Visit on a weekday during term. Sit in the dining hall at lunch and the library at nine in the evening. Both tell you more about daily life than the admissions presentation does.
Walk it
Leave campus on foot and time how long it takes to reach a grocery store, a pharmacy and a coffee shop. Compare against our walk score; the number should match your feet.
Ask a student, not a guide
Ask who taught their introductory course, how long it takes to get a required class, and what they do on a Saturday in February.
Visit the aid office
Bring last year's tax return summary and ask for a personalized estimate. Offices will often do this on the spot.