If you’re a college-bound high school student, you’ve likely got a calendar full of campus tours scheduled from now till June. In a way, all these tours are the same you sit in a big room and hear the spiel about what makes this school standout, you group up with other families and follow an ambassador to all the main spots on campus like the dining hall and the library, somebody asks the ambassador an inane question that makes you question what types of students get into this college and another asks the ambassador something brilliant that you wish you’d thought of. But touring campuses is a crucial part of the college selection process. You really can’t know if a particular school is a good fit for you unless you’ve actually gone there and seen it in person. Before you commit to Montclair State University (or any other college, for that matter), make it a point to see all of the following on campus:
1.) The pace and density
A campus’ pace is an important thing to note when you’re narrowing down your college search. Think about whether you’re a high energy mover or if you think you might prefer a more serene campus. There’s no universal right answer, but there is a right answer for you.
Also consider a school’s density. Are you comfortable in a big crowd or do they make you feel claustrophobic? Does being alone in a hallway or a building freak you out a little, or do you crave bursts of solitude?
2.) The facilities for your chosen department
Montclair State is more than one hundred years old, and its buildings range from the original 1908 building to a state of the art science center that opened this year. Don’t just look at the buildings’ exteriors and decide whether you like the facilities or not they all look the same anyway.
Find out where the classrooms and labs for your major are located and go check them out. Are they up to date? Do they have the resources you’ll need for the type of coursework you’ll do? Most importantly, could you see yourself working and earning your degree in these spaces?
3.) The campus layout
Montclair State is on a mountain. That means there are inclines. As you’ll see, it’s a wonderful place to skateboard. But think about the amount of physical exercise you’ll need to do here once you’ve located the building where the bulk of your classes will be, test the walk from it to each of the residence halls (or the parking garage or train station if you plan to commute).
Now think about that walk during a rainstorm or with snow on the ground is this a walk you can handle, or are you the kind of student that’ll make excuses for missing class as soon as the warm weather fades? Be honest.
4.) Your department’s culture
Yes, the campus culture is important. Montclair is a fairly fast-paced commuter school. What’s equally important is that you get a feel for what it’s like to complete your major at Montclair State. Some departments have hundreds of students and others have maybe fifty or so the size of your department matters. If you can, try to talk to a faculty member or two from the department you plan to be a part of.
Talk to a student from your department to get a sense of whether it’s a tightly knit community or if it’s more of an anonymous mass of bodies. Try to find out what students with your major can expect to do after they graduate and if you can, whether or not most students in your major can complete it in four years. If this number is low, find out why.
5.) The view
After you’ve seen the classrooms, the labs, the library, and the scenery at Montclair State, take a walk up to the Campus Recreation Center and look straight ahead through the break in the trees at campus’ edge. If you took an afternoon tour, linger until the sun goes down and then head over to the tree line.
That, glistening straight ahead of you, is the New York skyline. The view shouldn’t affect your decision about Montclair State, but absolutely go look for it.
Lindsay Kramer is a 2012 graduate of Montclair State University