The Campus Tour & Visit – my take

Yes, this is an often discussed and popular topic.  What are my thoughts on this subject?  Well, for starters, I led an admissions department for many years, supervised tour guides, and conducted numerous information sessions.  My point of view addresses how students and families can be productive on-campus, ensuring they learn the utmost.  The initial campus visit, as part of list building, is the focus of this blog.  I will address the campus visit in relationship to your final decision in a future post.

First, let’s discuss the types of campus appointments.

1. Informal – You are in the neighborhood, why not visit?  Whether classes are in session or not, by and large, college campuses are considered open or have unrestricted access.  Accordingly, you can walk around the grounds but probably not enter the buildings.  This approach is advantageous for gathering unrehearsed answers from students sitting in the quad or at a café.  Visiting a campus without notice will limit your access to an admissions professional.  It is best to do this as a freshman or sophomore in high school.
2. Campus Tour Only – You plan to take a campus tour and then depart.  You should call the admissions office before visiting and obtain the tour schedule for that day (online timetables are not always up-to-date).  Have questions handy when planning to spend an hour on a formal tour.  
3. Campus Tour and meeting with an Admission Counselor – This will require an appointment.  Not all colleges grant face time with a staff member, but if they do then take advantage.   For the meeting, request your high school representative, if possible (many counselors are assigned territories geographically).  Most admissions offices will organize a tour first, followed by a conversation with an admissions counselor.  Make sure you bring questions, especially related to the requirements for admission, scholarships, and financial aid (I can help you craft some queries that will offer more profound insights into their policies). 
4. Campus Tour and Information Session – This is a popular event in the summer before the senior year of high school.  Typically, families dash from college to college over a weeklong journey visiting as many as 8 or 10 universities.  The tour and presentation allow a family to combine visiting the campus and learning more about general institutional policies and procedures.  At the end of the visit, admissions counselors will answer questions in the group setting.  On the downside, attendance is usually considerable.  These events can draw more than 200 people; consequently, personalized attention will be limited.

Now that we tackled the types of visit scenarios, I will share some tips on how to gain additional insights.  Remember this may be your only visit to campus, so make it count.

• Contact Information – It never hurts to ask for business cards from the admissions staff and faculty, if you meet one. 
• Hang Back – If two tour guides are conducting the tour, stay with the second tour guide.  There is no need to crowd in the front and strain to hear the lead tour guide when you can have a conversation with the one in the aft. 
• Front Row – Sit in the front during the information session.  Why?  You may miss something sitting in the back, and you are more likely to be selected if you raise your hand to ask a question.
• Faculty – If you already have an academic major in mind, why not visit that academic department?  Find department offices and speak with the receptionist.  Identify yourself as a potential student and inquire if a faculty member has a few minutes to talk with you (I will help you frame some questions).  If no one is available (indeed possible), request the contact information of a professor who advises first-year students.
• Second Opinion – Speak to students around campus.  You have the tour guides perspective, so get the point of view of other students and compare them. 
• Professional Development – Drop by the Career Development Center.  You know from reading this blog that I am a big believer in a robust co-curricular focus because it is essential to a student’s academic and professional development.  Someone should be available to answer fundamental questions and provide a business card for follow-up.
• A la cuisine – You will spend the next four years at a college, why not taste the food?  It is not home cooking, that is for sure, so sample the pasta station or deli, check out the vibe in the cafeteria, see how people interact.  It is all about familiarizing yourself with the campus.
• Location, Location, Location – A famous adage from Realtors but it applies here as well.  Drive around the neighborhood.  During college, you will venture off campus for entertainment, meals, and shopping.  Does the area appear clean and safe?
• Recall – Maintain notes, take photos or even record parts of the visit.  It will help refresh your memory during list building.

One last piece of information.  Keep an open mind, but also trust your intuition.  My advice may seem paradoxical, but you will understand when you visit the campuses.  Initially, you may not like a college, but you could warm up to it as the day progresses, or you may have high hopes, but the outing turns out to be disappointing.  I will help you break down all the highs and lows of your visits and recalibrate your criteria if necessary while keeping you focused on identifying your number one choice.  So, go out there, have some fun, meet new people, and learn about the universities that can end up on your list.  It is possible you will attend one of them next fall!