Every day, your friends are hearing back from more colleges. Acceptance letters are steadily arriving. So far, you’ve only received one offer from a competitive state university that offers your major, but you’re waiting to hear from the small private college that specializes in your field. Then it happens–you get that second letter. It’s time for a college visit and campus tour.
Now you’ve been accepted to two very different schools, with a list of pros and cons for each. May 1st, the national decision deadline, is a few short weeks away and everyone wants to know where you will commit. You’ve done all your research and on paper, both options seem like they would be a good fit. So how do you decide?
Fortunately, you’re not in this alone. Schools provide a variety of resources and programs to help you make your decision, and one of the most important is the campus tour. Here are some helpful tips to help you maximize your college visit. (As part of the Best of NJ back to school College 101 Guide):
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Know the Type of Visit
When you’re planning to visit a school, think about what you would like the visit to accomplish so you can determine which type of visit will best suit your needs. The traditional campus tour is the primary visit method and has proven over and over again to be the most significant factor in deciding which school to attend for a large majority of college-bound freshmen. A typical campus tour lasts from 2-4 hours and will provide an overview of the physical campus, as well as general information about the school including its history and programs offered.
Open House programs are typically offered in the fall but some schools will provide them in the spring and even summer. These events are much larger than campus tours and involve the entire campus community. You’ll have the opportunity to speak with faculty from different departments, meet coaches, see representatives from other campus offices like Student Life or campus ministries, and attend presentations on different topics. In the spring, most schools will host an event specifically for their accepted students. With a similar atmosphere to an Open House, these events can be very helpful in making your decision.
Timing Can Be Everything
During your campus tour, attempt to get a sense of whether or not you can see yourself enrolling at that school. In order to get the most accurate representation of what the campus community is really like, try scheduling your tour while classes are still in session. This way, you’ll get a first-hand impression of what student life is like on a typical day, not just when the school is rolling out the red carpet for an event. For seniors, this can be very useful in helping you decide if you want to attend the school. Sophomores and juniors can use this information to decide which schools to apply to come senior year.
Get to Know your Tour Guide
Most campus visits will be conducted by a student tour guide. These students represent the Office of Admissions, and by extension, the school, to you and your family. They are trained to give you an overview of the school and to be knowledgeable on a wide variety of topics related to the school. Student tour guides are enthusiastic and passionate about the school, and they want to share their experience and pride with campus visitors—take advantage of that!
This is an opportunity to hear about the school from the student’s point of view, which can paint a very different picture than what’s online or in a brochure. Find out who teaches the best classes, what living in the residence halls is really like, when to do your laundry so you don’t have to wait, where to find the best food on campus, and why they chose that school. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions!
Explore Campus Beyond the Tour
Take some time before or after the tour to walk around campus on your own. Depending on the school, many buildings will be open to the public, and this will give you an opportunity to further explore areas that you found interesting on the tour. Check out the library, student center or school book store, and keep your eye out for student billboards so you can get a sense of which activities and events are popular with students.
And make sure to stop by a dining hall for some refreshments before you head home. Most schools will allow visitors to eat in the dining halls and there’s nothing better than a live taste test, especially if your tour guide recommends their favorite dishes.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: digidreamgrafix / Adobe Stock
Additional Images (in order) Courtesy:
Tyler Olson / Adobe Stock
zinkevych / Adobe Stock
Princeton University
CandyBox Images / Adobe Stock
Anthony Muccio is a former college admissions professional and education researcher currently advising students one-on-one with his private practice. After years working at large state and small private schools, he decided to spend time focusing on helping unique learners reach their full potential.
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