The Do's and Don'ts of the Campus Tour

Campus tours are an exciting time for college applicants to finally get an insider view of where they might be spending the next four years. It is also often stressful as you are probably comparing schools and seeing things you may not like in each. Up until recently, I was a Campus Tour Guide and led many types of groups, so I have some tips on how to maximize your experience. Here are the Do's and Don'ts of the Campus Tour:

DO:

• Come prepared with questions. You will have an actual student at the ready to help you understand their school, so take advantage of it! Research the school before your visit, arrive early and walk around a bit on your own so you can generate some thoughts on how you do or don't fit in.

• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. You need to look decent enough that we feel like you care about the decision but also be dressed down enough that the tour is comfortable for you. Consider the size of the school and local climate in making this decision. I have literally seen moms leave the group because their feet started hurting and dads head for shelter because they're wearing suit jackets in Florida summer. Students make similar mistakes.

• Take pictures. After visiting a few schools, they may all blend together in your mind. Taking photos is not only a great keepsake, but also good reference points for trying to remember a particular aspect of the school.

• Be open. Colleges vary and each have their little quirks or caveats. Students often come with a set idea of what they want when they haven't even seen or experienced a college campus before. Absorb the information and process it later.

DON'T

• Be rude. The tour guide is not obligated to walk slow, talk loud, or push your grandma's wheelchair. If you can't walk with the pace of the group, focus on catching up when they stop. Keep track of what info you might be missing and ask the guide after the tour. The tour itself is closely timed and the guide can get in trouble for going over time, that's probably why he/she is talking at warp speed.

• Criticize the school. The guide is just there to give you information, they cannot change the fact that the dining hall closes at 8 or that dorms are co-ed. Keep that in mind. If certain policies or attributes weird you out, ask how flexible they are or if they may be changing in the future instead of being overtly critical.

• Be critical of the tour guide. Unless they're doing something very strange, assume they are giving the tour as they were trained to. Also, respect personal choices. As a commuter student to a state university, I cannot tell you how many times people pried into my personal life wondering why I don't live on campus. Don't be that person.

• Take random students too seriously. Sometimes college students are weird. Sometimes they yell at tour groups because they're having a bad day. Sometimes its exams week and out of rare frustration they really do want to transfer because their pizza at the dining hall was cold. None of these are good representatives of the college you're looking at.

• Bring your attitude. The tour guide understands your parents dragged you out to see their alma mater and you definitely don't want to go here. But groaning and making snide remarks ruins the experience for the rest of the group. Just follow in silence and don't bother to ask questions, we'll get the message.

Questions or comments? Post below and I'll be glad to respond!