Virtual Tours and Other Tools

OK - You've got a few places in mind in which you and your family can justify spending THOUSANDS of dollars! What's next? You need to get up close and personal - visit the campus. This part of the process may seem daunting. You may have a few dozen places of interest all over the country. Luckily, you have an invaluable tool at your disposal - the Internet.

When you look up a specific college on www.collegeboard.com, you are often given a link which will take you directly to the college website. Many times that site will include a virtual tour of the campus. There is another site, www.campustour.com, which provides virtual campus tours for many colleges and universities. As stated in a previous post, www.unigo.com is another excellent resource which links to campus tours as well. While these virtual tours are not a substitute for actually visiting a specific school, something you see or learn from the website may rule out a campus or make it a definite "must see".

Another way to learn about a school is through college fairs or a college representative's visit to your high school. These events are often only as good as the rep sent by the college. However, it is a good way to pick up brochures and applications if the school does not accept the Common Application which I'll cover in a future blog. (Many schools have online application procedures but having a paper copy will help you prepare a rough draft.) If a college representative does visit your school, it's a good idea to attend the session even if you have already visited the college and have decided to definitely apply. If it's a group session, you'll get an idea of which other students in your school are considering that college and you can "size up" your local competition. Try to meet with the rep personally. Be sure to take her card or get contact information such as an email address so that you can get in touch with a follow-up email if you have further questions. If you decide to apply to the college, email the rep to let her know. Considering all the students a rep visits with, she may not remember you but anything that might put a face to the application papers is worth a try!