College Prep

College Touring Tips

By: Kristina Hughes

    When going about choosing a college, there are many things to consider. Colleges are known for various things, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. If you have already chosen your field of study, you may want to make sure the colleges on your list of interest have strength in that area. If you have other programs that you want to participate in during college (E.G. Study Abroad Program or various Clubs), you could also look into the availability of those at your college of choice.

    After looking into the colleges you are considering, you may question, “How can I get a closer look at this college?”. If you find yourself asking this question then you should consider touring their campus. Touring is a great way to get a close look at a particular college.

When touring you can see what their campus is like, the real college feeling. You can get a good sense of what it would be like to be a student on that particular campus. There are multiple types of tours that you can participate in. The most common type is the campus tour. You can sign up for tours online or you can call their administration office to set the appointment. Campus tours are usually led by a current student or staff member from that college that either volunteers or is hired by the college. They walk you around campus and point out where buildings are located and what classes are housed in each. Usually they show off their fields of strength. Along the tour, the guides usually inform you about their college’s history and what they are known for.

There are also other tours available at some colleges. Another tour type is a tour of the residence halls, this tour gives you a good feel of  what it would be like to live there. Another option is to schedule a meeting with the department of your choice and hear a presentation about their strengths and why you should go to college there.

There are many options to consider when looking into colleges, but if you have the opportunity to tour, I highly suggest it. Good luck to you in your college search!

If you are interested in learning more about college touring, there are many websites that you can use. One such website is listed below, just click on the link!

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/right-school/tours