When high school students start thinking about whether they want to go to college and where they want to go, chances are they’ll sign up for college tours. These are an important part of the college application process because students get to see firsthand what their life would look like if they got accepted.
“They kind of give you a feel for how you would fit at the college, you get to learn a lot more about it,” said Hope Stelmok, senior.
First and foremost, college tours are important because they allow prospective students to see what the campus looks like. They get to walk the streets, view the athletic fields, and go inside dorms, libraries, and dining halls.
I’ve visited four colleges so far, and getting to see what they look like is very helpful. I’d never seen two of the colleges I visited before (College of Charleston and Wake Forest University), and after seeing what they looked like they are definitely higher on my application list.
Most college tours start with a “welcome session”, where someone in the admissions office talks to all those registered for the tour. These can be great ways to glean a lot of information about the college, and ask questions that might not have answers online.
Common subjects covered are acceptance rates, application deadlines, tuition, honors college requirements (if the school has an honors college), housing, and the schools majors and minors. Some people will attend these information sessions and decide against the college because they may not have a specific program.
“I’m not gonna go to App State because they don’t have my major,” said Glenn Vaughan, junior. Vaughan arrived at this conclusion after he toured Appalachian State University.
Most college tours are student led, and this can be a great opportunity for prospective students to learn about the college outside of the academics. Tour guides can share information about sports teams, greek life, clubs, and overall student life in addition to their academic career.
Having current students lead the tours brings a personal element to the tours that I think is very important for prospective students. It’s different hearing about a college from the perspective of a website or administrations officer than a student, and this can help people decide wether they like the sound of the college or not.
Touring the college can be especially important for seniors who have been accepted to numerous colleges, but can’t decide where to go.
“Getting a feel for the campus compared to other places, it just felt like the place I was supposed to be at,” said Stelmok. Stelmok got accepted to High Point University, and will be starting there in the fall–a choice solidified by her tour of the college.
For most, college is a four year life commitment, maybe extra if they decide to pursue a masters degree or enter a specific school. Touring the colleges beforehand is extremely important in helping students decide where they want to spend a good amount of their life furthering their academic career.
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