by uneadmissions in Admissions, College Search, Events

How to Get the Most From Your College Visit

From online events and virtual tours to campus tours and open houses (and everything in between) there are many different ways to research colleges and navigate your visit options. It can be overwhelming to decide what’s best for you and what visits to do when. We’re here to help! Let’s dive into your visit options and offer some guidance on narrowing down your search so you can get the most from your college visit.

Visit Types

Campus Tour

Campus tours are a wonderful introduction to college. They are typically student-led, which allows you to get to know a current student and ask them questions. Campus tours will give you an overview of campus life and allow you to see academic and athletics facilities, residential halls, study areas, and dining halls. You will usually have an opportunity to meet with an admissions counselor, too.

Best Time for a Campus Tour: Anytime of year is a great time for campus tour, but prioritizing your visit during the fall or spring semesters will allow you to feel what life is really like on campus. Because campus tours are typically offered throughout the week and perhaps even on the weekend, you have more flexibility when choosing a time that works best for you.

Campus Tours at UNE: Tour our coastal Biddeford Campus Monday through Friday and select Saturdays. All tours are led by current UNE students and include academic and athletics facilities, dining and study areas, and an opportunity to meet with an admissions counselor. Schedule a campus tour.

Open House

Open Houses are traditionally held in the fall. They are larger events that allow you to explore a college more in depth. You will have opportunities to interact with current students, chat with faculty members, meet with coaches, and even try out the food on campus. Many colleges will even host academic sessions for their programs so you can see what hands-on learning opportunities are available.

Best Time for an Open House: Most colleges host their Open Houses during the fall semester, typically on the weekend. The dates will be set in advance, so be sure to take note and plan accordingly.

Open Houses at UNE: We host Open House events in October. Join us to learn about our majors and get a feel for student life! Attend an academic session all about your major, tour campus with a current student, try our food, check out Freddy Beach, and stick around to cheer on the Nor’easters at an athletics game. Sign up for an Open House.

High School Visits and College Fairs

Throughout the spring and fall, admissions counselors will visit high schools and attend college fairs, both in person and virtually. This gives you an opportunity to connect with your counselor and answer any questions you have about college or the application process.

Best Time for a High School Visit or College Fair: High school visits and college fairs are held throughout the year. It’s best to coordinate with your school counselor on high school visits. College fairs are larger events that may be held at your school or a school nearby.

High School Visits and College Fairs With UNE Admissions: Find a visit near you on our website. You can use the location filters to see when our admissions counselors are visiting or hosting events in your area.

Virtual Events

Virtual events allow you to learn about a college at your own pace from the comfort of your home. They may include general information sessions, academic information sessions, student life information sessions, live chats with current students and admissions counselors, virtual meetings, and/or virtual tours.

Best Time for a Virtual Event: Anytime! Virtual events are especially helpful if you live far away from a college and want to learn more before visiting in-person.

Virtual Events at UNE:

  • Discover UNE Virtual Series: This series is designed to help you navigate the college process — from your application to your acceptance. Current students and the admissions team share tips and resources and give an insider’s perspective on what makes UNE stand out. You can even live chat with students and admissions representatives during each event. Sign up for Discover UNE.
  • Virtual Information Sessions: An ideal introduction to UNE, you’ll learn about admission requirements, financial aid, student life, and academics. Each virtual session includes a brief presentation and opportunities to live chat with a counselor and current student. Sign up for a Virtual Information Session.
  • Virtual Meetings: We offer options to meet virtually with an admissions counselor, a financial aid representative, or a faculty member. Learn more and sign up on our visit page.
  • Virtual Tour: You can take a virtual tour of our campus anytime. View our virtual tour here.

Visit Tips

Whichever visit option you choose, it’s important to be prepared. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your college visit:

Note What’s Important To You

Before you schedule a visit, take some time to think about what’s important to you in your college experience and what you want to see during your visit. Are you interested in seeing residential halls or do you prefer to tour athletics facilities? Is the food on campus important to you or are you more concerned about the overall campus vibe? Narrowing your focus this way will help make your college visit more worthwhile.

Learn About Your Major

You will spend four years in a program of your choosing — make it count! Ensure your college has opportunities you’re looking for, which may include clinical rotations, internships, fieldwork, job shadowing, and/or other hands-on learning opportunities. During your visit, be sure to attend breakout sessions or specific events for your major to learn about your options.

Ask All The Questions (And Have Fun!)

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Chances are there’s another prospective student with the same question. Plus, it’s one of the best ways to learn everything you can about a college. Current students are your best resource, and they’ve heard it all!

It’s also important to have fun with your college visit experience. Katie Bernier, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions here at UNE says:

I know that searching for a college can be stressful and anxiety provoking, but try to have some fun! Taking a moment to find a way to relax before you start your visit can make all the difference in your on-campus experience.

Eat On Campus

Food is an important part of any college experience, so try to eat on campus if you can. Win-win if this is already built into your visit. If not, ask a current student about the food — they’ll be honest with you.

Explore Off Campus

While enjoying your time on campus is important, make sure you leave time to explore the surrounding area off campus to see if you enjoy it. Note if you prefer a college in a city or would like to be in a more rural, outdoorsy location. Each option brings different opportunities for exploration and fun.

Connect With UNE

We hope you’ll consider visiting UNE this fall. If you have any questions about our visit options or would like to learn more about UNE, please feel free to reach out. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!