From beautiful campus tours to meeting friendly professors, college visits are all about getting a taste of college life.

“I got a pamphlet filled with lots of information about the school. I also got a map. At some schools, I got a free t-shirt along with some bracelets and keychains,” senior Emma Chism said.

From state-of-the-art facilities to vibrant campus communities, these standout features can make a lasting impression.

“Feeling welcomed is a big part of the decision-making process. When you feel like you’re not just another person, it makes a better impression and makes me like the school environment more. Having a good tour guide is also a big plus,” Chism said.

Only touring one school is also an option, seniors might be able to identify that “home” feeling quicker than others.

“I only toured Indiana State. I really liked the environment of where it was, and they made me feel so welcomed that I did not think I needed to tour anywhere else. The school gave me a bag with the ISU logo on it and a brochure of all of their majors, minors, and facts about the school,” senior Danielle Suiters said.

While other students like to find a school and be done with it, others like to take multiple visits and really get to know their options.

“I visited four schools, Indiana State, Indiana Wesleyan, Butler University and Taylor University. They all took me around campus, and I saw where I would be studying. They got more in-depth about what I would be learning there. Then, they took me to the athletics side and showed me all of the stuff I needed to know there,” senior Mycah Vessley said.

Even though every school is different in their own ways, most schools give all their students the same items that other colleges give their students.

“I got some t-shirts and an academic packet that had a bunch of stuff in it about my major. I feel like the more information the better. It makes you feel welcomed, and it seems like they really do care about each and every student,” Vessley said.

GHS offers two excused absences to juniors and seniors who want to take a college visit during the school year. They can use these two during junior year and senior year

“So you would just you actually arrange it through the college. It’s one of those things that I think is the easiest thing to find on a college website. Sometimes there’s even a link every time you go to a different page, it pops up to say schedule a visit so you click on it and then you would select what kind of visit you want to do.” Mrs Lisa Laug, Counseling Director & College and Career Liaison said.