TAKING A COLLEGE TOUR

We took a lot of college tours last year, and along the way, we learned a few things we wish we'd known before we started.

From tour dates that don't open nearly as early as you'd like to figuring out how to get a feel for what campus life is reallylike, there’s more to a great college visit than simply booking the official tour.

So, we're sharing what we learned.

Here are 10 things to know before you go on a college tour.

1. Tour dates may not open as early as you'd like.

This can be one of the most frustrating parts of planning college visits. Some schools don't release tour dates very far in advance, which makes booking flights, hotels and multi-school road trips tricky.

Start checking the admissions website early, but don't panic if the dates you need aren't available yet. Check back regularly, and if you're traveling a long distance, consider booking refundable hotels or flights when possible.

2. Popular dates can fill up fast.

Once those dates do open, popular weekends and school vacation days can book quickly. Fall Fridays, long weekends and spring break weeks tend to be especially busy.

If you know you're going to be in the area, reserve the official tour as soon as your date becomes available.

3. Check the college's academic calendar.

Before planning your trip, make sure students will actually be there. Fall break, reading days, exam periods and other campus closures can completely change the feel of a school.

Whenever possible, visit on a regular class day. Seeing campus on a random Tuesday can tell you much more than seeing it during a special admissions event.

4. Don't just take the official tour.

The official tour is important—but don't leave when it's over.

Walk around on your own. Go into the library. Find the freshman dorms. Walk through academic buildings your student might actually use. See the gym, dining hall and outdoor spaces.

Sometimes the most telling parts of a visit happen after you've stopped following the tour guide.

5. Sit in the student center for 20 minutes.

Grab a coffee and just watch.

Are students studying together? Are people talking and hanging out? Does it feel busy? Quiet? Social? Competitive? Relaxed?

There isn't a right answer. You're looking for whether the atmosphere feels right for your student.

6. Look at the bulletin boards—and read the student newspaper.

This is one of our favorite ways to get a glimpse of what's really happening on campus.

Check bulletin boards for club meetings, speakers, performances, volunteer opportunities and campus events. Pick up the student newspaper or read it online, too. What are students talking about? What issues matter on campus? What's happening outside the admissions-office version of college life?

These little things can tell you a lot about the personality of a school.

7. Eat where the students eat.

Try the dining hall, student center or a popular restaurant or coffee shop near campus.

Food may not determine where your student goes to college, but experiencing an ordinary part of student life can make it much easier to imagine what living there would actually feel like.

8. Explore beyond campus.

Your student isn't only choosing a college—they're choosing where they'll live for four years.

Walk around the surrounding town or neighborhood. Where do students go for dinner? Is there a grocery store nearby? Coffee shops? Shopping? Things to do on a Saturday?

For some students, the area surrounding campus will matter almost as much as the campus itself.

9. Write down impressions immediately.

After a few college visits, they really do start blending together.

Before getting in the car—or while you're grabbing lunch—have your student jot down a few quick notes:

• Favorite thing
• Biggest hesitation
• Something that surprised them
• Overall vibe
• Could they see themselves living here?

Don't wait until you get home from a week of tours to try to remember which school had that dorm or that amazing student center.

10. Ask: “Could you picture yourself here on a random Tuesday?”

Not game day. Not move-in day. Not a perfect sunny admissions-tour day.

Just an ordinary Tuesday in February.

Can your student picture walking to class, grabbing lunch, meeting friends, studying in the library and coming back to their dorm at the end of the day?

Sometimes that's a much better question than simply asking, “Did you like it?”

One Last Tip

You don't need to accomplish everything on one visit. Early college tours are about learning what your student likes and doesn't like. Big or small? City or college town? Lots of school spirit or something quieter? Close to home or farther away?

Every visit gives you another piece of the puzzle—even when the answer is, “Definitely not this one.”

And that can be just as valuable as falling in love with a school.