College Campus Tours & Visits

Looking to find the right college fit? As you search for the right school, one of the best things you can do is to visit campuses. Colleges and universities offer official tours to introduce you to the campus -- and you can take your own "unofficial tour" as well to get a better feel for everyday life at the school.

The trouble with campus visits is this: they're time-consuming, and they may involve expensive travel. Because of this, you want to make the most of your time on campus. Here are some tips on how to maximize the value of your visits.

Researching College and University Campuses

Before you visit, it's important to do your homework. You'll want to show up on campus with specific questions about majors, activities, dorms, and anything else that concerns or interests you. You'll also want to find out ahead of time what places on campus you'd like to see. The more informed you are ahead of time, the more efficiently you'll be able to use your time on campus.

Another good reason to do your homework is that this can help you eliminate schools. With the high cost of gas and plane tickets, college visits can be very expensive -- so why waste your time seeing a school that you can eliminate after reading the website?

So where can you find out more about schools? Thanks to the Internet, it's become very easy to get lots of information about schools before you set foot on them. The first place to look is the school website. You'll find information here about campus life, majors, and all kinds of stuff. Some colleges also have podcast tours online. Keep in mind that the campus website serves in part as a publicity tool, so be skeptical about the accolades you read all over the site -- but it's a great place to start. In addition, you can check out college ratings websites, such as The Princeton Review.

A less formal research tool that can be very helpful is social networking. Find some discussion groups on Facebook and MySpace about schools you like, and ask questions.

Finally, you can always use the "old school" research tools to look for colleges and universities. Don't rule out brochures and other paper materials, which you can find in your guidance counselor's office, and stop by the library to look at books about schools.

Official Campus Tours

When visiting campuses, more students start with an official campus tour. These are tours that are led by a trained student who will walk you and other prospective students through campus and answer questions. To schedule these tours, simply search for information on the college website, or call the admissions office at the school. Tours are almost always free.

Keep in mind that these tours are designed to make the school look as good as possible -- so this shouldn't be your only resource in choosing a school. However, it's a great start. Don't be shy about asking questions.

Unofficial Campus Tours

After getting the official orientation, it's time to check out the school on your own. If you know what you plan to study (or have a few prospective majors), one useful thing to do is to make an appointment with professor to chat. You can finds professor's email addresses on the campus website.

In addition, if you're interested in a specific program or school -- like a pre-law program, or the engineering school -- you may be able to make an appointment with an academic advisor in these areas. Check the website to see what's available, and don't be shy about making a phone call to ask.

Another helpful thing you can do is to sit in on a class or two. Most teachers don't mind as long as you ask first. If you have a friend on campus, go to a few of your friend's classes, or just ask a professor ahead of time if you can show up. This is a great way to get the feel for academics on campus.

In addition, you'll want to do as many everyday things as you can while you're on campus. Eat in a school cafeteria. Read the newspaper. Walk through some dorms -- and ask students questions about life there. Walk through the nearby town. And as much as possible, talk to students and find out what they really think.

If you have a friend at a school that interests you, it can be really helpful to spend a day with your friend or stay overnight. This can give you a first hand look at what life will be like if you live on campus.

Make the Most of Campus Visits

The time you spend on campus is valuable -- so don't waste it. Do your homework, ask lots of questions, and spend time getting to know the campus. Good luck!

Check Out Life on Campus

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