When to Start Touring Colleges: Should I Tour Colleges Before Or After I'm Admitted?

If you have an older sibling, you may remember the perhaps dreadful feeling of being brought on a college tour, even though you weren’t the one applying to college. Or maybe you are the older sibling, and your annoying little brother won’t stop complaining about coming to tour schools with you. While being the extra sibling on tours isn’t the most exciting weekend activity, it may not be so bad to start touring schools early. One of the first steps in the college process is to decide what kind of school you may like: Big? Small? City? College Town? Since most of us haven’t experienced the different types of campuses, visiting colleges early on can give you a better idea of what you’re looking for when you start assembling your college list.

By the time Junior year rolls around, you may not even be thinking about college. However, the college process is about to ramp up - and so are college tours. As a junior, you will start to have a better understanding of your college preferences and academic interests. As the year goes on, you may even start putting together a list of potential schools. This is a wonderful time period to tour colleges. You’ll be able to confirm, or re-evaluate, your preferences and start to see if schools match your personal and academic wants. Touring as a junior can help you pick which schools you apply to and which ones you cross off of your list. While you definitely don’t need to tour every school you want during junior year, this can be an informative and beneficial time to see and learn about colleges.

The fall of your senior year is a great last chance to visit schools before you apply. If you haven’t toured any schools yet, I definitely recommend taking the time to visit some campuses before you apply. At this point, you’ll have a good idea of your preference, so use these visits as a chance to learn more about the specific offerings of each college. Are there certain academic programs you are looking for? Maybe a specific club or activity? Fall tours will help you refine your college list. You may not fall in love with a campus or you may absolutely love every school. Either is okay! These tours can help finalize which schools you want to apply to.

As senior year continues and you finish your applications, you still may want to tour a college. Most students only feel the need to tour under specific circumstances. For example, you may have been accepted to two schools, and you can’t decide between them. Visiting may be a great way to imagine yourself at each campus, which can help you decide the college you want to attend. Or maybe you applied to a school that you never visited. Touring before you accept can better inform your decision. The post-application time frame may also be a good window to re-visit schools as well. Another visit can confirm your previous perceptions of a school. So before you accept your admission, consider taking just one more tour!

Ok, I’ve basically told you that anytime is a great time to take a campus tour. And that’s basically my answer! Starting early can be really beneficial to find your preferences in a school. Once you get closer to senior year, tours can help inform the colleges that you want to apply to. You can also learn lots about what each particular college offers. Even the summer before your senior year is a beneficial time to tour. Just remember that you may not get the full experience from a summer tour. Senior year fall is a critical time to make sure that you have toured at least a few colleges. After you finish applying and are accepted to schools, another tour may be helpful to confirm your decisions. Happy touring!