Wherever you are in your high school experience, you’ll be relieved to know that planning for college can begin in your backyard. HelloCollege believes families should take advantage of dozens of colleges ranging in size and selectivity that are at your fingertips with campus visit day trips.
Getting out to visit colleges
There is no better way to start college planning than by getting out there and seeing schools for yourself. College campus tours are available year-round. However, if students haven’t formed ideas about what they want to study or where they want to attend, it is crucial to take a step back and begin with some basics.
To get started, we recommend local campus tours of small, medium, and large colleges of different selectivity and in various settings. A small college typically enrolls 5,000 students or fewer, a medium-sized college enrolls from 5,000 to 15,000 students, and a large school enrolls 15,000 students or more. The size of the college can have a direct impact on the “fit” of the school for the student.
All colleges or universities have advantages. For instance, small colleges have small class sizes; the professors teach their curriculum; and students get to know their professors. At a large university, on the other hand, students can take advantage of a wide variety of majors and courses, well-funded big-name sports programs, a range of housing, state-of-the-art research facilities, and distinguished or famous faculty. Does that make medium-sized schools “just right”? Perhaps. Medium-sized schools are likely to have more academic offerings than small colleges, a mixture of small and larger class sizes, more prominent sports programs, and access to more clubs and activities than a small college.
Your College Admissions Journey, Mapped Out!
Introducing our college planning timeline with a handy checklist of essential tasks, a step-by-step guide for every grade level, from freshman to senior year, AND financial aid, college applications, extracurricular activities, and more.
Example day trips of Midwest college campuses
In the Midwest area, families have access to a wide range of college campus sizes and locations—all within driving distance. Your family is able to plan a day trip and see 3-4 different campuses at a time. The visits will help get your high school student thinking about college and the environment that is right for them.
| State | Small Campus | Medium Campus | Large Campus |
| Indiana | DePauw University | Butler University | Indiana University |
| Iowa | Augustana College | Drake University | University of Iowa |
| Wisconsin | Carthage College | Marquette University | The University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Illinois | Elmhurst College, Illinois Wesleyan University | University of Chicago, DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern University, Bradley University | University of Illinois, Illinois State University |
| Missouri | Rockhurst University | St. Louis University | University of Missouri |
No matter where you are in your college decision process, HelloCollege can help you and your son or daughter in preparation and execution. Contact us for more information.
