But when it comes to choosing a college, there are some things you simply cannot learn from a screen. The best way to truly understand a campus, its community, and what it feels like to be a student is to experience it for yourself.
Luckily for students considering Flagler, the College offers multiple opportunities throughout the year to visit one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses. One of the biggest is Campus Visit Day on Oct. 17, a full open house designed to give prospective students an inside look at the Flagler experience. Visitors can attend informational sessions, hear directly from faculty, connect with current students, and explore campus alongside dedicated student ambassadors.
Because there is so much more to discovering a college than what you can find online, here are five things you can experience at Campus Visit Day that a screen simply cannot provide:
1. Meet the People Who Make Flagler, Flagler
You can learn a lot about Flagler’s faculty online. You can explore their academic backgrounds, research interests, professional experience, and areas of expertise.
But a faculty bio cannot tell you what it is like to actually have a conversation with a professor.
Campus Visit Day gives you the opportunity to meet faculty members, ask questions about your academic interests, and get a firsthand look at the personal approach that defines the Flagler classroom. With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Flagler students have opportunities to build meaningful relationships with their professors, engage in discussion, and receive individual attention throughout their college experience.
2. Experience What It Feels Like to Walk Through a Living Classroom
You can see photos of Flagler’s historic buildings online, but you cannot fully experience what it is like to have class, study, and spend your college years surrounded by St. Augustine’s history.
At Flagler, history is not confined to a textbook or tucked away in a museum. It is part of the environment students move through every day. From the grandeur of Ponce de Leon Hall to the streets of the nation’s oldest, students are surrounded by a setting that invites curiosity, conversation, and discovery.
During Campus Visit Day, prospective students can walk through the spaces where they could one day attend class, meet with friends between lectures, study for an exam, or simply take a moment to enjoy the campus. It is an opportunity to experience the scale, character, and energy of Flagler in a way that photos and virtual tours simply cannot capture.
3. Spend Time with Current Saints
Campus Visit Day gives you the chance to meet Flagler’s student ambassadors and hear firsthand what it is really like to be a Saint. These students can tell you about their favorite traditions, the organizations they are involved in, their favorite places to study or hang out, and the moments that have made Flagler feel like home.
And because they have been in your shoes, they can answer the questions that matter when you are trying to picture yourself at a new college. What is the transition to college really like? How do you find your people? What do students do after class? How easy is it to get involved? What is something they wish they had known before arriving at Flagler?
4. Discover Exactly Where a Flagler Education Can Take You
You may have narrowed down your future area of study to a few majors, but there is no better way to determine which path is right for you than by talking directly with the students and faculty already in the program.
Campus Visit Day gives you the opportunity to go beyond a major listed on a webpage and learn what it is actually like to study that subject at Flagler. Ask faculty about their courses and areas of expertise, hear from current students about their experiences, and get a better understanding of the opportunities available both inside and outside the classroom.
During your visit, you can explore:
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Academic programs and majors that align with your interests and career goals
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Classrooms and learning spaces where Flagler students engage with their coursework
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Laboratories, studios, and performance spaces where students gain hands-on experience
5. Explore Your Future Beyond Campus
Choosing a college also means choosing a place to call home, and Flagler’s location offers a pretty unique one. During Campus Visit Day, you can experience not only the College’s historic campus, but also the city and region that students get to explore throughout their four years.
Stroll through historic St. Augustine, grab a bite at a local restaurant, explore the city’s shops and cultural attractions, or take in the coastal scenery just minutes from campus. Then look beyond the city to see what Northeast Florida has to offer, from the beaches and neighborhoods of Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra to the outdoor recreation, arts, and entertainment found throughout the region.
