Vis­it­ing the cam­pus is prob­a­bly one of the most impor­tant steps in actu­ally choos­ing your col­lege. After all, you may be choos­ing where you would like to live for the next four years.  If you do not have the oppor­tu­nity to visit, or have a chance to meet an admis­sions offi­cer at a col­lege fair in your home­town, it will be impor­tant for you to take a vir­tual visit:

• Do your research about the col­lege online.
• Know your own goals and what ques­tions you would like answered.
• Know your PSAT, SAT and/or ACT scores, and GPA.
• Under­stand your own strengths in the aca­d­e­mic arena as well as in extracur­ric­u­lar activities.
• Focus more on aca­d­e­mic and stu­dent life opportunities.
• Be hon­est on with your­self and what you are look­ing for.
• Never under­es­ti­mate the value of a tour whether online or in person.

When plan­ning a vir­tual visit to a campus:

• Lis­ten to stu­dents, fac­ulty, coaches, and admis­sions staff pre­sen­ta­tions online.
• Read the school news­pa­per online through Cam­pus News­pa­pers by State.
• View the aca­d­e­mic build­ings, dorms, library, the labs, the recre­ational facil­i­ties offered online.
• Read about your admis­sions rep­re­sen­ta­tive and let them know you have viewed their online via there infor­ma­tional online tours.
• Learn more about the com­mu­nity and cul­tural venues.

Choose from the fol­low­ing by using one of the fol­low­ing websites:

• Cam­pus Vir­tual Tours — Vir­tual tours of col­lege campus.
• Chan­nel One Vir­tual Col­lege Tours — Stu­dent vir­tual dis­cus­sions online on cam­pus topics.
• Col­lege Week Live-Virtual Col­lege Fair –Inter­act with col­lege admis­sions rep­re­sen­ta­tives on-line.
• Vir­tual Cam­pus Tours: Tour the Cam­pus of 25 Top Col­leges and Universities
• Your Cam­pus 360 — A walk­ing vir­tual tour of a col­lege cam­pus.
• YOUni­veristy — Vir­tual col­lege video tours, stu­dents’ inter­views about cam­pus.
• Col­lege Prowler – Pro­vides answers to ques­tions on all aspects of the school envi­ron­ment.
• You Tube Edu­ca­tion – Search, tour, and watch stu­dent and fac­ulty inter­views online.

After the online visit or online col­lege fair meeting:

• Make notes of your reac­tions, and other impor­tant data you may need to con­sider later on in the process.
• Ask your­self if the col­lege was a “good fit” for you and your interests.
• If they offer an inter­ac­tive blog with stu­dents, take part and get your ques­tions answered.

Though vir­tual vis­its should not be a replace­ment for actual col­lege tours and infor­ma­tion ses­sions on cam­pus, they can be a great way to start gath­er­ing impor­tant infor­ma­tion and gauge the make up of the school community.