As Butler County’s high school seniors prepare for decision day and graduation, some may wonder if they made the correct choice on where to continue their education.

College will be many students’ first opportunity to find independence, but some may be questioning if they found the right fit at a school. Academic programs are important, but students need to socialize and have support to thrive in their new environment.

If prospective students and their families have yet to visit their institution, they should schedule a visit through its admissions office. A good rule of thumb is: If a student is not happy on a campus visit, chances are they will not be happy attending the institution.

Butler County Community College offers admissions visits to main campus in person and virtually via their Microsoft Bookings page. Visitors can choose a simple admissions visit to learn about programs, or they can also schedule a campus tour as part of their visit. Admissions visits take half an hour, and the tour adds another half-hour. Students can also visit in person or virtually through high school programs offered at select schools. International students have their own type of virtual visit as well and take an hour.

Slippery Rock University offers tours for first-year, transfer, graduate and international students on weekday or Saturday visits, open houses and special events.

Weekday or Saturday visits include an admissions presentation and a student-led campus tour, so visitors can look for both faculty and student perspectives for their questions. Open houses are for undergraduate students and their families to meet with faculty from their academic program, learn about the admissions process, tour campus and try Boozel Dining Hall.

For special events, the university has Music Major for a Day, Exercise Science Day and Engineering Day in February, March and April respectively. All types of campus visits usually have a maximum capacity, so it’s important to schedule early.

SRU offers transfer students the opportunity for an on-campus appointment with an admissions counselor and a student-led tour. Visits can also be virtual or by phone. The on-campus appointment would include information such as how many of a student’s credits from their current university will transfer, what the rest of their coursework will look like and how their financial aid will be affected. Graduate visits follow a similar format.

International students looking to schedule a visit to SRU in person or virtually should schedule one through its Office for Global Engagement.

If temperatures are below zero, or if the university is closed or delayed by inclement weather, visitors will instead be offered a virtual tour. Special accommodations can also be requested in advance.

Visitors should look for a gut feeling — whether the campus environment is right or wrong for them — on a college visit.

“We want students and their families to visit because that’s going to give them a feeling in their gut of ‘Does this feel like home and a place where I want to continue investigating, or this isn’t the right fit,’” said Michael May, SRU’s director of first-year admissions.

Regardless if they find that gut feeling during a visit, students can see a school’s quality in its facilities, its faculty and its student support. Students want to hear what a school can do for them during their educational career and beyond.

Ask about your school’s student and career support offices to see what they brag about and what resources they can offer to students academically, socially, and as alumni finding jobs. Having these resources can offer students a sense of security whether they need it or not.

SRU’s Center for Career and Academic Progress hosted almost 900 visiting families last semester. The center monitors student’s feedback on open houses and what alumni go on to do.

Many schools will also have honors and statistics they are proud of that attract students. In SRU’s case, it has the best graduation rate and the second-best retention rate in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

In BC3’s case, its nursing programs consistently boast an 83% to 93% passing rate on the state board licensure exam. Both institutions also have national honors and awards under their belt from BestColleges.com and U.S. News & World Report.

Visitors should ask what resources their new school can offer for helping students acclimate to their new environment and maintaining their mental health. In a new environment, the worst thing a student can feel is alone.

At SRU, about 97% of first-year students take FYRST Seminar, a one-credit course described as an extended orientation academically, socially and personally.

“From all the studies and research we did with our students, we knew we needed something of transition that was more formal, and that’s how FYRST Seminar came about,” said SRU’s chief enrollment management officer Amanda Yale.

FYRST Seminar started as her dissertation more than 20 years ago, she said. Students take a survey after completing the course to ensure it still meets the needs of today’s demographic. Students who do not take this course usually have a similar one specific to their department.

Students may also find it helpful to learn how their prospective school schedules classes. Most places allow seniors to schedule first, with freshman scheduling last, but SRU adds an element of block scheduling, so students of the same major have about half to three-quarters of their classes together. This has helped students to make friends and to switch majors faster if they discover their current program is not the right fit, Yale said.

On a college tour, visitors should meet their faculty to gauge industry knowledge then see the facilities they will be using.

Campus visits also allow families the opportunity to see if their student’s faculty is knowledgeable and practiced. Faculty should be able to explain their prior experience working in their industry before teaching, then exactly what the program is that they are teaching.

Students should also have a chance to see all facilities relevant to their program during a campus visit, and not just dormitories and dining halls.

At BC3, visiting students can see its state-of-the-art Victor K. Phillips Nursing & Allied Health building that boasts three high-fidelity simulation labs with simulation mannequins, three nursing skills labs and other types of labs.

“When I say state-of-the-art, we’ve had many people from the outside come in and say ‘wow, this is amazing for a community college,’ and that it rivals many of the four-year institutions out there,” Patricia Annear, dean of BC3’s Shaffer School of Nursing & Allied Health, said.

At SRU, visitors will find the newly renovated performing arts center and engineering labs to complement its new programs.

Visitors should also visit their institutions' dining halls on a tour to see the proximity to dorms and classes and which will fit into a busy schedule.

When it comes to dining, students should look for a variety of options that fit both students who want to dine-in and grab-and-go. Most schools offer free visits to the dining hall during visits, so in addition to the food quality, students can analyze the proximity to classroom buildings and wait times.

“With the costs rising in higher education, people know it’s a really big investment, and you want to know what the return on your investment is,” May said.