Believe it or not, colleges want to know you are interested in attending and many students simply stop with the college visit. This interest will influence their offers of admission. If they give you a coveted “accepted” slot, it only makes sense that those slots will go to the students who demonstrate interest. They are selling a service and they want interested customers, not casual shoppers. You can find out how much weight a college puts on “demonstrated interest” by researching the college’s statistics on College Navigator.

The college visit is a great place to start: taking the student-led tour and connecting with other students on campus. But if the college truly interests you, you should take that college visit a step further by considering these additional campus experiences.

Stay Overnight

Many colleges will allow prospective students to stay overnight on campus. They allow students to stay in a dorm, get to know current students and other students who are also applying, and attend a class to see what college is like. Staying overnight is a good way for your student to get a feel for life on campus and get to know the campus culture. However, be sure to discuss dorm safety with your student and what to do if he or she feels uncomfortable in a situation.

Shadow a student.

Shadowing a student provides a good way for your student to learn more about student life and experience an academic setting. Most colleges offer this option, and you can even register online on the college website. There’s no better way to evaluate a college and determine if it’s a good fit for your student than to actually become a student for a day.

Sit in on a class

Even if you don’t spend the night on campus, you can sit in on a class. Try asking your tour guide about visiting a class. Attending a class is one way for students to check out majors and determine if that college and/or major is a good fit.

Talk to a student or a professor in your anticipated major.

While visiting, seek out a student in your anticipated major. This is a good way to find out more about how the specific program works and opportunities in that major. Getting a student’s perspective is the best way to get the truthful inside scoop. In addition to talking to students, it’s also possible to talk to professors. The admissions office can help you make an appointment before your visit. This is especially helpful for students who have already decided on a major.

Get personal

You can also look for links to student blogs and websites when you are visiting the college websites. They provide a more “up close and personal” view of the campus, as well as email addresses of their student authors. You can contact them for a true student representation of the campus and college life that you might not get from the official college literature. But…and here’s the big but…don’t take one opinion as gospel. Use it to add to all the information you have already gathered and weigh it against all the other comments you’ve received.

Explore on your own

Once your tour is over, take time to explore the campus and surrounding city on your own. While walking around the school, look at the bulletin boards and posters to get a better idea of the types of events and activities offered. Eat in the cafeteria and talk to students. Current students will often have an honest perspective on the college and college life.

A college visit is a fact-gathering adventure. Take advantage of every opportunity to help make that final college decision.