What to do when you visit

Call ahead: Tours are usually available year-round. Reservations are not always needed, but it's best to call ahead, especially if you seek interviews. And try to spend the night in a dorm and sit in on a class or two.

When to come: October is ideal. Classes are in full swing, and students there are most likely not yet worried about exams and have more time to talk with prospective students. Avoid mid- to late August, when admissions officers are overworked due to freshman orientations.

Seek out students: Ask what they like most and least about the school, what they'd change, what campus is like on weekends, what the food is like, which professors are best. Best spots to chat: the student center, dining halls, athletic fields, the lobby of a dormitory.

Seek out staff: In addition to talking to people in the admissions department about campus life, try to speak with a department head or faculty member if you have a particular interest in a subject, or with a particular coach if you are interested in their sport.

Check bulletin boards: Postings on the boards may give you a sense of the diversity of the institution, of the political opinions of different groups. Pick up a copy of the campus newspaper (usually you can read an online version, too) for much the same reason.

Hang out: Eat in the cafeteria, buy a cup of coffee on campus and see how students interact. Watch how students use the library.

Visit the financial-aid office: Ask questions about financial support. Parents may wish to do this while students are on tours or in interviews.

Get off campus: After all, you're not going to spend all your time on campus, so you should visit the college's town, too.

Send thank-you notes: After visiting a college, send thank-you notes to everyone you met. It's courteous and will also leave a good impression.

What to ask: Aside from asking the most common questions such as class size, whether classes are mostly taught by professors or teaching assistants, and the most popular majors, students might ask tour guides, admissions officers and others:

What is the interaction between students and faculty, and what are the opportunities for remedial help, such as study sessions?

What is the attrition rate? Do students leave because they're bored or because they can't keep up with their schoolwork?

What is dorm life like? (Are there party dorms, international dorms, quiet dorms?) Do you have to live on campus and, if so, how many years? Do many students live off campus? If so, why?

Where do parties take place?

Do students work primarily for grades? What are their attitudes toward learning?

What are the greatest shortcomings of this school? What do students complain about the most?

What's the biggest issue in local campus politics?

Are there job opportunities on campus?

Is it a wet or dry (no alcohol) campus?

Are there a lot of different selections of food on campus?

Sources: Washington state admissions officers, high-school counselors, college-tour guides