College Search Tips

When I visited colleges during my senior year of high school, I was extremely excited and eager to see where I would spend the next four years of my life. I had a lot of questions ready to ask any staff or faculty member who asked if there was anything I wanted to know, but the second they asked me, my mind drew a blank. I had countless questions I wanted to ask, but no words would leave my mouth. 

Visiting schools can be a scary thing. You may be excited like I was, but when the time comes to step into the unknown, sometimes fear gets the best of us. There are a few things I wish I could have prepared for going into my visits, and I would like to pass them on to you as you are preparing to visit us here in Newberg!

Visits take your search experience to the next level

If you are considering a George Fox visit experience, whether in person or virtually, I’m so glad you are taking this step in your college search! Visiting campuses while I was in high school had a big impact on me when I chose George Fox.

It’s one thing to look up info about a school online, like what majors they have, the clubs, etc. There is just nothing that can compare to seeing the campus firsthand and interacting with students and faculty members. The second I visited Fox, I felt so welcomed. The students I met were already investing in a potential friendship between us, and I have stayed connected with a lot of them to this day.

Visiting different campuses is also a good way to set apart different schools you are looking at.  On paper, some schools may look similar, but each campus has a different feel. You want to be sure you feel at home!

 

No question is a bad question 

This was one thing I was worried about with the questions that were about to roll off my tongue.  What if the answer is so obvious and I should have known? What if the other people on my tour judge me?

Now that I am one of the tour guides for the admissions office, I’ve found there are a lot of things that prospective students, or their families, ask that are common among everyone on the tour. I have heard questions like, “What does it look like to have a car on campus?” or “What does athletics look like?”

Some people may know the answer to these questions already. That doesn’t matter. Don’t be afraid to ask them. You are trying to decide where you are going to spend the next four years of your life. You deserve to have all of your questions answered, no matter how big or small they may seem to you! 

With everything going on during your visit, it is so easy for questions to slip through the cracks. However, if you are able to sit down before visiting and list out all of the things you want to know about the school, you will likely feel much more prepared.

Take notes

Once I left the campuses I visited, I almost always forgot a few things that happened, and sometimes they were pretty important things. Some prospective students take notes while they are on their visits, which I think is so smart.

Some people bring a notepad to write on, others use their phones. Either way, taking notes gives you the opportunity to write down what you like about a school, some questions or concerns you might have, an extracurricular activity you might want to get involved in, where the school ranks on your list, and more! You can then take that information to other college visits to do some comparing.

Our admissions staff and faculty are here to help you!

Although it can be intimidating to interact with people you don’t know in a new environment, here in the admissions office we are always here to help you, no matter what that looks like for you.

Maybe you don’t even know what you want to know yet, or you have loads of questions. Wherever you are at, we are here for you. We love our jobs and this place, and we are always so happy to talk with you, hear your story, and do everything we can to help you see if George Fox is the right fit for you.

The same holds true for professors or anyone you meet with here! We all want you to have the best experience possible when you visit our campus -- and have fun! We believe visiting schools should be fun.

All in all, I have had a lot of awesome campus visit experiences. It is so cool to take a look at what your future could look like, and as an admissions intern, be able to see students light up on a campus tour when they begin to realize this is where they want to go to school. I pray that you find a school that fits your needs and feels like home, and we hope that George Fox will be that place for you.