For high school seniors, it’s time to start picking out colleges. A college visit is the most effective way to learn about a school, and it is also a way to develop a personal feel for that particular school.

The first step in a college visit is usually a lecture about the school. That lecture will include the school’s requirements, majors offered, and general information.

The two most important factors for getting into a college are ACT/SAT composite score and cumulative GPA. Other contributing factors are class difficulty, class rank, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. Also, an essay, if required, could make or break a student’s chances at acceptance.

During a college tour, current students at the college will take the tourists from building to building and share information about each one. On certain occasions, teachers or students from those buildings will be available to go more into depth.

Of course, going to a college is an important and costly decision, so parents have a lot of questions. “How do we get scholarships?” “What is the graduation rate?” “What percent of graduates get jobs right away?” These are all common questions asked by curious parents at a college visit.

Over the weekend, I had the chance to visit the University of Missouri. MU is in the process of modernizing its campus.

The dorms, student recreation center, and all of the buildings are being or have recently been remodeled and technologically upgraded.

Missouri, like other schools across the nation, is changing its appearance to appeal to what the students want.

Choosing a college is a process. It requires research, time for applications, and small factors that finalize the decision. In my opinion, a college visit is the most helpful step. Seeing the college firsthand and hearing from current students shows what that college really has to offer.