Why Should I Go on an Official College Tour?
A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view of a college. A college catalog, brochure or website can only show you so much. To really get a feel for the college, you need to walk around the quad, sit in on a class and visit the dorms. A visit also gives you the chance to talk to students, faculty, and financial aid and admission officers.
Many selective schools also track what we call “demonstrated interest,” essentially trying to guess whether or not an applicant would attend if admitted. Ways for applicants to demonstrate interest include: physically visiting campus, emailing an admission officer, attending an admissions event in your area, connecting with the university on social media, and writing an exceptionally detailed "Why this College?" essay.
Checklist for the College Tour:
Gather Information: Find out what you need to do to apply and see if the college’s class and major offerings are what you want.
Take part in a group information session at the admission office.
Interview with an admission officer.
Pick up financial aid forms.
Sit in on a class that interests you. If classes aren’t in session, just see what the classrooms are like.
Meet a professor who teaches a subject that interests you.
Talk to students about what they think of their classes and professors.
Get the names of the people you meet and their business cards so you can contact them later if you have questions.
Explore the Campus: Get a feel for student life and see if this college is a place where you will do well.
Take a campus tour.
Talk to current students about life on campus and the college.
Check out the freshmen dorms and stay overnight with a student, if possible.
Visit the dining hall, fitness center, library, career center, bookstore and other campus facilities.
Talk to the coaches of sports that you may want to play.
Walk or drive around the community surrounding the campus.
Check Out Campus Media: Tune in to learn what’s happening on campus and what’s on students’ minds.
Listen to the college radio station.
Read the student newspaper.
Read other student publications, such as department newsletters, alternative newspapers and literary reviews.
Scan bulletin boards to see what daily student life is like.
Go to the career center and learn what services it offers.
Browse the school’s website and any campus blogs.
Questions to Ask During Your Visit: Here are some questions you may want to ask your tour guide or students you meet on campus.
What are the best reasons to go to this college?
What’s it like to go from high school to college?
What do you do in your free time? On the weekends?
What do you love about this college?
What do you wish you could change about this college?
Why did you choose this college?
What is it like to live here?