By HLEE YANG

The Mirror reporter

Visiting colleges is one of the most important things to do before graduating from high school. It is very important to know what to expect from the campus before enrolling in it.

This fall, there is going to be a college visit to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Nov. 6. Students are recommended to pick up permission slips by the Career Center.

“I think it’s the most important thing a student can do in making a decision about where to attend,” Gina Jordan of the Career Center said.

There was a visit to the Wisconsin Education Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Wausau. The Wisconsin Education Fair is just like the College Fair that the Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH) holds annually where representatives from colleges and technical colleges talk about their university.

The Career Center provides two college tours during the school year: one in the fall and one in the spring. They usually do tours in the fall and in the spring because it is a nice time for students to tour the campus. It’s also because it’s around the time when students start to decide which college to apply to. Last year, they visited the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh and University of Wisconsin- La Crosse.

Usually, there are 30 students on the college trip. The students get a campus overview and tour the departments such as the Science Department and Art Department. The students get to see the dorm rooms and get a feel of what it’s like living in a dorm.

The representative(s) of the university will give an overall presentation about what the campus is like and the courses that they provide. They go over the tuitions, their requirements and what tutoring programs they have to help students.

An advantage of visiting colleges with the Career Center is that students only need to pay for their lunch which varies from college to college, but the highest so far is only $8. Students don’t have to pay for gas and they get a feel of the college campus. Another advantage is that students get to learn about the college enrollment requirements.

Although many may feel that college visits are for seniors only, that’s not true. Juniors and sophomores are encouraged to attend college visits, too. With an earlier start on visiting colleges, students will have more time to get an idea of the college they’d like to study at when it’s time for applications.