What colleges are open for tours? What should you expect during a college visit? This article will tell you everything you need to know about college tours!
When preparing and completing college applications, an applicant must narrow down the list of schools they want to apply to. Getting to know a college is one of the biggest parts of making this decision, and when it comes to doing college research, a lot of information can be found directly on a school’s website.
But sometimes, online sources don’t give you the full picture. You might need something more up close and personal, which is where college tours come in. College tours allow you the opportunity to be at the campus yourself and ask any questions that you have in person.
Visiting the campus of a school can either make or break your entire college decision. That’s why it’s very important to make the most out of the experience and get as much useful information as possible.
Therefore, applicants should be prepared. In this article, we will break down colleges that are currently open for tours. We’ll also give you tips on what you should expect and how you best prepare for college tours.
Wondering if any colleges are hosting on-site campus tours? You’ve come to the right place. Let’s go over what colleges are open for tours in 2024. Here is a list of some of the popular colleges:
These are a few examples of many schools that offer college tours, either virtual, in-person, or both! Simply follow their steps to register, and you’ll be ready for a visit!
As you can see from this list of colleges offering on-site campus tours, there's a variety of ways to experience and learn about these institutions.
College tours usually include information sessions and a campus visit-and-tour. An information session has an admission representative giving you or your group various information about the college. Information sessions usually happen before and/or after the campus tour.
The campus tour, as the name suggests, has an admission representative taking you and your group around the campus. You’ll get the opportunity to see the main parts of the campus, including classrooms, libraries, sports facilities, and dormitories.
On some college tours, you can get a chance to meet certain people in the university. This can include professors, admission officers, financial aid officers, facility members, students, and so on.
During both the campus tour and the information session, you will have many chances to ask questions about the campus. These are valuable chances to get answers and information that you couldn’t easily find through online research.
Note that campus tours can vary greatly in time; some are only one hour long, others can last from morning to night, and there are even campus tours that allow you to spend the night in a dorm room.
Specific details about the length and schedule of the entire college tour should be provided prior to the actual date of the tour.
Going on college tours is a great opportunity to learn more about the school’s academics, the application process, available facilities, and much more. If you ask the right questions, you can gather all sorts of valuable information that no website could offer!
If you can’t attend college tours in person, some schools offer virtual tours as well. Dominique Dadekian, a Quad admissions counselor who attended Dartmouth College, had this to say about virtual tours.
"Virtual tours and virtual info sessions give you all kinds of opportunities to engage with the institution in a non-face-to-face format that have persisted and are still available to you, so take advantage of them."
It’s very important to be prepared before the college tour, so you can get the most out of it. As mentioned before, you’ll get to visit most, if not all, parts of the campus. Getting to know the school before the tour lets you find out which questions you need to ask.
Make the most out of it and avoid asking questions that are redundant or could be easily answered with a quick Google search. College tour guides often say there’s no such thing as a “stupid question,” but that doesn’t mean you can’t be more efficient with choosing which questions to ask. So be sure to select your questions wisely!
Going on a college tour is an amazing opportunity to get a feel of your potential future school. But what should you do to get the most out of your college tour? Here are some things you should do to see if the school is right for you.
A campus visit is a great opportunity to explore the school, ask questions, and learn about campus life. Talking to student ambassadors and school officials during your visit can give you important insights not available online, helping you make a better college choice.
The biggest group on any college campus is the students. They have many opinions on academics, facilities, dining, and student life. Talking to current students is valuable because they offer honest insights about the school and their experiences.
Dominique emphasizes the importance of talking to college students:
"Don't be afraid to just ask around and network. From my tour guide experience, I used to love talking to students, just prospective students about everything I was involved in. I think more than anything, it can just help you understand certain types of schools better."
If you’re planning on visiting a college, you should explore academic departments that interest you by touring facilities, sitting in on classes, and meeting professors. This will help you learn where to spend most of your time and compare schools. It's best to email professors or administrators to set up meetings, but even informal visits can be helpful.
Dr. Nick, a former admissions officer at Vanderbilt University, had this to say about checking out a school’s academic departments.
"What you'll find is that some students are drawn to the bigger places or places where they get a little bit more attention. Look at the campus facilities and resources. Oftentimes, they will show off a new art center or science center or career center, anything that a university can build they very well might show off their new wares."
Hopefully, now you know everything you wanted to know about college tours. But in case you still want more, check out these FAQs!
Yes! Here’s a list of UC schools that are open for college tours:
Be sure to take a look at the school’s website for more information.
You should definitely start before your senior year in high school begins. Touring during grade 10 or 11 is optimal, but make sure you manage your schedule well.
Usually, the colleges don’t charge you. But you can still see expenses for traveling, food, and sometimes staying the night. Plan out your tours and keep note of anything that costs you.
Yes. Summer is an excellent time to visit campuses due to students usually having no school work to deal with, and you don’t have to ask for a day off at school. Many schools offer campus tours during the summer.
Not really. Casual clothes are just fine. College tours are informal events.
And that is everything you need to know about college tours! Going on college tours is a great way to learn more about a school before you submit an application. You’ll get a feel of the campus and what the school is like and answer any burning questions that you may have. It’s not a formal event, so take it easy, prepare yourself well, and have fun!
Hopefully, this article answers all of your questions and concerns. Good luck with your college applications!
