Do You Know The Warning Signs To Look Out For?
College hunting is an exciting but daunting period of life. It's when you get to decide your future, not just for the next four years, but for your entire professional life. The institution you choose can open doors or slam them shut in your face. You need to make sure you go somewhere reputable, but it's not just about the opportunities down the line; it's also about the university experience you're looking for. College isn't purely vocational; it's about making lifelong friends and memories, too. Before you head off to campus visits and let yourself get wooed by the marketing, make yourself a checklist and keep in mind these 20 red flags to watch out for.
1. Trying To Impress You With Something Other Than Education
Never forget the main reason you're looking at schools: your education. If a college is trying to woo you too much with shiny things that aren't related to your studies, side-stepping education-related queries, it's a definite red flag.
2. Poor Communication
If you haven't communicated with the college yet, hang around the administrative offices and pay attention to whether there are unmanned desks, students complaining about lost forms, or stressed-out-looking employees. Poor communication is a sign of poor organization and will only be a headache for you as a student.
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3. Empty Campus During Class Hours
If the campus is like a ghost town during class hours, it shows that it's a commuter school. If you're looking for a university that's a whole experience where you can make lifelong friends and enjoy a vibrant campus life, this kind of school isn't for you.
4. Stressed Out Students
When you're on a campus tour, pay special attention to the well-being of the students. Though you can't tell everything at a glance, you can usually discern from the way someone's face looks if they're happy or on the verge of a panic attack.
5. A Lack Of Interaction
Do your fellow tour-goers seem friendly, approachable, and are they interacting with each other and with you? Keep in mind that these are the people you'll be sharing classes with if you choose this school, so even if it's just a small sample, the vibe on the campus tour is actually pretty important.
6. Overly Scripted Tour Guides
Some tour guides are better than others, but if yours seems to only have a script memorized with little to no information outside of that, it could be a red flag. It could mean they're not very connected to campus life, aren't truly invested, or are hiding something.
7. High Student-to-Faculty Ratio
As a student, you don't want to just feel like a number. Especially if your field is something like the arts or research, which requires close mentorship, it could be a red flag if you see nothing but huge lecture halls filled with students.
8. A Lack Of Diversity
When you visit the campus, keep your eyes out for diversity amongst the students. This is an indication that the college is an open-minded place where students are invited to be themselves. A college where everyone looks and acts more or less the same indicates less inclusivity and will offer a less rich cultural experience.
9. Cafeteria Food Quality
While it may not seem directly related to your studies, the food on campus is how you'll fuel yourself, so it must be of decent quality. What's more, a school that prioritizes nutritious meals for the students indicates that it cares about student well-being. Make a point of visiting the dining hall when you visit the campus.
10. Low Graduation Rates
Don't just do a vibe check. Be qualitative in your approach and check the stats. If there's a shockingly low graduation or retention rate, that's a red flag.
11. Marketing over Substance
It's important to keep in mind that colleges are businesses like any other. They're trying to sell themselves to you as a prospective customer. Be perceptive and read between the lines of the glossy brochure pages to make sure they have the academic substance you're looking for.
12. Student Services Are Hard To Access
Visit the counseling services, career services, and academic advising offices and note if they seem well-staffed and easy to access. These services are specifically to help students succeed, so if they're hard to access, it's a sign the school isn't committed to your success.
13. Suspiciously High Scholarships
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For-profit colleges have a history of offering large scholarships to make their above-average tuition rates seem more affordable, but that just ropes students into taking out federal loans and accumulating debt. Even some of the "scholarships" on offer are actually loans that the student will have to repay, bordering on the line of scam operations.
14. Frequent Changes In Leadership
Check the college archives to see how frequently leadership changes hands. A revolving door of deans or presidents may indicate deep-seated problems within the institution.
15. A Bad Gut Feeling
Don't overthink it. If you have a bad gut feeling when you visit the campus, you should listen to it. If an afternoon on campus gives you a negative response, imagine what a whole four years will feel like.
16. Aggressive Enrollment Tactics
Always be wary of schools that pressure you to enroll quickly or have unclear financial processes. Not all of them are legitimate institutions with your best interests as a student in mind. The ones worth considering will never be overly aggressive with their marketing tactics.
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17. Difficulty Getting Answers About Your Major
If your tour guide or admissions office can't seem to connect you with the right person or answer specific questions about the program you're interested in, it could indicate a lack of organization. It could also signify that it's not a particularly well-known school for that area of study and that you'd be better off looking elsewhere.
18. Limited Resources
Make a point of visiting the library and labs when you visit the campus. If they seem limited or outdated, that's a sign that the school is lacking the resources necessary for providing a top-notch education.
19. Lack Of Safety Measures
Pay attention to how well-lit areas of campus are and if there are safety implementations like call boxes and security personnel. Student safety is important, and a school that prioritizes it indicates that it cares for students' well-being.
20. Outdated Dorms
Some older schools will inevitably have older, character-filled dorms, but you want to check for signs of serious neglect like mold, poor ventilation, and insufficient insulation. The bar may be low for student housing, but you shouldn't feel like you're living in disrepair.
