What to Ask Alumni About Their School while choosing a college

Before we provide an itemized list of questions for you to ask an Alum about their beloved alma mater, we must stress upon the importance of getting feedback from multiple avenues. But in the case where you have an opportunity to ask an alum about their previous school, make sure to take full use of it. Because no one can better elaborate about a college or school than a previous student. 

What to ask alumni about their school?

In the event that you come across an alum who is more than willing to help you and answer any questions, you might have to pertain to their school, look below for potential questions. 

What is the atmosphere of the college?

Everybody has a certain expectation from their potential school or college. This would mean that they wish for a certain atmosphere or personality that is compatible with their own. 

One of the first questions to ask an alum is to enquire after the atmosphere. Is the college a party college- known for its concentration on fun and drugs? Or is it a more relaxed college that has placed a priority on its academics and the wellbeing of its students. 

After enquiring you can make an educated decision regarding the college, especially if its personality doesn’t align with your own. 

How are the classes?

By asking an alum about the classes you can figure out what kind of major you wish to pick as well. 

This question would help you decide whether to pick the class you have been unsure about. When asking this question be sure to inquire after the professor in charge of the class and whether his/her coursework would be manageable for your schedule.

It would not be beneficial if you choose a class that has a heavy course load, whilst trying to balance a part-time job. However, if you’re talking to a graduate from your intended field, they’ll be able to give you the details on the more difficult courses you will be taking in your junior and senior years.

Did the college provide you with the experience necessary for a job?

This is quite an extensive multilayered question as it could mean the skills and knowledge necessary for the job or even the job placements, and the way the school assisted in helping you find a job that met all your criteria. 

Everyone’s experience with finding a job will be different, as every field has different positions and every person has varying personalities and career goals. 

Try also using more in-depth questions such as if they used any of the school’s career services or any classes in particular that taught must-have information that made the difference in their career.

Additional advice regarding the potential college?

This question is rather general as it could pertain to the timings of the college, the quality of the dorm rooms, the kind of students that you meet, or even something like the textbook requirements. 

Every student will ask different questions. However, this gives you a chance for alumni to answer questions you didn’t ask. They may have advice that is worth hearing, even if you didn’t think of it prior. 

This advice may even be from questions previous students have asked over the years.

What was your favorite and least favorite thing about this college?

Again you are searching for two things in the appropriate responses you arrive. Feeling and patterns. 

This is the place you can tell if an understudy feels energetically somehow about the school. It likewise causes us to keep on painting that image we began in the last inquiry. In any case, these answers should assist you with the comprehension if the school you are taking a gander at merits your time and cash. 

Focus on how much time they spend noting the two pieces of this inquiry. On the off chance that they continue endlessly pretty much the entirety of their preferred things and can't name anything negative, at that point that is an extraordinary sign. Then again, if the discussion by and by turns negative, that is a warning that should be investigated. Once more, you ought not to exclude a school since somebody has something negative to state about it. 

In conclusion, the final decision is yours to make, but the additional input provided by an alum would help infinitely as it would provide some much-needed perspective on your view of the college and even correct some misconceptions that you previously had.