The Great American College Tour

Going on a college tour is a rite of passage for many American teens and their parents. From the peppy tour guide who has perfected the art of walking backwards, to the sometimes-shocking sight of a dorm room (so small! no air conditioning?!), the college tour is the cornerstone of a college visit. In a 2023 study based on over 5,000 surveys, Niche.com found that high school students visit three colleges on average. Given that students applied to an average of just over 6 institutions in 2024-25, we know you likely can’t visit every school on your list. So how do you make the most of a college visit and, particularly, a college tour?

THE COLLEGE TOUR: WHEN TO GO

Don’t wait until the last minute to sign up for a campus visit during the peak seasons: high school students’ spring breaks, and the summer months. During these periods, visit slots fill up fast, and you can expect crowds—you might even bump into someone from your high school! On the plus side, schools might offer multiple tours, and you could have your choice of tour guides with different majors. However, you will have fewer opportunities to interact with your guide and ask your own questions. During the summers, classes may not be in session, and campus will not reflect the usual “vibe” of the academic year. Still, visit when it makes sense for you and your family: just plan ahead to make the experience worthwhile.

Be aware, too, that some colleges offer special campus visit weekends for prospective students in the fall. These typically feature an information session and campus tour, but will supplement these with panels, a meal, and/or a classroom experience. Fall for Hamilton, for example, is a special Hamilton College program offered on weekends in October and November. Meet Macalester, in October, invites families to connect with current students, professors and staff during an on-campus program to Macalester College. When checking college visit calendars, or deciding when to visit a school that is high on your list, look for such value-added programming.

INFO SESSION OR COLLEGE TOUR?

Let’s take a moment to walk through the process of signing up for a college visit, using USC as an example:

1. Type “visit” and the name of a college in your search engine: Visit USC
2. Look for an option to book or schedule a tour. On the USC page, you can book a tour, find out more about self-guided tours, or take an immersive online tour. On this page, you can also add an information session or a department session.
3. Most schools show a calendar with tour availability. Like USC, many schools ask you to sign up for a paired information session + campus tour. Don’t worry if you are only going to do one and not the other—just sign up here.

If you sign up for both an info session and tour, but only have time for one, which should you prioritize? While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, the tour is typically more valuable for students since it offers the chance to “feel” the campus and hear from a current student: is the tour guide relatable? If students are out and about, are they in groups or is everyone solo? Are the facilities adequate or impressive? What are the dorms like? And are there features the guide talks about that are special? The information session, on the other hand, is an admissions presentation, so you’ll learn more facts and figures about the institution and specifics about the financial aid and application processes (parents sometimes find this more worthwhile). Either way, you’re demonstrating interest in these schools, which can be a key component of the application process.

FIVE TOP TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE TOUR

1. Allow plenty of time to get to campus and find parking. Urban campuses like NYU, Boston University, or UCLA can present particular challenges, but even rural and suburban campuses often lack street signs or clear directions.
2. Students should have at least one question they plan to ask the tour guide or a current student (sometimes a current student will just approach lost-looking visitors and offer to help!). One I like: “What do students do on the weekends?” The answer gives a sense of the balance between academics/activities on campus and reveals more information about campus culture, whether most students attend athletic events, for example, or leave campus for attractions in a nearby city.
3. If offered multiple tour guide options, don’t be afraid to split up: a parent on one tour, the student on another. That way, you can compare notes afterward and reduce anchoring bias: the tendency to rely too heavily on one trait or piece of information when making a decision.
4. Try to eat either in a campus eatery or a place near campus that is popular with students. It’s the rare student who doesn’t care about what they’ll be eating for four years! Not only should you assess the food options, but this presents another chance to check out students in their local habitats. Are they studying or chatting with friends?
5. You’ve heard it before: snap a photo, jot down what you liked or didn’t like about each campus. When you have to write that “why are you applying to College X” essay, you’ll thank me!

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Dr. Tina Brooks

Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions

Tina joins Top Tier Admissions after five years serving as Associate Dean of Admissions at Pomona College. Her career in higher education has included extensive experience as both a faculty member and admissions professional. Tina worked as Assistant Director of Admission and Transfer Coordinator at Scripps College before joining Pomona College, where she oversaw all communications and directed transfer admissions, in addition to her role evaluating first-year applicants in the admissions office. As a professional writer and editor, she has published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fodor’s guide to Los Angeles, and many college alumni magazines. Having served as a mentor for Scholar Match, a scholarship evaluator for the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, and an interviewer for the Gates Scholarship and the Posse Foundation, Tina loves working directly with students on their writing, academic and outcomes goals. She holds a B.A. in English with Honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley.

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