Your Tour Toolbox

Your tour toolbox

When it comes time to tour colleges (Junior summer, hey-oh!) you might think you have nothing to worry about. All you’ve gotta do is jump in the car and walk around. If you’re not interviewing, no pressure, right?

Well… mostly right. But that doesn’t mean that you should ever go in unprepared!

Here are some things to have ready to go when you’re touring a school.

1. A map of the area (phone or on a navigation system) and the exact street address of the admissions office. Even if there are signs, Murphy’s law states that you’re going to get lost. Prepare for that with a map (digital or physical) and an address. It will save you time and a panic attack later

2. Comfortable shoes. I know you want to look cute, but seriously, you’re going to do a lot of walking and it’s very likely that the campus will be hilly. Be prepared.

3. Umbrella. Just in case, have a small umbrella waiting to go. Check the weather before you pack, but always be prepared. I don’t care if it’s the world’s most perfect school, if you’re wet and cold you won’t enjoy the tour.

4. Water and snacks. Tour days can be a bit exhausting. In the summer they can be crazy hot as well. Be ready for that with a bottle of water (don’t pay vending machine prices) and a snack or two.

5. Questions. Don’t go into a tour blind. Do a bit of research on the school. If you want to ask questions about a specific department, go for it, the worst they can say is “I don’t know.” You’re talking to a student, and they’ll have the best information available. So go in with a few school-specific things you want to know about. They can be extracurricular (I know I always asked about theatre) or academic.
My personal favorite question is “where don’t I want to live freshman year?” The answer they give is very indicative of the school (and if they say all of the freshman dorms are awesome they are lying).