Why should I visit St. John’s?
It is a good idea to visit any college you’re seriously considering, but this might be especially true with St. John’s, given the distinctiveness of our academic program and the unique ways in which our students balance and meld their intellectual work and social life.
The only way to really understand the beauty of the learning experience at St. John’s is to directly observe the intellectual excitement of a seminar. The only way to really know our students—who they are, how they think, and what they value—is to spend time asking them questions and hearing what they have to say.
You are welcome to visit us year-round in Annapolis or Santa Fe. You may visit for the day, but we strongly recommend that you stay overnight if you can. A 24-hour immersion in life here should give you a pretty good sense of whether you’re a Johnnie in the making.
What will I do during my visit? 
Visitors to St. John’s have many options, some of which depend on what days of the week they spend on campus. The seminar, the heart of the St. John’s program, takes place Monday and Thursday evenings. Visitors may also sit in on mathematics, language, and music tutorials or a science laboratory (which happen throughout the week) or attend the weekly formal lecture if they happen to be on campus Friday evening.
During your visit, you may interview with a member of the admissions staff and talk informally with students and tutors. Overnight visits, which are strongly encouraged, offer the opportunity to spend additional time talking with St. John’s students. The only expense for visitors is transportation. St. John’s covers the costs of housing and meals.
How and when can I schedule a visit to the Annapolis campus?
Campus tours in Annapolis begin at 8:45am and 12:45pm most Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. When classes are in session, visitors have the option of observing a 10:20am or 2:20pm class (mathematics, language, or music). Overnight stays in the dorm are offered most Monday and Thursday evenings. Get details and schedule a visit on the main site...
How and when can I schedule a visit to the Santa Fe campus?
Campus tours and information sessions are available year-round. Click here to access our visit calendar and see what is available on the day you plan to visit.
Day visits, which can be as long or short as your schedule allows, typically include a tour, several classes, lunch in the dining hall, and an admissions interview.
Overnight visits, which we strongly recommend, present a much fuller picture of the St. John’s experience, and can be arranged by calling 800-331-5232 or sending an e-mail to the Admissions Office; space is limited, so please make reservations as far in advance as possible.
Special admissions tours take place throughout the year. For more information regarding planning and scheduling a visit to the Santa Fe campus, click here.
Krystal Mills (A16)
Hometown: Blythewood, South Carolina
Extracurriculars: Writing short stories and poetry, playing guitar
Plans: Graduate studies in psychology
Why should I visit St. John's? When I first arrived at the college I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. But St. John’s felt like home right away. One of the reasons I chose to attend St. John’s is the way that math and science - areas in which I’ve struggled - are taught here. I was surprised to see that in Freshman Lab students learn biology and chemistry by doing. Now that I’m a freshman, I’m not just reading and discussing texts, such as Aristotle's Parts of Animals and Lavoisier's Elements of Chemistry, with my classmates. We get into the mindset of these scientists. We explore the same fundamental questions that Aristotle did, to learn how to interact with the world around us.
When I first got here, I fell in love with the college after two days. I quickly became close with my classmates, especially those who live on my floor; we have fun hanging out together in the hallway and talking. There are lots of different personalities, but we all connect in a fundamental way. You feel right away that these are your peers. Once you visit the campus you’ll know for sure whether or not this is where you want to be.