Get the most out of your college tours
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This article is brought to you by Brigham Young University-Idaho, which is a private, Christian, four-year university sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The university’s mission is to help students “develop as disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities” by offering high-quality, affordable education in a fun and uplifting environment.
As the high school years end, your child will reach a point of critical decision-making. What’s next? Should they go to college? If so, where should they go?
College tours are a great way to answer those questions, get a taste of the college environment, and find that perfect match.
Here are our top tips for getting the most out of your college tours!
Start with the schools closest to you
The more exposure your student has to the college environment, any college environment, the more possible it will feel for them.
- Walk around nearby community colleges
- Take a day trip to state schools within driving distance of you
- Stop by college campuses while on road trips to stretch your legs and grab something to eat
- Look into concurrent enrollment programs, which allow high schoolers to take college classes for a reduced price
Sophomore year in high school is a great time to start getting a feel for what college is like.
Starting early will help your student find an idea of what they’re looking for without the pressure of making a decision.
Do your own research
Your student’s early exposure to the college environment will help them identify their priorities for college. Talk about these priorities and use tools like Niche and Big Future to make a list of schools to look into.
There’s a lot you can learn about the schools on this list through independent research, and doing this research can help you narrow down your list of the schools you want to tour.
Here are some great ways to research:
- Visit each school’s website, newsroom and social media profiles
- Look at the Niche profiles of each school for college stats and student reviews
- Find federally reported information (like financial aid and net price) for each school through IPEDS
- Search on LinkedIn for alumni of your student’s school of interest
- Look at campus and city maps to identify areas of interest to visit when you tour, both on and off of campus
Take the admissions tour — and your own
When your student has narrowed down their list of the schools that they want to visit, start making travel plans and reach out to the school’s admissions team to schedule a tour.
The admissions professionals who lead the tour will have a strong, high-level knowledge of the campus, programs, costs, housing options, and resources available at each school. They can also point you toward who to talk to for more specific questions, like academic departments or financial aid.
During the tour, ask questions like:
- What kind of financial aid is available to students?
- How long does the application process take?
- What resources are available to support students here?
- What is the general cost of housing and tuition?
After taking the official tour, grab some lunch on campus and encourage your student to talk to some of the students there.
Here are some questions they can ask other students:
- What do you like most about the school?
- What do you dislike about the school?
- What are the housing options like?
- What are the teachers like here?
If there are specific programs that your student is interested in, you can also schedule times to meet with professors.
Here are some questions you can ask professors:
- What is special about your department?
- How does this program prepare students for the future?
- What do students in this program say about it?
- How heavy is the workload for these classes?
With enough time and research, your student can decide with confidence if college is the right choice and where they can have the best experience.