Campus Tours – How to Book One
Campus tours are an important part of choosing your college. You will want to be sure to visit several college campuses while you are looking and planning for college. You may find that the one college you thought was right for you, is not right at all. The best way to see a campus is when students are actively working and going to class there. Visit while school is in schedule instead of summer or winter breaks.
Between high school, your job and your parent's job, you may find it difficult to plan a good time to go visit campuses. Late summer and early September before your senior year of high school is usually an ideal time. If you are going to miss any school, be sure that you inform your school and professors ahead of time. Fall semesters and spring semesters are the best seasons to visit college campuses because the campus will be active and you will be able to get a taste of the school and how things work. Students should also consider visiting campuses before they apply. You should make sure that the college is a good fit for you before applying and paying application fees.
Many colleges have new student conferences after students have been accepted to the college. These activities are very involved and students even have the opportunity to stay in the dorm rooms at some campuses. They may have several activities for students as well as parents. Students are generally placed in groups with current students of the college and they learn about the history of the school and everything there is to do there.
Many students often wait until they have received their admission letters to decide which college they want to attend. This can put you in a tight time frame because most colleges do not send out there admission letters until April and may require a response by the first of May. This does not give you a very large time frame to visit several campuses, especially if they are out of state. Many colleges will invite accepted candidate to spend a few days on campus and will encourage them to enroll then. This is a good opportunity to see the college and make comparisons between the schools that you have already toured or accepted you.
The worst time to plan a camp tour is around holidays. The campus is generally shut down and the majority of the students are not there either. You may not even be able to get into some of the buildings during these periods either. Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter and spring breaks and the summer should be avoided. Exam weeks and weekends are also not very good times to visit. Check with admissions offices and they will be able to set you up with a date and possibly a tour guide. There are many students who work as guides and show prospective students and parents around the campus at specified times.
While you are on campus, this is a great opportunity to ask questions. The tour guide is usually a student and they will be happy to answer any questions to the best of their ability. If you are interested in the social life around campus and what activities and entertainment are available, the tour guide should be able to help you. If you have any questions regarding admissions, enrollment or financial aid, the tour guide will direct you to the appropriate offices.