Important Questions to Ask at a College Open House

Here's what you should be asking to really determine if a school is right for you!

When choosing a college, you already know that you need to research its programs, its location, its admission requirements, what features its campuses have, and the like. But there's more to a college than what you can find out from bullet points on a website.

You need to know what the campus culture is like, and the best way to do that is by attending an open house! Consider, for example, Centennial College's upcoming Virtual Open House on Sunday, November 21. When attending an open house that's totally online, here's what you should be asking to really determine if a school is right for you.

What services does the campus have?

Do they have a gym you can exercise in, and is it safe and socially distant? What about their library? Every college has one, but you'll want to know what they have for multimedia and study services.

You can also find out about more unusual services you probably didn't even think you needed, like a business clothing store, or legal advice. (Centennial College offers both of these.)

What can the college do to help when you're having trouble in school?

This means academic advising, tutoring, study services, and counselling of the personal and educational varieties. And if it's a concern of yours, you'll also want to find out what services they have for students with disabilities.

Where can you go to study?

"The library" is the easy answer, but you'll also want to know about a campus's quiet work areas, where you or a group can go to really knuckle down when there's schoolwork or projects to be done. Group study is a popular way to get together and share notes and review lessons.

Do a lot of students live on campus, or commute to school? What's it like?

This depends on if you think you'll be living at school, or commuting to it daily. If you want to live there, you'll want to know what residence is like, and if you're commuting, you'll want to know the best way to get there (car? bus? train?) and how long the trip will take.

Who's teaching the program I'm interested in?

A good college program is brought to you by industry experts, so you want to find out who's going to be teaching you. You'll also want to find out how easy it will be to talk to them after regular class, in case you need help with school or with your career.

Does the program I'm interested in have co-op, internships or field placements?

They're the best way to get experience and connect to a career, so you should look out for them, and ask exactly which type the program you're interested in offers to get you ready to work.

Do you like the location? Does it feel like home? Can you spend a few years here?

That's the real, important question, one that's hard to answer with facts and research. Virtual open houses takes place online, so you may have to trust your instincts. Your comfort comes down to how you feel about the space and the people who use it.

It never hurts to ask the faculty and staff who have been there a while.

Ready to test these questions out? Join Centennial College on November 21st for a Virtual Open House!