Questions to Ask When Visiting a Community College
For a high school senior, an adult returning to school, or a parent along for the day at a community college visit or open house. The 53 questions follow the order the decision usually takes: what you would study, whether the credits move on to a university, how you get in and get placed, what it costs, whether the classes fit around a job, and what the campus is like to reach and use. Tuition, aid and transfer rules differ from one state and college to the next, so treat every answer as this college's own and ask where it is written down.
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The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Programs
Which certificates and degrees do you offer in the field I am interested in, and how long does each one take?
Why ask it
One subject can come as a short certificate, a longer one and an associate degree, each leading somewhere different. Take the program sheet for each and check whether the length printed on it assumes a full-time load. If you will be working, count the credits and divide by what you could carry in a term.
What is the difference between the transfer track and the career track in this subject?
Why ask it
Colleges often run two versions under one subject name: one built to continue at a university and one built to lead straight into a job. Courses in the career version may not count toward a bachelor's degree later, so ask which one you would be placed in and how students switch.
What jobs do people who finish this program get around here, and which employers hire them?
Why ask it
A useful answer names job titles and local employers. If the admissions table cannot, ask for the program's lead instructor or the career services office, and ask where their information on graduates comes from.
Does this program have its own application or waiting list, separate from getting into the college?
Why ask it
Being admitted to the college and being admitted to nursing, dental hygiene or another program with limited seats can be two separate things. Ask how many seats there are, how they are filled, and what applicants take while they wait.
How many of the students who start this program finish it, and how long does it take most of them?
Why ask it
A department that tracks this will have a figure for the program itself, not only one for the whole college. If most people take longer than the program sheet says, the reason is worth hearing: a course offered once a year, a wait for placements, or students who work full time.
Can I start this program in any term, or does it only take new students once a year?
Why ask it
A program that runs as a cohort may begin only in the fall. If you would miss that start, ask which general courses you could take in the meantime that would still count toward it.
Does this program prepare me for a license or an industry exam, and is the exam fee part of what I pay?
Why ask it
In the trades and in health fields, the thing an employer asks for may be the license and not the certificate. Requirements are set by the licensing body where you plan to work, so ask who at the college checks the program against them and how its graduates have done on the exam.
Is the college accredited, and does this program have its own accreditation or approval?
Why ask it
A yes is only half the answer. Get the name of each accrediting body and look it up yourself afterward, because it can bear on whether credits move to another school and whether the program counts toward a license.
Can I see the labs, shops or clinical rooms where this program is taught?
Why ask it
For welding, automotive, nursing or culinary programs this is the part of the visit that matters most. Look at how many students share one station, and ask whether the equipment matches what local workplaces have.
Is there an internship, clinical placement or apprenticeship in the program, and who arranges it?
Why ask it
If students have to find their own placement, ask how many manage it and what happens to those who do not. Check the hours too: an unpaid daytime placement is hard to fit around a job you cannot leave.
I have not settled on a subject yet. How do undecided students choose their first classes here?
Why ask it
Plenty of people arrive undecided, so what matters is whether the first term is wasted if you change direction. Ask whether there is career counseling before enrollment and which opening courses count toward most programs.
Transfer
Which four-year schools do you have transfer agreements with, and can I see the one for my major?
Why ask it
An agreement in writing lists the courses and grades the university has said it will accept. Ask for the document or the link, and read the version for your own major, since two majors at one university can ask for different courses.
Do any of those agreements promise me a place at the university, and what are the conditions?
Why ask it
Where such a promise exists it tends to carry a minimum grade average, a set of required courses and a date by which you must sign up. The date is the part people overlook: the paperwork can be due well before you finish here.
Which kinds of credit most often fail to carry over when students transfer from here?
Why ask it
The receiving school makes that decision, so a blanket 'everything transfers' is not an answer. A frank reply names categories, such as preparatory courses, hands-on career courses or low grades, and tells you where to check a course before you sign up for it.
How many students transfer from here each year, and where do most of them go?
Why ask it
Common destinations show which relationships are well worn. If the school you have in mind is not among them, ask whether anyone has gone there recently and whether its representatives ever visit this campus.
Do students usually complete the associate degree before they transfer, and does finishing it change what the university accepts?
Why ask it
At some universities a completed degree is taken as a block that settles the general requirements, and at others every course is judged one by one. That differs by state and by school, so ask about the specific universities on your list.
Will the credit I already have count here: AP scores, dual enrollment, another college or military training?
Why ask it
Bring an unofficial transcript or score report so someone can give you a first read on the day. The official evaluation normally comes after you apply, so ask how long it takes and whether it will be done before you register.
Is there an advisor who works only on transfer, and when should I first see them?
Why ask it
Ask this even if transfer is two years off. The courses a university wants for a major often have to start in your first term, and a transfer advisor is the person who knows the order.
Getting in
What are the steps between applying and sitting in my first class, and how long does the whole thing take?
Why ask it
Ask for the checklist on paper. It often runs application, placement, orientation, advising, registration and payment, and each one can have its own deadline. Find out which step most often holds new students up.
Is there an application deadline or fee, and does the college admit everyone who applies?
Why ask it
Many community colleges take all applicants, but do not assume it of this one or of every program in it. If you finished school abroad, were homeschooled or have no diploma, ask what is needed in your case.
How do you decide which math and English classes I start in?
Why ask it
It may be a test, your high school grades, a questionnaire you fill in yourself, or a mix. Where you start decides how many terms pass before you reach the courses your program counts, so settle this before you plan anything else.
Can I practice for the placement test, and can I retake it if the result seems too low?
Why ask it
People who walk in cold after years away from algebra can place lower than they need to. A week with the practice material is cheap next to a term spent in a class you did not need, so get the retake rule and any fee for a second attempt before you sit it.
If I place below college level, do those classes count toward my program, and is there a quicker route?
Why ask it
Some colleges put students straight into the college-level course with a support class alongside, and others use a sequence of preparatory courses first. Ask which applies, what the preparatory classes cost and whether financial aid pays for them.
When does registration open for new students, and what must be finished before I can register?
Why ask it
Sections at the popular times fill first, so the date matters more than it sounds. Ask whether orientation is required beforehand and whether it can be done online or in the evening, then count back from the opening day.
I have been out of school for years. Where do returning adults usually start, and what do you need from me?
Why ask it
Three things to come away with: whether old transcripts must be sent, whether work experience or training can earn credit, and whether one office looks after adult students. A family visiting with a high school senior can skip this one.
Cost and aid
What would one full-time term cost me in tuition and fees, and which rate would I be charged?
Why ask it
The rate often depends on where you live: in the district, elsewhere in the state, or outside it. Ask which one applies to you and what proof of address is needed. Take the per-credit figure as well, so you can price a part-time load.
Which fees are added on top of tuition for my program?
Why ask it
A sample bill answers this faster than a list read aloud. Lab, technology, activity and parking charges are common, and a program with equipment or clinical work can carry fees of its own that the headline tuition figure leaves out.
What do books, tools, uniforms and supplies cost in this program?
Why ask it
A cosmetology kit or a set of mechanic's tools can be one of the larger costs of the first term. Ask whether any courses use free or low-cost textbooks, and whether tools can be borrowed or bought secondhand from last year's students.
Which financial aid forms do I need to file, and what is your priority deadline?
Why ask it
The forms depend on your country and state, so have the aid office list them and say which year's income records they want. Ask what students who file after the priority date tend to miss out on.
Is there a free tuition or promise program here, and who qualifies?
Why ask it
Where one exists it usually has conditions, which might include living in the area, starting soon after high school or taking a full load. Ask whether it covers fees and books as well as tuition, and whether adults returning to school can use it.
What scholarships does the college or its foundation offer, and is there one application for all of them?
Why ask it
The deadline is the first thing to get, because it can fall months before the term begins. Staff often know which awards drew few applicants last year, and those are worth an afternoon of your time.
Does financial aid cover part-time students, and how many credits do I need to keep it?
Why ask it
The rules change with the type of aid, so ask the office to show what your award would look like at two or three different loads. Tell them how many hours you work and let them say which load they could fund.
Is there a payment plan, and what happens to my schedule if the bill is not paid by the due date?
Why ask it
Some colleges drop unpaid students from their classes and release the seats. Get the date, and ask whether aid that has been awarded but not yet paid out protects your schedule.
What is the refund schedule if I have to drop a class after the term begins?
Why ask it
This matters most to anyone whose shifts can change without notice. Ask for the dates in writing, and ask the aid office separately what dropping does to money you have already received.
What help is there with costs that are not tuition, such as food, child care, transport or an emergency bill?
Why ask it
Look for a food pantry, emergency grants, a transit pass or a child care center, and ask which office handles them. Walk past it before you leave so you know where it is and when it is open.
Schedule and support
Can I finish this whole program with evening, weekend or online classes?
Why ask it
A college that offers some evening classes has not promised that every required course has one. Ask to see the last two terms of the schedule for your program and check each required course for a section you could attend.
What happens if a class I need is full or is canceled for low enrollment?
Why ask it
Two different problems share this question. For a full class, learn how the waiting list moves; for a canceled one, whether the department will approve a substitute. In a small program one canceled course can push your finish date back a term, so find out how many sections were cut last year.
How many classes do students with a full-time job usually take each term?
Why ask it
Staff see every term who stays and who withdraws, so their sense of a workable load is worth having. Ask how many hours of study outside class to plan for per course, then test that against your actual week.
Are the online classes held at set times or done on my own schedule, and do any need a trip to campus for labs or exams?
Why ask it
The word online covers live sessions at a fixed hour, work done whenever you like, and hybrids with campus days. Ask how each kind is labeled in the schedule so you can tell them apart when you register.
Do you offer shorter terms, such as eight-week or summer classes?
Why ask it
A short term lets you take one or two courses at a time, with more work packed into each week. Ask which subjects students find hardest in the compressed format before you put math in one.
How many students are in a typical class, and how do I reach an instructor outside class time?
Why ask it
Class size is the easy half, and the admissions table will have the number. The second half matters to anyone who is only on campus in the evening: some instructors teach part-time and keep no office, so learn whether help comes by email, before class or in set hours.
Will I have an assigned advisor, and how long is the wait for an appointment near registration?
Why ask it
Find out whether advising is drop-in or booked, and whether evening, phone or video slots exist for people who work days. Where you see whoever is free, keep your own copy of every plan and note.
Is tutoring free, which subjects does it cover, and when is it open?
Why ask it
Hold the opening hours against the times you would be on campus. A center that closes at five is little use to an evening student, so ask about online tutoring and a writing center as well.
What support is there for a student with a disability or a learning difference?
Why ask it
Support you had in high school may not carry over on its own, so find out whether you register afresh with the college's office, what documents it wants and how far ahead of the term to get in touch. Meet the staff on the day if you can.
If my grades slip, does anyone here contact me, or is it up to me to ask for help?
Why ask it
At some colleges instructors flag a struggling student early and an advisor follows up, and at others nothing happens until the grade is posted. Knowing which kind this is tells you how closely to watch your own progress.
The campus
Are all the classes in my program at this campus, or would some be at another site?
Why ask it
A college with several sites may teach your general courses at one and your program courses at another. The detail that catches people is two classes on one day at different sites, so get the distance and whether a shuttle runs between them.
How do students get here without a car, and is there a discounted transit pass?
Why ask it
Check the timetable against the end of the latest class you might take, since a route that stops running mid-evening rules out night sections. Ask whether the pass is included in fees or bought separately.
What does a parking permit cost, and how full are the lots at the hour my classes would meet?
Why ask it
An open house on a Saturday shows you empty lots. If you can, drive in on a weekday at the time you would arrive, and ask where students park when the nearest lot is full.
How late are the library and computer labs open, and can students borrow a laptop or a hotspot?
Why ask it
For anyone without a quiet room or steady internet at home, these hours decide when the work gets done. Check weekends and the days between terms as well, when opening times are often shorter, and how long a loan lasts.
Is there security on campus in the evening, and can someone walk me to the parking lot after a night class?
Why ask it
If an escort exists, learn how to request one and how long it takes to arrive. Then judge with your own eyes: walk the route from the classroom building to where you would park or catch the bus, and count the lights along it.
What clubs, teams or honors programs are there, and do students who commute and work actually join?
Why ask it
Where nearly everyone commutes, activities compete with jobs and the drive home, so the meeting times say more than the length of the club list. If you plan to transfer, an honors program or a student government role gives an application something to point to.
Could I sit in on an evening class or talk with a student who works while studying here?
Why ask it
A student balancing a job will tell you things a staff member cannot, such as which instructors are flexible about a late shift. Ask the admissions office to arrange it, and offer a couple of dates.
Who should I contact with questions after today, and what is my next deadline?
Why ask it
Leave with one name, an email address and a date. If the answer is a general phone line, ask which office handles new students and take a card from the person in front of you.
How to get answers out of a community college visit
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Planning the visit
Go back on a weekday if the timetable matters
An open house gathers every office in one room, which is the fastest way to collect answers. It also shows you a campus that is not in session. If the schedule is what you are deciding on, return on an ordinary weekday at the hour you would be in class, and see the parking, the bus stop and the building while they are in use.
Book the offices, not only the tour
A walking tour covers buildings. The answers on this page sit with admissions, financial aid, advising and the department that runs your program. Call ahead and ask for fifteen minutes with each one you need, or ask which of them will have a table at the open house.
Bring your paperwork
An unofficial transcript, any AP or test score reports and a rough idea of household income let staff talk about your case instead of the general one. A working adult should also write down the hours they are free each week, so the schedule questions get a real answer.
Choose about ten
Nobody gets through this whole list in one visit. Mark the questions that would change your decision, usually one or two from each group, and put cost and schedule first if either could rule the college out.
Which office answers what
Admissions for steps and dates
The admissions or enrollment desk owns the checklist: application, placement, orientation and the day registration opens. It can also point you to everyone else, so start there and ask for names.
Financial aid for anything with a dollar sign
Tuition rates, fees, payment plans, refunds and aid rules belong to the aid office and the cashier. A tour guide's figure is an estimate. Ask the office itself, and ask where on the college's website the number is published.
The department for the program itself
Labs, placements, licensing exams, start terms and where graduates work are known best by the instructors who teach the program. If none of them are at the visit, ask for the program coordinator's email and send your questions that week.
Students for how it runs day to day
Whether evening sections fill, how long the advising line gets and which lot has spaces at nine in the morning are things current students know from doing it. Look for one whose week resembles the one you would have.
Once you are home
Write it up the same day
Put each answer beside its question while you still remember who said what. Note the office and the person's name next to anything about money or transfer, because those are the answers you may need to quote later.
Check the big answers against the published ones
Transfer agreements, fee schedules and refund dates are normally posted on the college's site or printed in its catalog. Where what you heard and what is published differ, email the office and ask which is current.
Confirm transfer with the other school
The university you hope to move to decides what it will accept. Send its transfer admissions office the courses you were advised to take here and ask whether they would count toward your major there.
Compare two colleges on the same three lines
If more than one community college is within reach, set them side by side on the full cost of a term, whether your program can be finished in the hours you have, and how you would get there. A difference on any of those outweighs a nicer building.
Easy ways to waste the trip
Treating it like a university tour
Dorms, dining halls and weekend life are what a residential campus tour is built around. At a community college the decision turns on credits, cost and the timetable, so spend the time in offices and classrooms.
Accepting 'it all transfers'
It is said kindly and it is too broad to rely on. Ask which agreement, for which major, to which school, and where it is written down.
Letting the parent do the talking
A parent may be paying and has every reason to ask about cost. The student is the one who will deal with placement, advising and registration, so they should ask those questions and keep the notes.
Asking only about tuition
Fees, books, tools, parking and the paid hours given up for class can add up to more than the tuition line. Price a whole term, including the cost of getting there.