Spring break is rapidly approaching. And with the arrival of high school spring breaks comes a marked increase in the number of college visits students make. Juniors and even some sophomores will take time over their school vacations to visit colleges across the country. But what if you don’t have the resources— time, finances, travel ability— to visit campuses? Never fear, there are great ways for students all across the US to experience college visits without expensive, time consuming travel.
Especially for the highly undecided student, but applicable to all students, I recommend local visits. The majority of high school students live within driving distance of a college. With over three thousand colleges and universities in the US, there are plenty of options close to home. Rather than spending time and money visiting campuses that may or may not be of interest, I would encourage you to explore one or more campuses within driving distance of home, even if you think you have no intention of attending said college. Visiting any campus will help you to better understand your preferences. You’ll gain familiarity with the process of visiting a college so that when you visit your top choice schools you will be a seasoned campus visiting veteran. Make your visit official by scheduling it through the admission office. Sit in on the information session. Take the tour. Wander around campus. Ask questions. A visit to a nearby school that may not be on your radar is a great way to practice asking questions, learn the lingo of a college visit, and hone your preferences.
College websites are an excellent resource for research purposes. Rather than spending considerable time and money to visit every school on your preliminary list, use college websites to visit colleges across the country from the comfort of your own home. Organize your research and take notes. Jot down the details that interest you— interesting courses/majors, unique learning opportunities, pertinent aspects of the application/admission processes, etc. Keep your research in a central location so that you can refer back to it as you virtually visit campuses or ultimately make in-person visits.
There are other incredible online resources to facilitate a virtual campus visit. Check out the resources below to take virtual tours of hundreds of campuses across the country.
600+ easy-to-search free college visits
Online college video tours and searches.
College Click TV
Allows students to watch exclusive videos of college students from campuses across the country speaking frankly about their colleges.
Have fun exploring from the comfort of your own home!