So you decide to walk along a hallowed hall of academia. But will you love it or leave it? When a student goes to visit a college campus, it’s like being a judge looking for a winner on a reality TV show.

Senior Braden Ost, who is considering several colleges, found his visit to The Ohio State University to be valuable and impressive. “I learned a lot about their research facilities that many of their medical and engineering students use. Visiting the school in person gave me a good feel for the type of environment I would be in as a student,” said Braden.

Most students begin visiting schools during the latter part of junior year. However, some like to get ahead of the curve. For example, senior Michael DeSciscio started his sophomore year when he tagged along with his older sister, Marisa, ‘18, on her visits to Ohio State, Miami, and Cincinnati. Michael said, “Getting a head start on my college visits helped me to narrow down my selection of schools.”

Although Braden and Michael had positive experiences touring campuses, some students were met with total disappointment. Katie Clark, another senior, was shocked by one of her visits. She described the school as a “reverse prison.” She disliked that the entrances in and out of the school were gated and required a key card. She also did not like the environment around the school, which she felt was dubious.

Although it’s early in the school year, some juniors are setting out to prospective campuses. Junior Sydney Katona recently visited the University of Southern California. She said that doing a visit early in her junior year “helped [her] to envision what the feel of college would be like and what [she] should look for in the future.”

Likewise, Olivia May, Sydney’s classmate, visited Loyola Chicago and felt a personal visit gave her a better understanding of what a college campus looks like rather than just seeing photos on the internet.

Some students, like senior Ali Osman, don’t believe college visits are so important. Ali said, “I truly believe that attending a university is more important than the landscape or the buildings you surround yourself with. It’s about attending a place where your academic prowess will be able to flourish and where one’s academic interest sparks the most.”

While a student’s decision may not be announced on a reality TV show, the final choice may just come down to  determining the last survivor.