This Sunday and Monday, November 10-11, Nyack College will host a slew of students for an overnight stay on its Rockland Campus. Potential students will sleep in dorms, eat in the cafeteria, sit in on class, and even check out downtown Nyack. At 3pm on Sunday, they’ll say goodbye to their parents and get a 24-hour glimpse into what life is really like at this Christian college.
In general students may wonder how a college visit will help them make the right choice. They may wonder if a visit even makes a difference. Rest assured, it does. Check out this list and consider looking into schools that offer these types of orientations. These tips will help you get the most out of a college day.
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Get to Know Dorms and Residential Life
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College students and high school students have at least one thing in come. They all like to spend time in their rooms. Eating and sleeping is just the beginning. At college, you’ll share music, have friends over and obsess over TV together. The best way to see what residence life is really like is to spend the night. Programs like Nyack’s Weekend Visit allow students to bunk up with peers in their dorm rooms, roam the halls, and catch views over the Hudson River.
Eat in the Cafeteria for more than One Meal
Anyone can throw together one good meal to impress visitors but over a 24-hour span, visiting students will really be able to test out a cafeteria’s mojo. Unlike day visit’s when you’ll just see the lunch time rush, longer stays let you really see how the campus serves up breakfast and dinner as well as dessert bars too. Grab some cookies and save it for a late night snack in the dorms.
Learn about the Student Body, Who’s Really on Campus
Just like day visits, weekend visits have staff and student volunteers help you along the way. But with a 24-hour stay, you’ll be able to really see what the student body is like. Sure the tour guides are smart and nice. They represent the best and brightest of campus. But during your free time, check out what other students are doing. Are they sunbathing on the lawn, headed to a soccer match or walking into town for pizza? Do people say hello? Look for diversity too. These are all healthy signs of a good college.
Tour the Downtown District
Some colleges are in the middle of verdant greenery and nature. Others seem to be their own metropolis, complete with skyscrapers. What kind of environment do you want? Most people like beautiful campuses that also are conveniently located close to a town. At Nyack, it’s not unusual for students to head down Hillside for brunch along the river or for some Starbucks. Ask yourself about the options off-campus. Is there a mall? A movie theatre? A hip coffee shop?
Experience the Classroom Culture
This is probably one of the biggest advantages to a longer visit at a college campus. Can you stomach a lecture hall with 500 students? Will you thrive in a classroom of ten? Visiting a real classroom will give you insight into the classroom culture of the school. While you’re with current students, you can see how teachers interact with them, look up office hours, and see how the buildings are laid out around campus.
Above all, your college visit should be about making a connection with the school. If you’re going to spend four years on this campus, you should love it and feel as if it were a second home. Anyone had a great school visit? Tell us how the school clicked for you!
