Campus Tours 101: How to Make the Most out of your College Tours

Optimizing Your Campus Tours

College tours can be one of the most exciting parts of the college application process. They help students get a feel for a college campus and what attending college there might actually be like. Campus tours also offer a dynamic way to learn more about a college. Instead of just browsing admissions websites and reading about campus life online, you can fully immerse yourself in it.

However, college tours for high school students can be a lot of work. They require travel, time, and preparation, both for students and their families. To make the logistics and cost of campus tours worthwhile, it’s essential to maximize their value.

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know to plan the best possible campus tours, including:

• Preparing for your campus tours
• College tours FAQs
• A college visits checklist of what to bring with you 
• An in-depth look at different tours, like USC campus tours, Stanford campus tours, UCLA campus tours, and more!
• How to find college tours near me
• The best questions to ask your tour guide
• Tips for making the most of your campus tours (both virtually and in-person)

To start, let’s go over the planning phase.

Planning your College Tours

The first thing you should think about when planning your college tours is location. Being strategic with your tours will help you visit the maximum number of schools in the shortest amount of time. You can even schedule multiple campus tours in one day if the schools are geographically close enough. For example, you could go on a Harvard campus tour and an MIT campus tour in the same weekend, maybe even on the same day, because the schools are so close.

You likely won’t be able to go on college tours for every school on your list — and that’s totally fine. Think about the types of colleges you’re curious about, and try to do campus visits at schools with those qualities. For example, if you’re applying to lots of small liberal arts colleges, make sure to visit at least one small school — and one big school for contrast. To further simplify your visits, try searching “college tours near me” and see what comes up for each category.

Visit the unique schools on your list

If you’re applying to schools with something especially unique — maybe there’s a specific research facility or major that no other university has —be sure to plan a visit to that school. Additionally, if there’s anything you really want to prioritize in your college search, make sure it’s addressed during your tour. For instance, if you can’t live without an awesome dorm, look for visits that include dorm tours. 

Once you have your schools mapped out, you’ll need to do some planning. Know what date and time you’re going to do your campus tours, and book tours and information sessions in advance. Create a schedule so that you can optimize your time in a certain city or location. The more you get done ahead of time, the more you’ll be able to focus on enjoying your tours! 

You can also bring a college visits checklist with you to help remember what to pack and what to do during your tour. Lucky for you, we’ve created a comprehensive college visits checklist that details what to bring, questions to ask, and things to see! You’ll learn more about it later in the guide.

Can you visit college as a sophomore?

Yes, you can absolutely visit a college as a sophomore! Touring college earlier rather than later gives you a valuable head start on the college application process. You’ll know what you like and dislike about different schools and environments, which will give you confidence as you start building your college list.

Campus visits can be especially helpful for students who don’t have older siblings or older friends in college. They’re also great for students who are the first in their family to attend college. In either case, it can be hard to know where to begin. Fortunately, simply searching “college tours near me” can help you learn more about your options.

Potential drawbacks

However, there can be some drawbacks to going on campus tours too early. For instance, you might fall in love with a school way before you know your chances of acceptance. If you don’t get into that school later on, you may feel less excited about the college options you’re left with. Additionally, a lot can change between sophomore and senior year. You may have an entirely different idea of what you want to major in, or have different priorities when it comes to location or campus culture. 

That said, as long as you approach campus tours with an open mind, touring during sophomore year is perfectly fine — just make sure you’re not closing off any options too early. If you prefer to wait on in-person tours, virtual college tours for high school students are a great alternative. While they may be less immersive, they’re still a valuable way to explore what a college has to offer with less hassle.

When should you start going on college visits?

Junior year is a great time to start going on campus tours. Many students utilize school breaks to visit campuses. This includes the summer before junior or senior year and spring and winter break. 

There are a lot of variables when it comes to timing your college tours — even the weather can affect how you feel about a school! If you tour a school up north in the winter, you’re going to remember it as bitterly cold, whereas if you went in the fall it would feel like a classic, colorful college campus. Consider what makes the most sense for you: would you rather see the best of a college, or know it at its worst? Both are useful metrics as long as you understand them. 

Doing college tours early can give students a jump start on their college applications. If you visit your dream school over the summer, for example, you can go back home and immediately start working on your application. However, for some students, going on college visits before applying isn’t realistic — and that’s totally fine! You can still research schools online and virtually before you apply, then go on campus tours in-person once you’ve received some acceptances.

When planning your college visits, you’ll have to consider the pros and cons of visiting before or after submitting your applications. Going only to schools you’ve been accepted to is more cost-effective and more efficient — and you know you won’t fall in love with a school you can’t go to. However, going earlier can give you more information about the school that you can use in your application, and it will help you feel more confident narrowing down your list.

What to expect from a Campus Tour

Here’s what to expect on college tours so that you can make the most of your visit. 

Campus Tour Experience

Campus Life

One of the main appeals of doing campus tours is getting a feel for campus life. This can be anything from clubs and organizations to how the students seem on campus — do people wave at each other when they walk by? Do they seem happy? Your tour guide will likely tell you about all the different types of extracurriculars offered by the school.

College Dorm Tour

When visiting a college, you might get the chance to see inside a college dorm on a dorm tour. But don’t let a dorm tour make or break your opinion on a school — most schools have a wide variety of housing options, including living off-campus. And spoiler alert: no dorm tour is going to be that great, because college dorms aren’t a five-star hotel. But getting close to your roommates and learning how to live together is part of the fun!

Dining Options at College

During your college tours, make sure to ask about the food options available to students. You’ll likely visit a dining hall, but remember that there are usually several dining options on campus. Additionally, ask about cafes, coffee shops, and other places to grab a quick bite. It might also be useful to ask how common it is for students to work part-time at these locations while attending school.

College Facilities

On campus tours, you’ll get an overview of the different college facilities: labs, dorms, classrooms, libraries, dining halls. Think about the places you’ll spend the most time — is it the library? The 3D printing lab? The English department? Make sure you explore spaces that are relevant to you and any potential majors.

Campus Traditions

Every school has their traditions — campus-wide scavenger hunts, a big game against a rival school, one collective scream at the end of finals — that you’ll learn about on your college tours. Remember that your college experience is what you make it, and the types of traditions they talk about on campus tours may or may not be part of your college experience.

Meeting Faculty

During your campus visit, you can make an effort to meet faculty in a field that you’re interested in. Feel free to email a professor and ask if they hold office hours, and if so, stop by! If they don’t have time, don’t take it as a personal slight — however, if it becomes a pattern, then it could speak to the level of interaction professors have with undergraduates at the university.

Campus Environment

On college tours, you get the chance to experience what it’s like to be a student on campus. As you imagine yourself heading to class or meeting friends on the quad, pay attention to any gut feelings — you may be surprised by which schools truly stand out to you.

College Tours FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about college tours.

How do I register for a Campus Tour?

You can register for most college campus tours online. If you want to register for the Harvard campus tour you can do it here, and for the USC campus tours you can click here. Other college campus tours generally follow a similar sign-up process.

While you don’t need to register that far in advance, there’s no harm in signing up early. Reserve your spot on your college campus tours as soon as you’ve planned your trip and decided on your dates. 

If you need to cancel, that’s perfectly fine, and you won’t be penalized. If possible, try to cancel at least a day in advance so the tour guide has time to adjust. After all, imagine being a student worker in the admissions office, preparing for a campus tour of 30 people versus just 10. Letting them know you aren’t coming is a simple way to be respectful of their time and effort.

Before scheduling any college campus tours, make sure to double check the school’s visitor policies. For example, some campuses are closed to the public, or closed during certain times of the year — know that before you go, and be sure you know where your tour starts from so you don’t get lost.

How many colleges should I visit?

There’s no perfect number of college campus tours to do — it all depends on your interests, personal circumstances, and flexibility. Try and find a practical range of schools you can visit without it being overwhelming. Many students limit their visits to 3 – 7 schools, though others have the time and resources to visit more. 

Try to visit multiple types of schools on your college campus tours. For instance, you might try to visit a big school and a small school, one urban and one rural. If you already have a dream school, be sure to visit your safety schools as well – and go in with an open mind! 

Remember to group your campus visits geographically. For example, you could take a short trip to D.C., New York, or Boston and tour multiple schools in a weekend. However, if you can’t travel long distances and “college tours near me” isn’t coming up with anything useful, you can take virtual tours — even if you live in San Francisco, you can tour Elon in North Carolina or Harvard in Massachusetts from the comfort of your own home. 

What questions should I ask on College Tours?

College tours for high school students are specifically designed to give you answers to your most important questions. However, some people think there are “right” and “wrong” questions to ask on a campus visit, but that’s not true. The only “wrong” question is one that doesn’t get you the information you’re looking for. 

So what are you looking for? This requires a bit of self-reflection. Spend some time thinking about what you want out of your college experience. Then, try and think of a specific question to ask. You can ask about class sizes, housing, extracurriculars, social life — anything that you think will give you a better picture of what life is like at this school.

Also, remember that most college tours for high school students are led by students themselves! They will have opinions and biases, as well as insights not advertised on a college’s website. While their personal experiences can be helpful, remember to gather a variety of perspectives and rely on your own observations and feelings when making your final decision.

College Visits Checklist

If you’re getting ready to go on your college tours, this list is for you. We’ve put together this handy college visits checklist to help you feel comfortable and prepared once you arrive for your campus visit. Here are our ultimate college tours for high school students checklists: What to Bring, What to See, and What to Ask. 

Feel free to save this college visits checklist and use it to plan for your next college visit!

Let’s Explore College Tours at Top Colleges!

Now that we’ve reviewed how college campus tours work, let’s dive into the specifics of campus tours at top colleges. 

If you search for “college tours near me,” you will find that most colleges offer campus tours. However, campus tours at the nation’s top colleges understandably attract the most visitors. As such, if they’re on your list, you’ll want to plan in advance and verify that there are open tour dates that work with your schedule. 

In the following sections, we will discuss:

• USC campus tours
• Stanford campus tours
• Harvard campus tours
• UCLA campus tours
• University of Washington campus tours

We’ll review where these schools are, how to register for a tour, and what to expect during your visits.

Stanford Campus Tour

We’ll begin our exploration of top college campus tours with a discussion of the Stanford campus tour. 

Where is Stanford?

If you live in California’s Bay Area, your search for “college tours near me” will inevitably include Stanford University in Palo Alto. This region is part of Silicon Valley, home to big technology companies like Google and Facebook. It is tucked in between mountains and the San Francisco Bay. The area has incredible nature sites as well as easy access to San Francisco. If you go on a Stanford campus tour, you will surely have lots of fun exploring the region.

How do I register for a Stanford campus tour?

To register for Stanford’s campus tours, you must visit the admissions website and book your campus tour in advance. Make sure to do so before buying a plane ticket! College tours can fill up fast and may not be available at the last minute. 

What to expect on your Stanford college tour?

When booking your Stanford campus visit, you will have the option to choose from several types of college tours. The longest tour is 2.5 hours and begins with a 45-minute session with an admissions officer about admissions and financial aid. Afterward, visitors take a 90-minute walk around campus led by an undergraduate student. 

Stanford also offers specialty tours based on different academic focuses like computer science or humanities. Alternatively, self-guided tours are a good option for those who wish to explore the campus independently. Outside of tours, there are also student-only and parent-only forums for discussion around different topics related to campus life and student support services.

Harvard Campus Tours

Next let’s journey to the opposite coast and explore the Harvard University campus tour.

Where is Harvard?

Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cambridge is situated across the Charles River from Boston, in the same city as MIT. The convenient location means that Harvard students have the benefit of accessing different parts of Boston via the public transit system.

How do I register for a Harvard campus tour?

If you want to visit the main campus of Harvard University, you will need to book a tour early. You can register for a Harvard campus tour on their admissions website up to three months in advance. As one of the most prestigious universities in the nation, tours fill up quickly. Once you have an idea of your travel plans, reserve your spot as soon as possible.

What to expect on your Harvard college tour?

If you’re lucky enough to get a Harvard college campus tour, you’ll start with an hour-long admissions officer information session. Then visitors will go on a one-hour walking tour led by one or two Harvard undergraduate students. 

However, if you’re visiting at the last minute and all the guided tours are full, you can take a self-guided tour using a map from the Visitor Center. Later, you can sign up for a virtual chat with an admissions officer to get answers to all of your pressing questions.  

UCLA Campus Tours

Up next is the University of California-Los Angeles campus tour.

Where is UCLA?

UCLA is one of the most famous public universities in the state of California — and the world. Located just north of the Westwood Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, UCLA’s sprawling campus offers access to the city’s food, culture, and entertainment. At the same time, the nature and beauty of the Santa Monica mountains are only a drive away.

How do I register for a UCLA campus tour?

You must register online for UCLA campus tours. Tours are limited and fill up quickly, so you should register as early as possible.

What to expect on your UCLA college tour?

UCLA campus tours differ slightly depending on which day and time you visit. Some of their college tours include a 30-minute presentation at the start and last two hours. Other UCLA campus tours only include the walking portion, which lasts about 90 minutes. The tours provide information about academic programs, campus resources, and campus life. The school also offers college campus tours in Spanish as well as self-guided tours.

USC Campus Tours

Also located in Los Angeles, the University of Southern California offers unique insights into campus life through its college tours.

Where is USC?

USC is situated in the University Park neighborhood, close to the museums, restaurants, and artistic neighborhoods of downtown Los Angeles. The campus is close to the city’s Expo Line, one of the six light rail lines that connect major parts of the city.

How do I register for a USC campus tour?

You may register for USC campus tours online. In addition to college tours, you can register for academic department presentations. If you prefer to do a self-guided tour, you must still register online at least a day before your arrival.

What to expect on your USC college tour?

USC campus tours last 75 to 90 minutes and are led by current USC undergraduates. On your tour, you will learn about the layout of campus and its history and traditions. 

Princeton Campus Tours

The Princeton campus offers a window into one of the nation’s most prestigious Ivy League schools. Let’s explore what makes Princeton college tours unique.

Where is Princeton?

Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey, a town about an hour from both Philadelphia and New York City. A quaint college town, Princeton offers a tranquil college experience not far from the big city life.

How do I register for a Princeton campus tour?

To visit Princeton and receive a campus tour, you must register online. Tours book fast and are only available until May 2 for the spring semester. Summer tour dates are released in early May, so keep an eye on the Princeton website if you’re traveling in summer.

What to expect on your Princeton college tour?

On your Princeton campus tour, you can expect a one-hour tour by a Princeton student. On weekdays, tours include a one-hour information session by a Princeton admissions officer as well. Prospective students interested in engineering can also take advantage of specialized engineering department tours led by students during the academic year.

University of Washington Self-Guided Tour

Our exploration of college campus tours ends at the University of Washington, where visitors can enjoy a student-led or self-guided tour.

Where is the University of Washington?

The University of Washington is located in Seattle, Washington. The urban backdrop alongside easy access to Lake Washington and Mount Rainier make life at UW exciting for all types of students.

How do I register for a University of Washington campus tour?

If you decide to visit the University of Washington in person, you can sign up for various college tours on the school’s website. Some include an information session and others don’t, so you can choose an option that suits your needs. If you wish to do a self-guided tour, you do not need to register in advance. Simply download the self-guided tour map to go on your own adventure around campus.

What to expect on your University of Washington college tour?

The University of Washington student-led college tours take visitors on a 75-minute walk through key areas of the campus, like the liberal arts quadrangle. The school’s self-guided tour can be downloaded using a QR code and includes student voices telling stories of their experiences on campus. Lastly, the school’s Indigenous walking tour allows visitors to take a self-guided tour that highlights the experiences of Indigenous students on campus.

Virtual College Campus Tours

If your search for “college tours near me” is not fruitful, you can also take advantage of virtual college tours. Virtual college tours have become more common since the pandemic, when campus visits were suspended as a safety precaution. 

Virtual college tours are offered on a school’s admissions websites and through platforms like YouVisit and CampusTours.com. These virtual college visits can take many forms, such as:

• Pre-recorded videos of students giving college tours
• Interactive videos and maps where you can navigate the campus on your own
• Live streams with current students who showcase parts of campus 

The main benefit of virtual college tours is free access to campus from the safety and comfort of your home. Virtual college tours for high school students sometimes include parts of campus not shown in regular campus visits, like dorm tours or special research buildings. For example, the website theCollegeTour.com offers dorm tours with students sharing an inside look at where they live.

As you might guess, the primary limitation of virtual college tours is that they don’t provide a strong sense of campus life. That said, taking advantage of virtual college tours is still recommended. Here are some tips to make the most of your virtual campus visits.

3 Tips for Virtual College Tours

1. Make a college visits checklist.

Pre-plan your questions for livestream sessions to ensure you walk away with the information you need. 

2. Set aside dedicated time.

Plan time to be focused and attentive during the virtual college tour so you can make the most of the experience.

3. Take notes.

Write down what you do and don’t like, as details can be hard to remember once you have been on many tours.

Still unsure about which virtual college tours are worth your time? Check out this CollegeAdvisor resource featuring 25 college tours for high school students.

Virtual College Tours with CollegeAdvisor

Looking for more engaging opportunities to visit your top schools online? Here are five virtual college tours for high school students created by CollegeAdvisor:

5 CollegeAdvisor Virtual Tours

1. Stanford University

In this webinar, you will hear all about what it’s like going to school in Palo Alto. A Stanford student explains campus life and topics such as opportunities to live in themed dorms.

2. Williams College

Explore what makes a liberal arts education special in this virtual tour. A current Williams student shares their experience of being immersed in nature and the arts while at Williams College in western Massachusetts.

3. University of Pennsylvania

In this virtual college tour, you will hear straight from a UPenn student. Hear their honest opinions and experiences as a business student at the prestigious Wharton School.

4. Yale University

Learn what makes Yale’s residential colleges special through a dorm tour with an alum. Discover resources on and off campus that make Yale a unique place to attend college.

5. Elon University

In this 60-minute webinar, hear from Elon students and alumni about their experiences. Learn about everything from life on campus as a student of color to the dining hall food.

Remember, there are countless ways to explore a college online. Be sure to check out their official website, follow them on social media, and explore any other resources they offer to get a feel for the campus and community.

The Value of Campus Tours

College tours for high school students, particularly local and virtual options, are valuable for students of all grades. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, consider searching “college tours near me” to see if there are schools nearby you can visit. Even if you don’t ultimately apply, a college visit can help you better understand what you’re looking for in your undergraduate experience.

Indeed, tours are essential as they provide emotional and practical information that can help you narrow down your college list. College tours for high school students are especially important in the summer before senior year, as college admissions seasons — and “why school” essays — loom. In addition to seeing a school’s campus and housing through dorm tours, you can understand the school’s culture through conversations with students and faculty.

Be sure to use a college visits checklist so you don’t miss out on learning about important campus resources. And be sure to record your thoughts and feelings of the experience so you can refer to them later. 

How to prepare for Your Campus Tours!

Now that you know the value of campus tours, hopefully you’ll be planning to attend some very soon. Here are some tips to prepare for your campus tours:

Preparing for Your Campus Tours

Researching pre-tour

Make a list of schools you want to visit. Simply start by googling “college tours near me,” then find out how to register for a tour at those schools. Don’t forget to check when classes are in session; visiting during these times gives you a better sense of campus life.

Before you attend the tour, make a list of questions and add it to your college visits checklist. Perhaps you’re interested in a dorm tour or want to speak to a faculty member about a specific kind of research. Additionally, find out whether you can sit in on a class at the school. Looking into these questions early can help you make the most of your time on campus.

Packing and planning

If you plan to travel far for your campus tours, pack the right clothes for the weather where you are visiting. Make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes, as well as money for food and souvenirs while on campus. Make a college visits checklist of places you want to see, such as libraries, dorms, dining halls, or academic buildings.

Arriving early and interacting

Get to campus at least a half hour before your tour. This ensures you have time to find the tour’s meeting point. Try to interact with the tour guide and other students you see on campus and ask informed questions. This will give you a better sense of the school’s culture.

Be present during the tour. Campus tours can be very exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Just immerse yourself in the experience and focus on getting your questions answered. 

If you follow these basic tips, you are sure to have campus visits that are fruitful, informative, and fun.

Campus Tours 101: What You Need to Know  – Takeaways

Whether you’re a high school sophomore, junior, or senior, college visits can be an incredibly useful part of your application process. They can help you decide which colleges to apply to and how to write strong “why college” essays. All in all, tours have the potential to play a huge role in your final college decision. 

In this article, we provided tips on how to make the most of both in-person and virtual tours. We also shared examples of popular college campus tours and what they entail. To help students stay on track, we encouraged creating a college visits checklist with places you want to visit, people you wish to meet, and tailored questions for each school. 

Not sure what you’re looking for in a college? CollegeAdvisor’s team of experts can help you research schools, decide on college visits, and narrow down your college list. And when you’re ready to apply, we’ll guide you through every step to make sure your application stands out.

This article was written by Rachel Kahn and Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.