- What kind of intercollegiate sports are prominent on campus?
- How do you purchase student tickets for sports events?
- What kind of intramural sports are prominent on campus?
- What kinds of sports facilities are available on campus?
- How much scholarship money goes to student athletes?
- What kinds of sports facilities and activities are there in the local community?
- Do athletes have special housing?
- Are admissions requirements different for athletes?
Extracurricular and Social Activities
- How many clubs, activities, and athletics are at the college?
- How do you sign up for clubs?
- What are the most popular student groups on campus?
- What is there to do on the weekends?
- Are there fraternities and sororities?
- How prominent are fraternities and sororities on campus?
- How prominent is drinking on campus?
- How prominent are drugs on campus?
- What activities are there that don't involve drinking and drugs?
- What kind of events are planned by the campus activities board?
- Are there lots of religious events?
- What kinds of events are school-sponsored?
- What kinds of speakers come to campus?
- What kinds of bands come to campus?
- Do students hang out on campus on the weekends or do they hit up local venues?
- Are there many student theater productions?
Surrounding Town
- How well does the college get along with the surrounding town?
- What is the local social scene like?
- What is the crime rate in town?
- What are the job prospects like in the local town?
- What are the larger companies in town?
- Do they recruit interns from this college?
- What kinds of public transportation are available in town?
- Where is the local shopping center?
- Where is the closest grocery store?
- What other colleges are around here?
- What other towns/cities are around here?
Transportation
- Are freshmen allowed to have cars on campus?
- What is parking like?
- How much commuter parking is there?
- How much residential parking is there?
- How much does parking cost?
- Are there trolley or bus routes on campus?
- Is there transportation from campus to local areas?
- How late does that transportation run?
- Is there a bike-share program on campus?
- Is theft from cars a problem on campus?
- Is a car necessary to get around the town?
- How much will parking tickets cost?
- Is there a shuttle from campus to the airport?
- Are there late-night shuttles or taxis available?
- Is there a car-share program on campus (Zipcar)?
Technology
- How much of campus is Wi-Fi enabled?
- Are classrooms set up for laptops?
- Are there online classes?
- Do professors generally post class notes?
- How much of teacher-student interaction is online?
- How many computer labs are there on campus?
- Are computer labs open 24 hours?
- Are textbooks available as eBooks?
Food
- What are the on-campus food options?
- What are the hours for the on-campus food options?
- What are the local/off-campus food options?
- Are there vegetarian/vegan options?
- How much of the food is bought locally?
- Is there a meal plan?
- How does the meal plan work (is there a debit card or is there a per-meal card)?
- How much is the meal plan?
- How is the meal plan billed/paid for?
Study Abroad
- What percentage of students study abroad at some point during their four years?
- What countries do students go to?
- How do you sign up for studying abroad?
- How do those credits count toward graduation?
- About how much does it cost?
- Does financial aid cover studying abroad?
Financial
- How much is tuition?
- What other charges are there (for example, room and board, fees, computers)?
- What types of scholarships or financial aid is available?
- When are the deadlines for the forms?
- What do you need to do to apply?
- Are there jobs available on or near campus if you want to work? How easy or difficult is it to secure one?
Internships/Career
- What percentage of students receive jobs in their field of interest after graduation?
- Is there a job or career placement program?
- What internship programs or opportunities are available?
Politics
- Are students mostly conservative on campus?
- Are students mostly liberal on campus?
- Are students very politically active on campus?
Religion
- How actively religious are students on campus?
- What is the dominant religion on campus?
- How strict are the rules on campus?
- How tolerant are students of non-religious students?
Holidays/Festivities
- What is the holiday schedule for the school?
- Are the dorms closed over long holidays?
- Are there options for holiday housing?
- What are the Homecoming festivities like?
- What are holiday festivities like?
- What are some of the campus traditions?
Campus Media
- Is there a college radio station?
- Is there a campus newspaper or news website?
- Are there other student publications?
Students
- How happy are students?
- How nice are students?
- How much diversity is there on campus?
- Are students athletic-minded?
- Are students arts-minded?
- Are students involved in lots of clubs and activities?
- Is this mainly a commuter campus?
- Do students generally stay around campus on weekends?
- How tolerant are students of LGBT students?
- Where can I find the best food/coffee on campus?
- What is the school's best-kept secret?
- Can I get anything for free on campus?
- How often do you attend campus events?
Alumni
- How involved are alumni with students?
- How active is the alumni association?
- Are there alumni mentors for students?
Campus/Facilities
- Is the campus safe and secure?
- Is there a blue light system or a late-night escort system available?
- Is there a library on campus that is open 24 hours?
- How many bookstores are on campus?
- Is there a post office on campus?
- How accessible is the campus for students with disabilities?
