Maximizing Online Visits

By Harrison Gerson ('21)

Universities worldwide are taking precaution against COVID-19. These safety measures mean that prospective students cannot visit campuses to see if colleges would be a good fit for them. Fear not! Here are some of my tips to make the most of Virtual College Tours:

1. Make it a "College Visit Day." Set the day or evening aside for your virtual visit. Plan to take an information session and a virtual tour on the same day. Scheduling everything together should immerse you in the experience. Try your best to reach out to an older peer or friend of a friend who is at the university to speak with them about their experience after the tour. Do as much as you can in the time frame to immerse yourself.

2. During the virtual tour, stop and picture yourself at the school. Imagine walking to class in the autumn, winter, and spring. Think about the cafeteria and the architecture. A college is much more than its academics and social life. Having a beautiful campus and good food may be important for you. Having a 5-star cafeteria is most definitely my number one priority on the tour! ☺ 

3. Go on Google Maps! Virtual tours are awesome, but the pictures and videos shown are often on ideal days, often on a sunny day in the summer or with fall foliage. Going on Google Maps to look at the campus from street view may provide a better picture of the campus, not insta-perfect. Plus, looking at the campus from a bird's eye view may show you how much green space is on campus as well as the surrounding neighborhood.

4. Look on social media. Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube are great sources to find out college information, especially about social life. There are many Youtubers and public profiles who post about their campus experiences. Many may be open to speaking with you (but make sure they're safe). Use them as resources during your college search day.

5. Use. The. Website. College information isn't available only on the tour and information session. Websites often include valuable information about academics, extracurriculars, and student profiles. The online newspaper can give you a great feel for the campus climate.

6. ...and other websites! Websites, such as Niche and Unigo, give great, clear information about the colleges. Unigo provides interesting student perspectives on the hard-to-ask questions such as stereotypes, relationships, and complaints. 

7. Most importantly, relax! Be in the right mindset during the tour. It's important to be "in the zone" with less pressure. The college visit isn't an interview... it's for you!