What to Expect on Accepted Students Day!
By Katie Williamson, Parent Liaison, College Flight Path
If possible, plan on attending as many Accepted Student Day events in person! This is the best way for your student to picture themself attending the school. If unable to travel, there are often virtual options as well.
Prepare:
Register as soon as Accepted Student Days are posted, as these days typically fill up quickly
Be sure to register online for a specific day/time
Sign up for any Academic Major presentations that align with your student’s interests
Provide contact info for the student and any accompanying guests to confirm/cancel/reschedule
Take note of the start time and location for the day (typically, these days have an early start time and guests need to arrive the day prior)
Be sure to receive a confirmation email
Make necessary flight/rental car/hotel reservations
Review this list of questions and prioritize the ones most important to your student
Accepted Students Day Checklist and What to Bring
On Accepted Students Day, your goal is simple: leave with enough real proof to say “yes” or “no” with confidence.
Use this Accepted Students Day checklist to plan fast and avoid missing key sessions in the admitted students day schedule. Build your accepted students day itinerary around the three biggest decision drivers: academics, student life, and cost.
Bring these items (and keep it light):
Photo ID, confirmation email, and a charged phone + portable charger
Water, snack, and a small umbrella (campus tours run rain or shine)
Comfortable shoes (expect 8,000–15,000 steps on a college campus visit)
A notes app template for: “pros, cons, surprises, dealbreakers.”
A one-page list of admitted students day questions (print or screenshot)
Any needed medical items, plus a quick list of allergies/diet needs
Tip that saves stress: arrive with session “must-dos” already picked. If you only have time for four things, prioritize: (1) major session or academic presentation, (2) housing tours, (3) financial aid session, and (4) a student life session. Everything else is a bonus.
During Accepted Students Day:
Campus Facilities and Environment
Take pictures throughout the visit to remember certain locations that will remind your student how they felt during the moment…touring the dorm rooms, the quad, the dining halls, classrooms, Main Street, the stadiums, etc.
Ask to see multiple dorm room options if possible. Sometimes, the tour only includes the nicest dorm rooms, but if available, ask to visit a few options (traditional, apartment style, quad style, etc.).
Eat in the dining hall, since that is where the student will spend most of the time during freshman year. Also, eat at a local pizza place, breakfast shop, or smoothie/coffee bar for those off-campus adventures.
Walk the campus multiple times throughout the day (morning, noon, and night). Different times can bring different vibes to the campus regarding safety and community.
Take note of Big Box store distances from campus (such as Target, Walmart, At Home, and Home Goods) for move-in days and essential shopping!
Check out the student health center, surrounding urgent cares, hospital locations, and local pharmacies.
Understand the options for getting to and from school: public transportation, planes, trains, buses, and cars.
Ask how most students get to class every day: walk, bike, take a campus shuttle, public transportation
Academic and Career Opportunities
If offered, attend a class within your student’s major or the academic session. Typically, the academic advisors, professors, and current students are the presenters, so it’s helpful to be able to ask any questions directly to the people most directly involved with the program.
Ask about the graduation rate/student retention rate (specifically after freshman year) and job placement rates. Also, ask about internship opportunities and alumni connections. When do career services engage with the student, and how is that implemented in their four-year plan?
Admitted Students Day Questions That Actually Help You Choose
Ask questions that change decisions. Skip questions you can answer on a website (like the mascot or library hours). Use questions that reveal what daily life is like and how support really works. Use these admitted students day questions as your “comparison set” across every school, so you can do a true college admitted students events comparison:
Academics: “How hard is it to switch majors here, and what’s the usual timeline?”
Advising: “When do first-year students meet academic advising, and how often after that?”
Support: “What tutoring is free, and how do students actually access it?”
Classes: “What’s the typical intro class size in my major, and who teaches it?”
Outcomes: “Where do internships usually come from—career services, professors, or self-search?”
Community: “What do students do on a normal weeknight?”
Belonging: “How do new students find student organizations in the first month?”
Housing: “What percent of first-years get their top housing choice?”
Safety: “How do safety alerts work, and what happens after a report is made?”
Reality check: “What do students complain about most and what’s improving?”
Student Life and Extracurriculars
Check out the Student Life, Extracurricular Clubs, Greek Life, Sports, and Study Abroad sessions to learn all that the school offers in addition to academic life.
Ask about the social life, you need to have fun too!! What do most students do on the weekends? Do they stay on campus? Leave on weekends? Do they visit local museums, cities, beaches, concert venues, local towns, social clubs, and favorite restaurants?
Ask how students get sports tickets for school games. Is it a lottery or a point system? What is the cost?
Support Services
Visit the Disability Office should your student have any learning disabilities or struggle with mental health to understand the type of support offered at the school.
Inquire about any services offered for First Year acclimation, tutoring/mentoring programs if needed.
Understand how the school’s professors offer office hours. Do they offer in-person and virtual appointments? Do the professors offer Study Sessions prior to exams and throughout the semester?
Housing and Safety
Ask if there is guaranteed housing beyond freshman year. If not, what off-campus options are there, and where are they located in proximity to campus? Can you ride a bike, or walk, or is a car needed after freshman year?
Be sure to attend any safety sessions with the students to learn about Campus Safety. Understand the on- and off-campus crime rates, police presence, and student awareness (Safety App Alert).
Ask about on-campus transportation, especially if it's a large campus and/or experiences extreme weather conditions.
Financial and Practical Considerations
Attend the Financial Aid session with questions regarding financial aid and scholarships.
Collect any brochures and reading materials offered.
Parents Guide for Accepted Students Day and the Financial Aid Reality Check
Parents and guardians matter on admitted students day because cost and logistics can make or break the “best fit.” Use this parents guide mindset: you’re not there to “sell” a school. You’re there to confirm what life and cost will be for four years.
In the financial aid session, focus on clarity and repeatability. Ask:
“Is this scholarship guaranteed for four years, and what GPA or credit load is required?”
“If my student changes majors, can aid change?”
“What costs are billed by the school vs. paid outside (books, travel, supplies)?”
“How are housing costs set after freshman year if housing isn’t guaranteed?”
“What is the typical first-year out-of-pocket cost after grants and scholarships?”
Then do a quick “apples-to-apples” check the same day. For each school, write one number: estimated yearly out-of-pocket cost (tuition + housing + meals + fees/ grants/scholarships). Track loans separately so you don’t confuse “aid” with “discount.”
A smart comparison habit: after every accepted student events weekend, list 3 “hidden costs” you noticed (transportation, winter gear, required laptop/software, parking, storage, flights home). Those details often decide between college visit options when the offers look similar.
Engagement and Reflections
Bring the same notebook along for each school’s Accepted Student’s Day visit or save notes on the phone app. This will keep the notes organized and all in the same place for quick and easy reference.
Engage in conversations with the current students. Colleges usually ask many current students to help out on Admitted Students Days. Be sure to ask what they like and don’t like about their school, and how their overall experience was as a freshman versus being an upperclassman.
At the end of the day, be sure to recap all of the pros and cons of the visit in the saved notes!
If a particular presenter or student makes a lasting impression from the visit, send a personal thank-you note expressing gratitude for the time well spent!
Most importantly, HAVE FUN while visiting! This could be your student’s new “home away from home” for the next four years...encourage them to trust their gut and stay true to themself! Check out our Instagram series on Accepted Students Day Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
To learn more about what to expect on Accepted Students Day or any other related topics, email hello@collegeflightpath.com or book a free 15-minute call.
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