When the crucial time comes to visit colleges and universities, reviewing options of where to go, and making the right choice, a wave of pressure and stress overwhelms students with all the things that need to be done before graduating. Most students decide to participate in tours and have an in person experience since it’s up to them to take action and find the place where they will spend 25% of their time . 

Visitations allow students to see, explore, and get a feel of the area and campus they might be spending most of their time at. It gives them a chance to visualize how their future everyday life might be like. Joelle Coffey, a junior here at Denmark High School stresses the importance of research, especially regarding certain degrees, financial aid, and transportation that some colleges may or may not have.  “Visiting colleges allows students to see the environment of where they will be studying, weather, people, culture, etc…” Those are some important details to look out for while on a tour, but don’t forget about gyms, restaurants, and shopping centers. Non-academic activities are just as important as their educational counterparts; after all, college students spend a great deal of time outside of the classroom as well as inside.

Plenty of students start visiting colleges during their last year of high school, but senior Emma Hempker advises that touring as a junior “helps you to get ahead of the senior stress of applying to schools” and “have time to know your options” since for a lot of students their senior year is when they have to make all the big decisions that might affects what the rest of their life might be like. Scheduling during fall or summer break is better time-wise, though it proves more beneficial for students to go when there’s actual instructional time going on. Sometimes they get the chance to sit in the class and experience what their day as a student there would look like. Most of the time students decide to visit between 5 to 10 colleges to keep their options open and find the perfect match.

“To students planning to pursue  higher education, visiting universities is one of the most important steps in getting there.”

During the tour, one of the most important things to do is ask questions, especially to the tour guide; guides are usually students from that school and less likely to lie or sugarcoat to protect the college’s image. According to Emma Hempker, some of the most asked questions on college tours are:

• What are the requirements to get into the school?
• What are the dorms like?
• How much does tuition cost?
• What transportation is available?
• What scholarship opportunities does the school offer?
• How is the campus environment?
• How has your experience been at this school?
• What are some negative aspects of attending here? 

To students planning to pursue higher education, visiting universities is one of the most important steps in getting there. Deciding on a college or even a major is incredibly difficult, but college visits give students more clarity about their opportunities and what their futures could hold. The right college environment enhances the development of  students and helps them succeed in the time to come, so exploring and identifying their best options is what will lead them in the right direction.