What questions reveal the real personality of a department’s student culture?

Ask current students concrete questions such as: “Who do you usually spend time with outside class?”, “When are assignments or exams busiest, and how much do students help one another?”, “How easy is it to approach instructors or senior students?”, and “How are disagreement and mistakes handled?” Also ask how much participation in events or clubs is expected and what they find difficult about the department. Recent examples and comparisons among several students will reveal more than a general question about whether the atmosphere is good.