Successfully Navigating Virtual College Tours
Colleges and universities have long utilized virtual tours to attract prospective students. Particularly for students who can’t afford to travel from college town to college town or who don’t know anyone with first-hand experience living on a university campus, official and unofficial virtual college tours provide a valuable window into what studying, dorming, and working in the same place is really like.
In our world’s current climate, virtual tours have transformed from “add-on” to a downright necessity. Officials at YouVisit.com, a leading virtual college tour website, recorded four times the number of site visits this year compared to last spring. Students aren’t the only ones interested in virtual tours. The company also shared that they’re receiving more inquiries each day from colleges interested in creating a virtual campus tour than they typically would have seen in an entire week before the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the ongoing pandemic has not slowed university admissions, one of the more exciting aspects of choosing where to study — campus visits — has taken a notable downturn. It may feel hard to choose your prospective alma mater from behind the screen, but we’re here to help make the process a little less stressful.
3 Tips to Help You Navigate Virtual College Tours
Before deciding which schools to tour, you’ll want to narrow your top five interests based on where you hope to be accepted, success rates of students in your prospective program based on post-grad job placement, and overall retention and graduation rates. This info can be found on school websites. The more refined your choices, the better chance you’ll have at picking the school that’s best for you!
1. Be sure to ask the right questions
When you ask questions specific to what you care about as a prospective student, you’ll develop a clearer picture of which schools are a good fit. Since many virtual tours don’t have a live guide, you’ll want to contact admissions counselors to fill in the blanks left from your virtual experience. To get better acquainted with campus offerings ask questions like:
How accessible are administrators, registrars, financial aid officers, etc.?
How helpful is Career Services in terms of accessibility, alumni connections, and campus job recruitment?
What makes the student body unique?
Equally important are questions like:
What’s it like to be a first-year student here? You can prepare for your first semester but it helps to hear first-hand experience.
How are the food and the dorms?
What social clubs are available to me on campus?
The Princeton Review has a list of 60 questions you should ask on your tour that you can check out for inspiration here.
2. ‘Location, Location, Location:’ Learn About Your College Town
Unfortunately, you may not be able to experience your college city in full effect just yet, but you can still get acquainted with it before you arrive! In addition to touring the school, try taking a virtual tour of the city or state. The “where” of your school can be as important as the “what”. Make the most of your college experience by taking advantage of all its city has to offer. If your college is in a city that experiences all 4 seasons, you’ll want to note popular seasonal activities. Should you attend school in a city with beautiful weather year-round, like Florida, you might want to look into how far the theme parks, beaches, and lakes are. Also, try identifying businesses, programs, and activities affiliated with your school; many may offer free or discounted access to students. You can try asking admissions counselors for a directory with this info. Many will have one readily available!
3. Connect with a mentor
Once you’re seriously considering committing to a school you’ll want to get connected. Many colleges and universities have programs to ensure first-year students are well acclimated and successful. Having a peer mentor is another way to find your footing even before you’re physically on campus. Inquire with admissions officers on how you could partner with an upperclassman in your program to “show you the ropes” of student life. LinkedIn.com is also a great way to connect with current students, alumni, and professors. Think of it as Facebook for professionals. The advantage of being a student is that professionals are eager to help! Once you find others in your prospective major or profession send a message with your friend request sharing why you’re excited to connect.
Final Thoughts on Virtual College Tours
If you want individualized college counseling, make sure to connect with an individual college mentor through the UPchieve website or app. The next chapter of your life may look different than expected, but you still have the opportunity to make it wonderful. Make the most of virtual tours with a little added research. We’re confident you’ll make the right choice!