Prospective College Students and Parents

Dear Prospective College Students and Parents:

Picking the right college is a big decision, one of the more important that you'll ever make. You and your parents will need to ask many questions when making your decision on what college to attend.

To get a sense of how much you are likely to learn, grow, and develop at a given college or university, there are some key questions to ask the people you'll meet - the tour guide, the admission staff, overnight hosts, faculty members, and currently enrolled students. Some of the most important questions can be found in this guide.

The questions listed in this guide are based on The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Each year NSSE collects information directly from students at hundreds of colleges and universities from across the country. Responses to the survey provide valuable information about what is actually going on in the lives of students and the quality of their college experience.

We would encourage you to check to see if the college or university that you are considering participates in NSSE. If so, detailed information on the college student experience may be available from the admissions, institutional research, or institutional assessment office.

We hope this information is helpful and wish you the best of luck in your college decision-making