The Second Annual High School Marching Band Caravan College Tour 2012
Goals & Information by Dr. Clarence Bibby
Information Sheet
A college tour is a visit to a College campus by students, parents and others who want to learn about an interested college facilities, student life activities and academic programs. These tours are normally walking tours that typically last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, and groups are usually between ten and thirty visitors. Many campus tours include a visit to a dorm room and a classroom or lecture hall. Campus tours often include an information session presented by a member of the admissions staff. It is a major decision for a high school student and his or her parents to select a college. This decision shouldn’t be made based solely on information about the school’s popularity, its athletic programs, a guidebook, or a website. In order to find out what a college or university is really like, students should take a personal tour of the campus. The purpose of visiting a college is to find out more information about the school. To find out the information you want, you need to ask questions.
The Goals of the 2012 College Tour:
1. To make students aware of the various options suitable to their situations: four-year college /university degree program, two-year college degree program or a short-term career skills certification program.
2. To seek enrollment in a postsecondary educational institution after high school
3. To earn either a bachelor’s degree at a four year college or university or to earn an associate’s degree or a career skills certificate at a two year community or technical college.
What Colleges Want
1. Colleges succeed when they recruit, admit, retain, and graduate students who are a good match for what they offer. Just as each student has unique qualities and characteristics, each college or university is special and different in some way. Colleges are looking for students who will thrive in the particular environment. Students should look for a college where they truly fit academically, socially, athletically, artistically, or according to whatever dimension is most important to the student.
2. Most colleges and universities place a high emphasis on academic ability. They will weigh students’ academic performance in high school because this is the strongest predictor of academic success in college. Admissions committees will look for class rank, the type of courses taken, and the overall pattern of grades. The results of standardized college entrance examinations such as the SAT or ACT are often considered by college admissions officers, in conjunction with other credentials.
3. Colleges ask applicants for letters of recommendation to help them make decisions when many candidates have similar academic credentials.
4. Many admissions committees like to see evidence of a student’s writing ability, and they may require an essay. A thoughtful and well-prepared essay will also give the college an impression of the student as a unique individual..
Question to ask on your college tour.
Academics
1. What are your most well-known academic programs?
2. Do you accept AP credits?
3. Are professors required to have office hours?
Student Life
1. Do you offer a overnight program for prospective students? What on-campus activities do you offer?
2. How do students find out about off-campus activities?
3. Is housing guaranteed?
4. Are the dorms co-ed?
5. What is the visitation policy for dorms?
6. What percentage of students are commuters?
7. Do you have sororities and fraternities?
Financial Information
1. What is the tuition?
2. Does that include Room and Board?
3. Are students considered for any merit-based college scholarships?
Types of Colleges:
Liberal Arts Colleges: These colleges offer a broad base of courses in the liberal arts — literature, philosophy, history, languages, mathematics, humanities, and social and natural sciences. They typically offer four-year programs that lead to a bachelor’s degree. These colleges prepare you for a variety of careers, as well as for graduate work in many fields, including professions such as law, medicine and business.
Universities: Generally, universities are larger and offer more majors and degree options than the other types of colleges. In addition to liberal arts majors, they may offer engineering, architecture, health and other programs. At most universities, you can earn bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Most universities contain several smaller colleges; for example, colleges of agriculture, teaching, and liberal arts. You may have to apply to a specific college within the university and take most of your classes within that college.
Community Colleges: Community colleges are the most common type of two-year College. These colleges prepare you to continue your education or to enter the workforce immediately. They offer associate degrees that get you ready to transfer to a four-year college and earn a bachelor’s degree.
Vocational-Technical (Vo-Tech) and Career Colleges: AVocational-Technical or career college offers specialized training to students who are interested in a particular industry or career. At these colleges, students are not required to take general education classes in all subjects. You take classes only in your field of study — for example, culinary arts, firefighting, dental hygiene or medical-records technology. When you complete your program, you receive a certificate of completion or an associate degree. Fine Arts Colleges: There are many colleges and conservatories that focus on the arts. In addition to regular course work, these colleges provide training in, for example, art, music, theater or fashion design. Most of these colleges offer associate or bachelor’s degrees in fine arts or a specialized field. Religiously Affiliated Colleges: Some private colleges are affiliated with a religious faith. The affiliation may be historic only or it may affect day-to-day student life. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): There are some colleges and universities that were historically founded to serve African American students. Most were affiliated with major churches such as the Methodist, Baptist or Church of Christ. Others were founded by states to serve as segregated colleges for African American students.
Public vs. Private: Public colleges are funded by local and state governments. They usually charge lower tuition, particularly for in-state residents. Private colleges may receive some government funds, but they mainly rely on tuition, fees, endowments and other private sources of funding. Many are affiliated with a religion.
A college tour is a visit to a College campus by students, parents and others who want to learn about an interested college facilities, student life activities and academic programs. These tours are normally walking tours that typically last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, and groups are usually between ten and thirty visitors. Many campus tours include a visit to a dorm room and a classroom or lecture hall. Campus tours often include an information session presented by a member of the admissions staff. It is a major decision for a high school student and his or her parents to select a college. This decision shouldn’t be made based solely on information about the school’s popularity, its athletic programs, a guidebook, or a website. In order to find out what a college or university is really like, students should take a personal tour of the campus. The purpose of visiting a college is to find out more information about the school. To find out the information you want, you need to ask questions.
The Goals of the 2012 College Tour:
1. To make students aware of the various options suitable to their situations: four-year college /university degree program, two-year college degree program or a short-term career skills certification program.
2. To seek enrollment in a postsecondary educational institution after high school
3. To earn either a bachelor’s degree at a four year college or university or to earn an associate’s degree or a career skills certificate at a two year community or technical college.
What Colleges Want
1. Colleges succeed when they recruit, admit, retain, and graduate students who are a good match for what they offer. Just as each student has unique qualities and characteristics, each college or university is special and different in some way. Colleges are looking for students who will thrive in the particular environment. Students should look for a college where they truly fit academically, socially, athletically, artistically, or according to whatever dimension is most important to the student.
2. Most colleges and universities place a high emphasis on academic ability. They will weigh students’ academic performance in high school because this is the strongest predictor of academic success in college. Admissions committees will look for class rank, the type of courses taken, and the overall pattern of grades. The results of standardized college entrance examinations such as the SAT or ACT are often considered by college admissions officers, in conjunction with other credentials.
3. Colleges ask applicants for letters of recommendation to help them make decisions when many candidates have similar academic credentials.
4. Many admissions committees like to see evidence of a student’s writing ability, and they may require an essay. A thoughtful and well-prepared essay will also give the college an impression of the student as a unique individual..
Question to ask on your college tour.
Academics
1. What are your most well-known academic programs?
2. Do you accept AP credits?
3. Are professors required to have office hours?
Student Life
1. Do you offer a overnight program for prospective students? What on-campus activities do you offer?
2. How do students find out about off-campus activities?
3. Is housing guaranteed?
4. Are the dorms co-ed?
5. What is the visitation policy for dorms?
6. What percentage of students are commuters?
7. Do you have sororities and fraternities?
Financial Information
1. What is the tuition?
2. Does that include Room and Board?
3. Are students considered for any merit-based college scholarships?
Types of Colleges:
Liberal Arts Colleges: These colleges offer a broad base of courses in the liberal arts — literature, philosophy, history, languages, mathematics, humanities, and social and natural sciences. They typically offer four-year programs that lead to a bachelor’s degree. These colleges prepare you for a variety of careers, as well as for graduate work in many fields, including professions such as law, medicine and business.
Universities: Generally, universities are larger and offer more majors and degree options than the other types of colleges. In addition to liberal arts majors, they may offer engineering, architecture, health and other programs. At most universities, you can earn bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Most universities contain several smaller colleges; for example, colleges of agriculture, teaching, and liberal arts. You may have to apply to a specific college within the university and take most of your classes within that college.
Community Colleges: Community colleges are the most common type of two-year College. These colleges prepare you to continue your education or to enter the workforce immediately. They offer associate degrees that get you ready to transfer to a four-year college and earn a bachelor’s degree.
Vocational-Technical (Vo-Tech) and Career Colleges: AVocational-Technical or career college offers specialized training to students who are interested in a particular industry or career. At these colleges, students are not required to take general education classes in all subjects. You take classes only in your field of study — for example, culinary arts, firefighting, dental hygiene or medical-records technology. When you complete your program, you receive a certificate of completion or an associate degree. Fine Arts Colleges: There are many colleges and conservatories that focus on the arts. In addition to regular course work, these colleges provide training in, for example, art, music, theater or fashion design. Most of these colleges offer associate or bachelor’s degrees in fine arts or a specialized field. Religiously Affiliated Colleges: Some private colleges are affiliated with a religious faith. The affiliation may be historic only or it may affect day-to-day student life. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): There are some colleges and universities that were historically founded to serve African American students. Most were affiliated with major churches such as the Methodist, Baptist or Church of Christ. Others were founded by states to serve as segregated colleges for African American students.
Public vs. Private: Public colleges are funded by local and state governments. They usually charge lower tuition, particularly for in-state residents. Private colleges may receive some government funds, but they mainly rely on tuition, fees, endowments and other private sources of funding. Many are affiliated with a religion.