Questions To Ask Prospective Colleges
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Campus Environment | Resources | Services | Policy
- What night and weekend activities does the college/university offer?
- Are they free or low-cost?
- How many students attend?
- Make observations and ask questions.
- Look at bulletin boards. Are the dominated by ads for bars or parties?
- Look at the bookstore and student union. What types of messages are being sent? What kinds of posters and books are being sold?
Check out the articles and advertisements in the student newspaper.
Tour the neighborhood around campus. - How important/popular are sororities and fraternities on campus? (What percent of students belong?)
- How do you work with the greek system to lower their risk of alcohol problems?
- How important are alcohol and other drugs in the life of students?
- What messages are students receiving from the university regarding alcohol and other drugs issues?
- What is your guiding philosophy on alcohol issues? (abstinence, personal responsibility, reduce risk)
- Do you have an alcohol and other drug coordinator on campus?
- Do you have an alcohol and other drug task force?
- How often do they meet?
- How long has the task force been in place? Are community members involved?
- What is the budget (excluding personnel) for alcohol and other drug on your campus?
- What services do you provide for students in trouble with alcohol or other drugs?
- Do you have substance abuse assessments and counseling available?
- Do students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to refer students about whom they are concerned?
- How is the residence life system equipped to handle an alcohol and other drug problem?
- How are your services correlated to the continuum of behaviors displayed by college students with regard to alcohol and other drugs?
- Do you have services for non-users, moderate users, abusive users, and addicts.
- I recognize the alcohol and other drug situation in colleges and I am concerned for the safety of my child, what are you doing to protect the safety of my child?
- How do students get to parties/bars? Do they drive? Is there a safe ride program?
- What is your policy on notifying parents of policy violations on campus? Off campus?
- What are your penalties for violations on campus? Off campus? How are police involved in policy enforcement?
- What is your policy on enforcing policy during a crisis situation? How do you balance safety and legal issues?
- Think critically about crime statistics. Are the statistics from on AND near campus?
- Does a low number of alcohol violations indicated low prevalence, low reporting, or low enforcement?
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