Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions a student will make, and while websites, brochures, and virtual tours can answer many questions, there's one thing they can't fully capture: how a campus feels.
For many incoming St. Ambrose University students, that feeling became clear the moment they stepped on campus. By visiting St. Ambrose, they discovered more than a university – they found a community where they could picture themselves belonging.
Experience the campus atmosphere
Lillie Smith '30, a biology major on the pre-med track, wanted a college that was close enough to home while still giving her the opportunity to be independent. During her visit, it was the campus community that left the biggest impression.
"The people here were very kind, reaching out, making sure that you knew every step," Smith said. "That's really what drew me here."
Her visit also gave her the chance to explore the biology program firsthand.
"After talking with one of the professors, I heard that the cadaver lab was also a really well-established one," Smith said. "So, I was looking forward to that."
Emily Kleinschmidt '30, a nursing major, also found that seeing campus in person helped confirm her decision.
"The first time I visited, it just really felt like home," Kleinschmidt said. "I feel like I could really get a grasp of who people were and the type of person they were."
For Ella Bernhardt '30, the decision started before she set foot on campus.
"I was walking around at a college fair, and the only person who gave me the time of day was Ben Mallon," Bernhardt said. "I think I talked to him for 20 minutes at that fair, and ever since then, Ambrose was the only school I visited or applied to."
When she did visit St. Ambrose, the campus confirmed what she had already begun to feel.
"I think I would have been way too overwhelmed at a big school, and I like getting to know people," she said.
Find confidence as a family
For parents, campus visits instill confidence in the place their child will call home over the next four years.
"It felt like every step, there was somebody there guiding us," said Emily Smith, Lillie's mother. "We had a visit, so it was, 'Come for a tour. Now come for Scholars Day. Now come for Admitted Student Day."
Andrea Kleinschmidt, Emily's mother, says seeing the campus firsthand reassured her that St. Ambrose was the right fit for her daughter. Emily agreed that the personal connections she made during her visit helped ease her initial nerves.
"Knowing that the classes are going to be smaller and that I'll be able to connect to people individually is something that's really important to me," Emily said.
"I really feel like this is more what she needed," Andrea added. "I felt that this was the perfect fit for her and our family."
Brian Bernhardt, Ella's father, says the admissions experience stood out because of its personal approach.
Schedule a visit
Whether it's discovering an academic program, meeting future professors, connecting with fellow students, or simply finding a place that feels like home, a campus visit offers something that's difficult to experience in any other way. For many St. Ambrose students and families, that visit wasn't just another stop in the college search – it was the moment they knew they had found where they belonged.
Interested in seeing campus for yourself? Schedule your visit and experience everything St. Ambrose has to offer.
