Summer has finally arrived! For some, this means beaches and SPF 50, and for others, it means college tours. Even though it may be less fun, looking at schools is super important and can actually be kind of exciting! So, here are some tips and tricks to ensure you get the most out of college touring:
- Write everything down. Immediately after you’re done with your tour, note anything you think is significant. From the percentage of kids living on campus to whether or not the laundry is free, it all has to go down. Keep a document, spreadsheet, or notebook filled with information on every college you visit and all the factors that make it stand out. You may think this is unnecessary, and what you find important on the tour you’ll obviously remember later, but trust me, you won’t. After your seventh tour in three days, you’ll be exhausted and definitely won’t remember which school had the dining hall with the to-go option, or which one had the all-day pasta.
- Take note of the school’s surroundings. Before you start college touring, you’ll likely have a rough idea of the area you want, but it’s still important to see it in person, either before or after your tour. You may discover that a big city feel takes away from a close-knit campus feeling, or that one street’s worth of commerce is way too small a town for your comfort. Yes, you should attend school for academics, but the surrounding area will be a part of your experience, so it should feel like a place you’ll want to spend time in.
- Ask your tour guides meaningful questions! Most tours end with an explanation from guides about why they chose the college or university that they did, which is good to know, but asking what keeps surprising them about the school gives you better insight. Favorite memories, classes, and places to go on weekends can be much more valuable than a run-down of where all the important buildings are. It’s important to know what student life looks like at different schools before committing, so asking those types of questions should definitely be at the top of your list.
- Lastly, the most important thing: remember to have fun! College touring can be stressful, but you can frame it differently! You get to see so many amazing schools and places that you may end up getting to live in, and that’s an experience that not everyone is lucky enough to have. Take advantage of the opportunity to explore the different aspects of each school and try to picture yourself there. If you can, that’s amazing! If not, that’s perfectly okay because there are hundreds of other schools that will feel perfect; you just have to find the right one.
To everyone facing rounds of tours this summer: you’re not alone, and you will end up where you’re supposed to be. Hopefully, these tips help the process go smoother, or at least give you some peace of mind. Good luck and have a great summer! •