The most important factor to consider when selecting a college is whether or not the campus environment is a good fit for you. Changing universities is costly and credits do not always transfer, resulting in delayed graduation. This is why it is crucial to find the right college the first time. I will discuss 5 questions to ask on a campus visit at Carnegie Mellon University that will help make this difficult decision easier.
1.) How easy is it to change my major?
As mentioned in my introduction, changing universities is expensive and has academic implications. It is imperative that you understand Carnegie Mellon’s procedures for changing majors. Statistics vary, but I have seen articles claiming that well over 50 percent of students change their major at least once. Understanding how the process works is important, as falling behind is highly undesirable.
2.) How many students will be in my largest class?
It is important to structure this question appropriately so that you receive an accurate answer. Many schools tell you their “student to faculty ratio”, but fail to specify who they consider “faculty”. Advisors, deans, and other administrative officials are technically considered faculty members and might be included in this calculation. Therefore, you should expect more than this number of students in your classes as a freshman, though fewer students will be in each class when you begin to take specialized courses.
3.) What activities do students participate in for fun?
The primary reason for selecting a college should be to further your education and focus on earning a degree. That being said, enjoying your experience is important to maintaining mental and emotional health. Carnegie Mellon is well-known for its academic presence, but it is also well known for being one of the most stressful universities in the country. Understanding what students do to relax will help you to determine how well you will fit in with your fellow peers. Realizing that their interests are similar to your own can be encouraging, although the opposite is also true.
4.) Are there resources available to help me if I am struggling in a class?
Some schools offer free tutoring on campus to students, especially in particularly challenging courses. Carnegie Mellon provides this resource for multiple courses, mostly to freshmen who are unfamiliar with the rigorous workload. This is not something that everyone will need to utilize during their college experience, but it never hurts to know that you can get help without having to pay for it.
5.) Can I see a freshman dorm room?
This question is often forgotten, but is more significant than you might think. Colleges will often show newly renovated buildings or rooms reserved for upperclassmen to attract students, but there is a good chance you will be living somewhere else. Dorm rooms come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of features too diverse to list. Everyone has a personal preference in regard to living arrangements, so it is important to know which building to request when enrolling. This is especially true at a school like Carnegie Mellon where there are several buildings that house freshmen!
I decided to focus on these five questions because the answers to them would have been helpful to know before I arrived on campus at CMU. As a freshman, I had multiple classes with over 100 students and changed my major after one semester. I did not know what to do in my free time nor did I realize that tutors were available on campus to assist struggling students. My dorm room had a communal restroom, no elevator, and no air conditioning.I had to request special permission to have an air conditioning unit installed in my room due to my allergies. I would have been much more prepared if I had known to ask these questions when I visited campus.
Matthew Remaley is a 2014 honors graduate from Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance as well as a minor in Biomedical Engineering.