1. Culture– What’s the location and size of the school? What are the nearby towns like? Is it in a city or more outdoorsy?

2. Atmosphere– Try and feel out the vibe and check out student activities, clubs, and residential life. Is there enough/ too much happening on campus?

3. “Are these my people?”- Do the students seem like people you would want to hang out with for 4 years? How much student engagement is there? How friendly are the students? How do they help to integrate you to their community and make you feel welcome?

4. Get a “real” sense of the school– Talk to students or visit. If financially possible, visit schools and tour, most schools have a special “Campus Day” for admitted students. You can stay overnight and see what a day in the life of a student is like. If you can’t visit, there are lots of online chats and Skype’s with students at school. Students will give their honest opinion of what works and what doesn’t

5. Curriculum– What are the required courses? Research if the school has the classes you are interested in/ major’s you might want to study. Figure out the size of classes, student: teacher ratio, and if study abroad programs are.