Ways to Explore a College Beyond the Traditional Campus Visit

Experts – including the ones in Meredith’s own Office of Admissions – agree that the best way to really get to know a college is to make an official campus visit.

But once you’ve made a campus visit, met with your admissions counselor, and taken the campus tour, there are several other ways you can visit a college to learn more about campus life.

Here are four other ways you can visit a college you are considering.

1.    Go to camp: Many colleges host summer programs focusing on a variety of topics. Going to camp is a great way to experience life on a college campus. And at the same time, you’ll be building skills that will help make you a stronger student. Meredith College sponsors camps focused on athletics, arts, STEM, and leadership. One of our longest running programs, Looking Toward College, helps high school students get a jump on preparing for college.

2.    Watch a game: Cheering for your potential team is a fun way to spark school spirit. Whether you are interested in being a student-athlete or a spectator, watching a game is another way to check out campus life. Meredith College plays in the Division III USA South conference, and has frequently claimed regular season and tournament championships. The Avenging Angels field teams in basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, volleyball, and club golf. (See athletic schedules at goavengingangels.com) Wonder what it’s like to be a D-III athlete? See what our students say.

3.    Explore the arts: Watch a play, dance concert, or music performance. Most colleges have extensive performance calendars, and Meredith is no different! Choral and instrumental recitals, plays, musicals, modern dance and tap performances and more are featured on our arts calendar. Our performances are free and open to the public too, so this is a cost-effective way to visit campus. More interested in visual arts? College art galleries are another fun place to visit, and again, these are often free.

4.    Hear a speaker talk about a thought-provoking topic: Another frequent event on college campuses are lectures and panel discussions. Hear a scientist discuss GMOs, a choreographer talk about the creative process, a business leader share her path to success, or a panel of legislators debate current political issues. All of this and more is possible on a college campus. (The list of speakers who have come to Meredith includes five Nobel Laureates, former leaders of the United States and Great Britain, U.S. Senators, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and playwrights. Later this year we will welcome Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.) You’ll get a sense of the kinds of intellectual discussions available in college, and you might even find a new interest! Learn more about Meredith’s campus lectures

The visitors’ bureau in the city where your prospective college is located is a good resource for finding events. Interested in learning more about Meredith campus events? Visit meredith.edu/calendar for current options.