College campus visits for the savvy consumer

To ensure you haven't left any vital area uncovered, check out this Web site where you can find downloadable checklist forms.

If possible, schedule your visit in the fall. Admission offices run crazy in the spring, trying to finalize financial packages for the incoming freshman class, and summer months offer campuses with no student life. And always call ahead to schedule an appointment.

"Our information tours book quickly. We obviously try to deal with walk-ins, but we can't offer the red-carpet treatment if others who reserved a spot are also in the office," Kaylor notes.

Campus questions
Many campuses extend travel vouchers if you ask. For instance, students who apply for admission to Illinois Wesleyan may receive half (up to $200) of their air fare. Pope also supplies overnight accommodations, meal passes and tickets to concerts or basketball games for national prospective students. At the very least, a college admission office can extend special discount rates at nearby hotels.

Patrick Gallagher of Cleveland developed an overall college budget for his child's campus tours. "That forces you to make decisions about how many trips and when to stay overnight," he explains.

These inspections should delve into the financial workings behind three main areas: academics, housing and lifestyle. Colleges often distort book costs by at least half, Basili cautions, so check book prices for your major at the local store. (Gather your wits: $1,500 a year is average, he adds.)

Tour guides tout the number of materials in the library; Basili counts the seats for a more accurate picture of the library's usefulness. Students at Georgia Tech must bring computers: Will your current setup cut the mustard, or will such a requirement add $3,000 to your upfront costs?

And drill down on those activity fees: Does the college charge for computer time? Lab expenses? Sports fees? Social fees? These behind-the-scenes costs can contribute to sticker shock down the line.

Basili also asks about the ratio of adjunct faculty members. These junior partners are cheaper than the full-time professors, but it could mean your student receives a sub-par mentoring experience. Peeling paint, graffiti or unkempt lawns may signal a deferred maintenance schedule -- another sign of stinginess that spells caution for Pope.

Don't settle for a peek inside one dormitory. Thanks to tightened security measures, you can't merely wander through any housing complex that strikes your fancy, so ask the admissions office to arrange a detour through the upperclassmen digs you'll pay for down the road. Some campuses place great emphasis on off-site lodging, too, says Kelly Tanabe, founder of SuperCollege.com.

"I went to Harvard, where few students lived in apartments," she explains. "But a majority of UCLA kids choose to get away from dormitory life, and alternative housing is expensive."

Eyeball the laundry facilities in the housing options; do students have sufficient machines to cover the population? Baskets of dirty sweatshirts at the laundromat in town quickly sap spending money and patience. And quiz the powers that be about telephone charges. The average long-distance bill at Stanford University, says Tanabe, is $70 a month. Can you change carriers, or has the campus inked an iron-tight deal?

As a rule of thumb, lifestyle costs are higher when the college is located in an urban area, Hayes notes. For starters, determine your student's appetite. Some dorms provide inclusive meal plans, which can be great values if your child actually shows up to eat them. On the other hand, the coupon system won't work efficiently for that hungry student who goes back for seconds or thirds.

"The year's plan runs out by February," Pope warns.

Mobile students habitually collect parking tickets. It's not uncommon to write checks exceeding $500 a year to cover the fines on campuses where the parking spaces don't meet demand, according to Basili.

Finally, keep your eyes peeled for student interaction. Look for students lounging around the campus as you stroll by. Note if they yell out to friends, walk in pairs or look you in the eye as you pass.

"Otherwise, you'll be pretty lonely living there," one student says. "You can't hide a dead campus."

Nor can you disguise a culture of big spenders. As you ponder the all-important "will I fit in?" question that seals the deal, examine students' clothing, their cars and their personal furniture. Pay attention to the commercial ventures crowding the campus, too.

"Is there a Gap near the student union?" Basili asks. "That can tell you money flies around pretty crazily."