As juniors explore colleges and senior narrow down their application lists, here are some tips on touring colleges influenced by my recent experiences:
It’s very important to visit colleges to shatter preconceived notions. After my trip this summer, I came away with a completely different perspective on a few schools. If possible, make the visit and take the tour. (Most high schools allow a certain number of excused absence days to visit colleges - take advantage of this.)
College tour days can be stressful. Parking, check-in, navigating campus signs, and new environments are all challenging. Some schools are really good about having a “front door” with well marked signs, others not so much. Expect the possibility of stress/many unknowns and go with the flow.
If possible, try not to tour more than 1 campus per day. While it can be a great way to maximize your time, it may leave the day feeling hurried and impressions of different schools can get muddled.
Try to make as many personal connections as possible. Talk to Admissions representatives and split up your family with different tour groups to get impressions from different students. And, don’t forget my number 1 rule: make sure every prospective student with you asks at least one meaningful question during tour day to learn more about how the school fits their unique interests.
Happy touring!
