Summer is traditionally a time for high school students to kick back, earn some money — and visit colleges. If campus tours are in your future, be sure you’re ready for some serious comparison shopping. You’ll want to be smart about what’s almost certainly the biggest decision — and biggest-ticket item — in your life so far.
Tour guides are poised to show you the school’s most attractive features, and sell you on applying. Remember that schools take pride in receiving more applications than they’re able to accept, so expect to see the shiniest parts of each campus. That said, there’s no substitute for an in-person experience. Here are some tips for getting more out of your visit than any school’s video, viewbook, or website can tell you.
PLAN YOUR TOUR. Many schools want you to reserve a tour spot, so find out if you need to register. It’s best to visit when classes are in session. If you have flexibility, check the summer school schedule — you won’t get much of a feel for student life from a deserted quad.
COME WITH QUESTIONS. Decide what’s important to you, come up with some specific questions, and ask the experts — not just your tour guide, but current students who aren’t part of the school’s outreach marketing. A good plan is to allow enough time to walk around after the tour and chat with students. If you’re interested in research, go back to the labs to get a closer look and find someone to field your questions.
VISIT THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE. It may not be part of the tour, but stop by the admissions office and introduce yourself. If you have a list of questions, especially about financial aid, you might make an appointment to chat with a staff member. Ask if you can visit a class, and if you’re already doing serious work, enlist them in scheduling an opportunity to talk to a professor. Be sure to follow up with an email thanking the admissions person you talked to — they keep track of students who express serious interest in their school.
GET A FEEL FOR CAMPUS LIFE. Check out the list of student organizations, and make sure the ones that interest you are active. As you walk around, read bulletin boards, the school paper, and the schedule of upcoming events to get a feel for the culture. Be sure to visit a dorm or two where you might be living, and sample the food — or at least ask a few students about that important part of residence life. If you have an opportunity to stay overnight in a dorm with a current student, be sure to take it.
KEEP NOTES. As you visit multiple schools, they start to blend together. Take pictures on the tour and write down the pros and cons immediately after each visit.