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25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking

Virtual college tours are considered one of the easiest, most accessible ways to learn about a school. While a more typical college tour may still be conducted in-person, the reality of that is changing. With the technological advances of the last 10-15 years, virtual tours have become a new, affordable possibility. Indeed, a virtual college tour can be an excellent way to learn about a school’s campus, programs, student life, clubs and activities, and much more.

You might be curious, how exactly do virtual college tours work? The answer depends on the school. Some virtual tours are live streams or recordings of in-person campus tours. Others are interactive maps where you can click on buildings and see what happens inside. Some will even include Q&A sessions with students. These are just some of the many ways schools show prospective students what life is like on campus. However, not all virtual college tours are created equal.

In this article, we’ll explore the world of virtual college visits, including:

  • Benefits of engaging in college tours
  • Similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours
  • Different formats of virtual tours
  • Top 25 virtual tours worth taking
  • How to plan and make the most of your college visits
  • What comes next after a college tour 

Without a doubt, college visits will play an integral role in your college journey. So, let’s dive into why college visits are so important to the application process. 

Why College Visits?

Before we explore virtual college tours in greater detail, let’s discuss why college visits are important to begin with. First and foremost, college tours are a way to learn about schools before you apply or even attend. Attending college is a big commitment. Therefore, taking the time to learn more about each school will allow you to feel more confident in deciding where to attend. 

Secondly, the college admissions process is a time of self-exploration. By engaging in college tours, you can learn more about yourself just as you do about colleges. Maybe you will notice you like smaller campuses that aren’t in bustling cities. Or perhaps you will realize that having a lot of cultural diversity on campus is important. By learning these facts about yourself, you will contribute to your overall personal development as well as create a holistic college list.

Lastly, college visits for juniors help to put together a strong application. Many colleges request that you write a supplemental essay about why you want to attend their school. Through a visit, you can gain knowledge about the school and be able to speak passionately and specifically about why you wish to attend in your essays. This is more critical than ever since the number of applications has skyrocketed at many schools. As such, you’ll need to make sure your application demonstrates why you are a clear fit.

College visits and the admissions process

As you may have already gathered, there are two times when you might find it most valuable to visit colleges:

Before applying

Virtual college tours and in-person campus tours can help you narrow down your college list. In doing so, you will only spend money and time applying to colleges that you would really love to attend. College visits for juniors can also help them write stronger essays.

After admission to make a final matriculation decision

If you are admitted to multiple schools, a campus visit can help you feel more confident in your final decision. As a senior, you also might have more specific questions about certain activities or campus life. Getting to know the campus more can also help ease the transition into your first year. Since you’ll already know where important buildings and resources are located, your first day may not be as overwhelming!

Now that you understand the importance of college visits, let’s explore what goes into planning a college visit.

Planning your college visit

As we shared, college visits are an important part of the admissions process. However, planning in-person campus tours can be time-consuming and expensive. To begin, you and your family will need to explore what times of year are best to travel. Some common times to visit schools are during school breaks or summer vacations. However, if you hope to see more activity on campus, then try to plan your visit when classes are in session. 

Next, we recommend setting up a visit with the admissions office. While you can, in most cases, visit a campus without an appointment, the appointment helps you gain access to a tour. It may even allow you to speak with an admissions officer. Ideally, you will book this appointment a few months before the visit. If you find yourself running short on time, you can also show up on campus and take a self-guided tour. Occidental College , Haverford College , and Claremont McKenna College all offer self-guided tours, whether using a printed map or a downloadable app. 

The cost of college visits

Regardless of whether you pre-schedule your visit, you will need to pay for your travel including transportation, hotels, and meals. Many students try to see multiple schools in one visit to save money and time.

For some students, setting up in-person visits is difficult. Beyond the expensive nature of travel, parents or guardians may not be able to take off work or find childcare. Some high schools organize college visits for juniors, or even sophomores, where adult chaperones take large groups of students to visit schools. However, this may not be an option at your school.

If the cost and logistics required to attend in-person college tours is prohibitive, don’t worry! In the next sections, we’ll discuss the many similarities, as well as the unique benefits, of virtual college tours.

COVID-19’s Impact on College Visits

While virtual tours existed pre-pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic made them a necessity as college campus tours were canceled. Since then, virtual tours have become more advanced and more widely available. In some cases, college virtual tours can offer as much, or more, than an in-person campus visit.

While many students still prefer in-person visits, virtual tours can be used as a tool to explore colleges earlier in the application journey. Virtual tours can also be useful to prepare for an in-person visit. If a student can spend 15 minutes taking a virtual tour and noting what buildings or parts of campus interest them most, then they can focus their in-person tour on those aspects. 

Overall, virtual tours are an excellent way to visit schools that are completely inaccessible, such as ones that are too far away. Many international students use virtual college tours to explore campuses they wish to attend. Indeed, the fact that virtual tours exploded during the pandemic has raised several questions about accessibility, including the need to make more tours available in multiple languages or geared towards low-income families.

Coming up, we will explore more about the similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours. 

In-person vs Virtual College Tours

Luckily, visiting colleges today does not require you to go to a campus. Indeed, the number and quality of virtual campus tours for students have skyrocketed in recent years. Undoubtedly, there are similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college tours.

Similarities between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

  • They provide a layout of the campus.
  • They allow students to get a sense of the campus architecture, including the inside of academic buildings and dorms. For example, UT San Antonio offers special housing tours for students to see where they might be living.
  • Students can learn about specific academic programs. For instance, Harvard offers a specialized in-person tour for engineering and applied sciences students in addition to the Harvard virtual tour.
  • They offer insight into student life on campus. Emerson College , for example, offers videos of students talking about their transition to life in Boston and co-curricular activities.
  • Tours allow students to explore the available clubs and activities on campus.
  • They are opportunities to hear directly from actual students about their experiences. Colgate , Princeton , and Barnard all offer virtual conversations with students.
  • Students can get some of their doubts answered. Many tours offer a live Q&A with current students. Pomona ’s live virtual sessions include this offering.

Differences between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

Note that depending on the school, you may or may not receive information about that school’s admissions process during a tour, whether in-person or virtual. Several schools, like Spelman , encourage students to schedule separate webinars to learn more about the admissions process, as this is not a topic covered in their campus tours. 

Now that we have explored the similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college visits, let’s look more deeply into when and how to use virtual college tours.

Understanding Virtual College Tours

When first hearing about virtual college visits, many students and families are skeptical about how useful they can be. However, college virtual tours have advanced so much in recent years that many offer a similar, if not enhanced, experience to an in-person visit. 

As we discussed, there are several obvious reasons why college virtual tours are easier than in-person, including the fact that they are free and require little to no planning. In the following sections, we will discover more of the benefits and uses of virtual college tours. We will also discuss how they work and explore some of the best virtual college tours that exist today.

Are Virtual College Tours Worth It?

Yes—college virtual tours are absolutely worth your time! Indeed, virtual college tours can be a very good investment of time depending on where you are in your college admissions process. Let’s explore some ways that you can use virtual college visits to aid you in your college decision-making process:

Initial exploration of schools

As a freshman or sophomore in high school, you might not know how to prepare for the college process. Using virtual college tours, you can begin to explore schools and learn about what you like and don’t like in a college. This process can help you stay motivated to work hard as you will visualize your goals with greater clarity. You will also begin to learn what types of schools you are drawn to, which can help you build a college list faster in your junior year.

Exploring more and different schools

In the past, many students were limited to only visiting schools they could travel to. In some cases, leaving their state or country was impossible. Virtual college tours offer much more accessibility for students who cannot travel large distances. Also, since they can be completed in much less time than in-person college campus tours, virtual college visits may allow you to explore schools you had never considered. Perhaps you were only considering applying to big public schools. With virtual college visits, you can branch out and easily explore small, liberal arts colleges as well.

Narrowing down the list of schools you might want to visit in person

You might have a long college list. Ideally, you’ll want to cut it down when considering which schools to visit. This is where virtual college visits offer a unique opportunity to make the most of your time and resources. Before you get on the road, you can do a virtual tour to see if you like the campus enough to visit. Or perhaps the virtual tour helps you see which parts of campus you want to explore further, or which buildings you want to enter.

Alternatively, maybe your virtual college visits give you the confidence to know you like the school enough that you don’t need to spend lots of money on a flight in your junior year. Perhaps you will wait and see if you are admitted and visit the school afterward to decide if you want to attend.

Certainly, we can agree there are many benefits to virtual college visits. However, some virtual college tours are more interactive, engaging, and informative than others. Later, we will explore some of the virtual college tours that are worth taking.

While the quality of the tour may depend on the schools you’re interested in, how much you get out of them ultimately depends on you. We will explore how to make the most of your college virtual tours later. 

What Are Virtual College Tours Like?

Now that we have convinced you that college virtual tours are beneficial, let’s look at what you can expect from them. Most virtual college tours for students have some combination of the following offerings:

Guided tour of campus

This can include a combination of interactive maps and pictures, embedded videos, informational text, and voiceovers describing what you are seeing. Some college virtual tours offer 360-degree views that allow you to click around and move through campus as if you were there, such as the University of Tampa ’s tour. Even more advanced tours offer immersive virtual reality (VR) technology which allows you to put on a headset and bring the campus to life in front of your eyes. However, VR campus tours typically require you to have your own equipment at home.

Campus highlights

Most virtual college tours for students will highlight important buildings or landmarks. These can include academic buildings, monuments, libraries, dining halls, residence halls, and the student union. By showing you these buildings, schools hope to give you a sense of what your day-to-day life may look like as a student there.

Student testimonials

Another helpful part of college virtual tours is student testimonials. Sometimes, this looks like students leading a campus tour while sharing their own experiences. Other times, schools will offer webinars for prospective students to ask questions of others. More common these days is the use of social media to share student experiences. Some schools will allow students to “take over” their social media accounts and post about their day so that prospective students can see what a day on campus is like. Consider following schools of interest on social media so you can get an insider’s perspective.

Now that you know what you can generally expect from college virtual tours, let’s explore the differences between college campus tours across schools.

How Do Virtual College Tours Work?

As the name suggests, virtual tours happen via a computer, phone, or other piece of technology. However, that can look very different depending on the school you are investigating. As we shared above, many virtual college tours for students include some kind of guided tour of campus, a list of highlights, and student testimonials. However, these items can come in very different formats.

Here are some of the formats you can expect:

Pre-recorded videos.

These can look like videos of a student giving a tour or a video of activities happening around campus. Since these are the simplest version of virtual college tours for students, they are the most common. Schools like Dartmouth , CalPoly , and Vassar all offer pre-recorded tours. 

Interactive videos

Some videos let you click on buildings or landmarks as you watch to learn more. In some cases, you can even enter buildings. For example, the Harvard virtual tour lets you click through photos of the athletic center, dorms, libraries, labs, and quads. The Harvard virtual tour also includes a voiceover that provides additional information as you scroll through images. 

Interactive map s

Here you’ll have a map of campus, whether flat or 360 degrees, that lets you click on landmarks to gather more information. Cornell , Bucknell , Wesleyan , and Pace all have online maps you can explore.

Live streams

This is a video that is being filmed at the same time you are watching it. Live streams sometimes offer a chance for Q&A with the student hosting. To take advantage of this, you will need to be present at the exact time the live stream is being shared. In some cases, you may need to register ahead of time to receive the link. An example of a live tour is at the University of Pennsylvania , where students register ahead of time for a one-hour, live, student-led virtual campus tour.

Live Virtual Tour vs. Pre-Recorded Tour

Take special note of the distinction between live virtual tours and pre-recorded virtual tours. Live virtual tours are being streamed as you watch them, which means you will get a better sense of what is happening right then and there on campus. Sometimes, live virtual tours include a Q&A section where you can ask questions. Meanwhile, pre-recorded virtual tours are less interactive but offer the flexibility of watching them whenever you can.

A common platform for many of these virtual college tours is YouVisit . YouVisit specializes in making virtual experiences as interactive as possible. For that reason, you may notice that many of the online virtual college tours you discover are similar in format. YouVisit’s tours tend to include interactive 360-degree maps, voiceovers, videos, and photos.

As you can tell, there are many formats and options for virtual tours. Indeed, the menu of options has exploded in recent years, in part due to the necessity created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we will look more closely at when to take a virtual tour and explore some of the most helpful virtual tours worth taking.

When is the right time to take a Virtual Tour?

Virtual college tours can be useful at any stage, whether you’re already working on applications or just starting to build your college list.  No matter where you are in the college admissions process, remember: it’s never too early to take a virtual tour! However, before you start exploring virtually, it’s useful to know how virtual college tours can benefit you.

Tours for sophomores, juniors, and seniors

Virtual college tours will look different for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a sophomore, a virtual tour might be a way to dip your toes into the world of college admissions. Since you can take virtual college tours from the comfort of your own home, this is a low-stakes way to get a feel for which colleges you’re interested in applying to. 

College visits for juniors are a bit more meaningful. You may be starting to create a college list, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the different parts of the virtual tour. Consider taking notes as you go, so that when you start applying to schools you have observations from your virtual tour to look back on. 

If you’re a senior, there’s another important aspect of virtual college tours to keep in mind: demonstrated interest. When colleges read your application, they often look for “demonstrated interest,” which is a way that you demonstrate that you care about the school. Colleges want to admit students who will ultimately choose that college, and one way to show that you care about a school is to attend a tour. 

What Colleges Offer Virtual Tours?

In general, virtual college tours make tours accessible for people who can’t travel to the school for whatever reason. Most schools understand that not all students can visit in person and will offer some type of virtual tour—whether it’s a recorded tour, a video of the campus, or another interactive option. 

So, how do you decide which ones to take? Up next, you’ll find our list of the best virtual college tours that we think are worth your time.

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking!

As we’ve discussed, virtual tours are a great way to get a feel for a school’s campus without having to make the trip to visit. You can take a virtual tour at almost any time—you can even take one more than once!

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 25 great virtual college tours that you can embark on in lieu of a traditional college visit. 

Top 25 Virtual College Tours

1. princeton university.

First on our list of virtual college tours worth taking is Princeton University. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton is ranked #1 in National Universities. Princeton’s virtual tour consists of a live-streamed Zoom webinar, where one of their tour guides will take you along with them on their campus tour. You can even ask your guide questions in the Zoom chat!

2. Harvard University

Next on our list of best virtual college tours is Harvard University, located in Cambridge, MA. The Harvard virtual tour is self-guided, meaning that you can click around the Harvard virtual tour to see panoramic views of Harvard’s classic New England campus at your own pace. Plus, if you’re interested in Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, there’s a separate Harvard virtual tour that goes into even more detail on that school’s offerings.

3. University of Pennsylvania

If you’re interested in UPenn but can’t make it out to Philadelphia, you can explore UPenn’s campus with virtual college visits. You have to sign up online to take one of Upenn’s virtual college tours since they’re led live by Penn’s student tour guides. With these live tours, every tour is different. Since different students give them each time, if you decide to take the tour more than once, you’ll likely learn something new! 

4. Cornell University

The virtual college tours at Cornell are self-guided. This means that you can take yourself around Cornell’s beautiful campus in Ithaca, NY, at your own pace. At each location, Cornell supplies fun facts and details about the campus that can help you get to know the school better. 

5. Dartmouth College

With Dartmouth’s virtual college tours, you can get the best of both worlds: a live-streamed campus tour and a self-guided tour. If you’re just beginning to think about Dartmouth as an option, watch their video of a pre-recorded tour to get a feel. If Dartmouth is your dream school, get to know their campus in bucolic Hanover, NH, by taking a live virtual tour led by a student—that way, you can ask all of your questions and feel more like you’re really there!

6. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) – San Luis Obispo

If you want to know more about Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, they provide a wealth of virtual college tours that you can take. Not only does Cal Poly offer the classic student-led virtual tours and prerecorded tours. They also have virtual tours of their housing and of each academic college. Even if you can’t make it out to this coastal California city, you’ll have a great feel for the Cal Poly campus. 

7. Barnard College

Curious about college in the Big Apple? Take one of Barnard’s virtual college tours. Once you register for Barnard’s virtual tour, you gain access to spaces in Barnard that aren’t even available on the in-person tour. Barnard also offers an audio tour, where you can listen along to a live tour guide.

8. Pomona College

At Pomona, a college located in Pomona, California, you can explore in a multitude of ways. Pomona offers a pre-recorded virtual tour, as well as info sessions and webinars that you can attend from home. 

9. University of Texas – San Antonio

Located in San Antonio, TX, the University of Texas campus at San Antonio offers a self-guided virtual tour. At each location on the virtual tour, UT offers a video accompanied by written information to help you get to know the campus better.

10. Wesleyan University

If you’re looking for an idyllic New England campus, you’ll find one with Wesleyan’s virtual college tours. Wesleyan is a small liberal arts school located in Middletown, Connecticut, and you can follow along with a current student as they “walk” you through different locations on campus. 

11. Colgate University

Located in Hamilton, ME, Colgate’s beautiful campus is just a few clicks away. Colgate’s college virtual tours let students make their way through the campus on their own time, and you can supplement your virtual college visit with webinars and online info sessions. 

12. Washington State University

Though Pullman, Washington would be beautiful to see in person, WSU’s college virtual tours will make you feel like you’re right there without ever leaving your house. WSU offers a personal tour, where you can direct yourself around the Washington State campus. 

13. Bucknell University

At Bucknell University, you can take college virtual tours by navigating through their virtual campus map. Though you might not get a feel of Bucknell’s location in Lewisburg, PA, you’ll come away with a great understanding of their campus—they even have a specialized map for prospective engineering students. 

14. Vassar College

Next on the list of college virtual tours worth doing is Vassar. Vassar is located in scenic upstate New York, but if you don’t want to make the trip, you can easily get a feeling for the campus with their many options for college virtual tours. Vassar offers an interactive campus tour, a 30-minute preview video of the campus, and even sample classes and recordings of past events. 

15. Claremont McKenna College

The second of the Claremont Colleges after Pomona, Claremont McKenna offers recorded video tours and self-guided college virtual tours. Claremont McKenna is also located in Pomona, CA. So, if you’re virtually touring Pomona, you might as well give Claremont McKenna a look as well!

16. Haverford College

If you’re interested in living in Pennsylvania, you can give this lovely campus located just outside of Philly a look. Haverford offers live virtual tours where two students will take you on a “stroll” across campus, giving you advice and answering questions along the way. 

17. Harvey Mudd College

If you love Pomona, CA, but Claremont McKenna and Pomona weren’t your vibe, give Harvey Mudd a try. Harvey Mudd’s college virtual tours consist of separate videos for each stop along the tour that take you through all of the most important buildings on Harvey Mudd’s campus. 

18. Middlebury College

For your Middlebury College virtual tours, you get all the benefits of variety. Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, VT, has a wealth of options for students who don’t choose to do college campus tours in person. This includes virtual tours in English and Spanish, self-guided interactive maps, recorded information sessions, and more. 

19. Pace University

If you want to get to know Pace University, the college offers interactive maps for both of its campuses—one in NYC and one in Westchester, NY. Using Pace’s maps, you can make the most of New York City college campus tours without ever having to navigate the subway. 

20. Occidental College

Next on our list of virtual college campus tours worth taking is Occidental College. Located in sunny Los Angeles, CA, Occidental offers a self-guided virtual tour, where you can click through 360 views of the campus and hear from Occidental’s student tour guides along the way. 

21. Furman University

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Furman University also offers stellar options for their virtual college campus tours. Furman gives you the option to explore individual campus buildings with interactive and immersive technology, which includes videos from their tour guides to give you insider knowledge about each location. 

22. Spelman College

If you want to tour Spelman, you don’t have to go all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. You can take one of their virtual college campus tours, where you can take your time looking at each of their buildings. Spelman’s virtual map lets you see inside and outside of many different campus locations, and get a better feel for the vibe of the campus as a whole.

23. Emerson College

Located in Boston, MA, Emerson offers lots of options for students who want to take college virtual tours. Using an interactive map , prospective students can make their way around Emerson’s campus to explore different buildings and facilities. The Emerson campus map also includes some city landmarks, like Boston Common, that are close to campus and part of the Emerson experience.

24. University of Tampa

At the University of Tampa, students can take college virtual tours to get a feel for the beautiful Tampa, FL campus. The University of Tampa offers tour videos, 360 interactive campus tours, as well as virtual visits. If you register for a virtual visit, you’ll also be able to attend a 30-minute info session hosted by an admissions counselor. 

25. Texas State University

For the last school on our list of college virtual tours worth taking, we visit (or more accurately, don’t visit) Texas State. Texas State offers a virtual interactive map, a video tour led by student tour guides, and also provides a presentation where you can learn more about the academics and admissions policies at the school. You can tour both of Texas State’s locations, one in San Marcos and one just north of Austin.

As you can see, not all virtual college visits follow the exact same format. However, there are certainly many opportunities to “visit” a school without ever stepping foot on campus. Next, let’s talk about scheduling and making the most of your college visits.

How To Schedule Virtual College Visits

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best virtual college tours that you can take, let’s talk about some logistics. 

For most virtual college tours, you can take them whenever you want—that’s part of why they’re so great! Whatever your schedule is, you can slide in a college visit on your own time. You could even do a bit of a virtual college visit, take a break, and come back and finish later. It’s totally up to you. 

Schools may ask you for your name and email when you click on their virtual college visits. This is totally fine, and also can work to your advantage. Remember demonstrated interest? You want the college to know that you’ve taken their college campus tours, whether it’s a virtual college visit or in-person. This is especially meaningful in college visits for juniors or seniors.

Even though many virtual college visits can be done on your own schedule, some schools offer live virtual tours. If you want to take one of these college campus tours, you’ll need to sign up in advance. Even though these virtual college tours for students require a little bit more planning, it can be helpful to be in a Zoom with other prospective students and tour guides so that you can ask questions in real time. 

Making the Most of a Virtual College Visit

Even though you might be taking your virtual college tours from your bed, it’s important to still make the most of it. While a virtual tour might not feel the same as in-person college campus tours, there are some things you can do to make the most of the experience. 

Block out dedicated time

At first, virtual college tours for students might not seem very outwardly engaging. However, you should try and make the most of your experience. Don’t multitask, or do college campus tours while you’re watching TV. This is still a college visit, and you want to treat it as such. Immerse yourself in your virtual college visit—you want to get as close as you can to experiencing it in person! 

Consider your priorities

Virtual college visits can serve different purposes for different students. Some students have no idea what they’re looking for from their college campus, and others are already set on what they want their college experience to look like. On the virtual tour, make sure to look at the school’s housing, academic facilities, recreational facilities, and transportation. If there’s a must on your list—for example, if you want a school with a main quad, or a school that’s integrated into a city—see if the school has it! 

Ask questions

If you’re taking a tour on your own, think about the questions you’d have for a tour guide if there was one present. What can you learn from virtual college tours for students, and what do you still have questions about? These are the kinds of things you could ask in an information session or research after your tour.

Next Steps after your Virtual Tour

Once you’ve finished your virtual tour, there are some next steps you can take to make the most of it. 

If you’re just starting to build out your college list, think about what stood out most from your campus tours. Write down some big takeaways from the school, or a list of pros and cons, so you can start comparing schools that you want to put on your college list. These can be informal—something like “huge library,” or “weird vibe” is totally fine—just make sure you write down enough to remember how you felt about the school so you don’t have to take the virtual tour a second time.

If you’re ready to apply, reach out to admissions with any questions you have after the virtual college tours. Explore the application requirements at the schools you’re most excited about. See if the school has any supplemental essays that ask you why you’re interested in the school—these virtual tours can give you great talking points about the school that you might want to include in an essay.

Sometimes after a virtual tour, you might still not know how you feel about a school—that’s okay! Virtual tours are just one way to get to know a college. You can keep doing research, and take advantage of other virtual resources offered by the school. 

Even More Virtual Opportunities

So what are the other ways to learn more about a school from the comfort of your own home?

Along with the virtual campus tour, many schools also offer virtual information sessions. These are Zoom calls with admissions officers who are there to provide information on the school and answer applicants’ questions. Attending information sessions can also be a way to show demonstrated interest to a school that you want to attend. 

Some schools also have student testimonials, or other videos with students who can answer questions about the school. These are a great way to see what actual students think about attending the school. Many colleges also provide a way to reach students at the school with questions—email the admissions office and ask if there are students you can talk to about their experience. 

Virtual College Tours – Final Takeaway

College visits for juniors, seniors, and sophomores are an important part of the college admissions process. Since the pandemic, you can go on amazing virtual college visits from the comfort of your own home. On a virtual college tour, you can get to know the campus, and see what kinds of resources the school has to offer.

There are a few different types of virtual college tours for students. Some are interactive maps, where you can click on different buildings and explore. Others provide a 360 view of various parts of campus. Some are live Zoom meetings led by student tour guides, and some schools provide pre-recorded videos that you can watch. All of these virtual tours are great options to learn more about the school, and if a school provides more than one, they’re all worth doing!

When you’re taking a virtual college tour, make sure to make the most of it. Set aside some time to really focus on the tour, keep your priorities in mind, and take notes on things that stick out to you and questions you have during the tour. 

If at the end of your virtual tour, you’re sure that you’ve found your dream school, don’t hesitate to reach out to CollegeAdvisor for application guidance. Our team of experts is always here to support students in navigating the admissions process. Happy (virtual) exploring!

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15 Virtual College Campus Tours to Explore From Home

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Virtual College Tours

Touring a college campus is an exciting rite of passage for many high school students as they explore their future stomping grounds. For a variety of reasons students and families might not be able to visit in person—but that doesn’t mean they have to miss out! Below, 15 of the many virtual college campus tours available online right now.

University of Southern California

Get a glimpse of USC’s beautiful campus and historic University Park with this video that showcases the school’s classic architecture, park-like grounds, museums, cafés, entertainment, and more.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Harvard University

Take a virtual tour of the oldest university in the United States. And even visit places you can’t even see during an in-person campus tour! Explore classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, and more.

Location: Cambridge, MA

This self-guided virtual tour of Penn State University Park gives students an insider’s view of classrooms, residence halls, athletic facilities, and much more. You’ll even learn about the school’s majors and vibrant student community along the way.

Location: State College, PA

College of William & Mary

The second-oldest school in the country invites you to a virtual engagement where you’ll learn about William & Mary’s academic programs, unique student research opportunities, study abroad programs, and supportive campus community of passionate students and faculty.

Location: Williamsburg, VA

Texas A&M

Get an up-close view of Texas A&M, the state’s first public institution of higher learning. This research-intensive flagship university is committed to sending leaders out into the world prepared to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

Location: College Station, TX

University of Miami

The University of Miami offers one of the most extensive virtual college campus tours on this list. Choose from many different locations including the main campus, library, Campus Arena, residential college, and more!

Location: Coral Gables, FL

Howard University

Tour the historic main campus, situated upon a hilltop in Northwest Washington just a few blocks from the storied U Street and Howard Theatre. Howard University is also located just two miles from the U.S. Capitol building where many students have both interned and gone on to shape national and foreign policy.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Vanderbilt University

The 10 schools at Vanderbilt University reside on a parklike campus set in the urban heart of Nashville. To explore, move along the tour route and then click the “360,” “photo,” and “video” icons to see even more.

Location: Nashville, TN

University of Oxford

Visit the oldest university in the English-speaking world. This 360° virtual tour offers views of facilities such as the dining hall, library, and chapel. Also find an example of a student room, garden or quad, and the porters’ lodge.

Location: Oxford, England

Hampton University

You’ll feel just like you’re strolling through campus with this very extensive virtual college tour. Explore many areas of Hampton University including the dorm courtyard, student center, library, and even Armstrong Stadium.

Location: Hampton, VA

Northwestern University

Take Northwestern’s online guided tour which offers an interactive 360-degree view of the campus including academic and residential buildings, dining halls, athletic facilities, and more.

Location: Evanston, IL

Boise State University

Boise is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. And this virtual college tour provides a view of the university’s state-of-the-art research labs, living and dining spaces, and brand new high-tech home for visual arts.

Location: Boise, ID

University of Nebraska

Enjoy an aerial view of the entire University of Nebraska (courtesy of drone footage)! Next, check out residence hall living spaces, the library, recreation, and wellness centers. There’s so much to see on this virtual college campus tour!

Location: Lincoln, NE

Duke University

There are several ways to enjoy this extensive online tour of Duke University. You can jump to recommended spots, click on the map to visit specific buildings, or simply “walk around” and take in the sights. Plus, you can click the interactive elements at each stop for more details!

Location: Durham, NC

Meredith College

Begin your tour of Meredith by the flagpole that marks the entrance to the school’s campus. From there, select any location by using the links on the page to see everything from the residence hall and courtyard to the Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center and athletic complex.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Did we miss a virtual college campus tour? Share them with us, and we might just add it to this list!

Also, view 15 Fascinating Aquarium Virtual Field Trips .

15 Virtual College Campus Tours to Explore From Home

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The Columbia community hails from every corner of the world—and while we’d love to see you all here for a campus visit , we know that a trip to New York City can be quite an undertaking. That’s why we’ve created this suite of virtual visit experiences: to provide an insider’s look at what it’s like to be here in person, no matter what corner of the world you’re in! Talk directly with current students for answers to all your questions, experience the energy of our campus and get a feel for the community that one day you may call home.

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With our self-guided virtual tour , you can enjoy 360° panoramic views of Columbia’s beautiful Morningside Heights campus from anywhere. This interactive online walking tour includes stops inside iconic locations such as Butler Library and Low Rotunda, as well as our residence halls, academic spaces and dining facilities. Optional narration is available in English, Spanish and Mandarin.

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How to Make the Most of Virtual College Tours

Virtual college tours can be a useful tool for weighing options or previewing a campus.

Virtual College Tour Options

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Virtual reality is one way colleges offer students a glimpse of what to expect when they arrive on campus.

Virtual campus tours, which many schools implemented initially as a way to keep up with the technological times, proved a necessity once the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the normal flow of the college-seeking process.

Now, college admissions and marketing professionals say virtual campus tours are a vital component of the college search. Using 360-degree video and virtual reality, colleges are able to welcome students to campus from hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

"I think virtual tours can be a great pre-screen or preview for students who have maybe never seen campus," says Kristi Lafree, director of enrollment marketing at Butler University in Indiana, which offers a 360-degree video tour alongside supplemental videos. "They maybe want to get a gut check. They want to make sure that if they do come visit that it will be worth it.”

Hundreds of U.S. colleges now provide prospective students with web-based virtual tours, complete with interactive photos and videos designed to be compatible across all devices. Some schools are even using virtual reality, though VR headsets are required for those experiences.

University officials say they hope virtual tours give students a sense of what college life at the school looks like, from the architecture to the activities. Students can dive into exploring buildings and parts of the campus that might not be covered as deeply on a standard in-person campus tour, says Joffery Gaymon, vice president for enrollment management at Auburn University in Alabama, which has a 360-degree virtual tour on its website as well as a video of a student-led tour.

Through a virtual tour, students can hop from the business building to the student union, or from athletic facilities to residence halls. A general in-person tour might not include a visit to the student newspaper building, but an aspiring journalism major may be able to tour it online.

Virtual tours have become a critical tool for attracting international students who might not be able to visit the campus in person, Gaymon says. Auburn has about 2,500 international students, visiting scholars and employees from 100 different countries each year, according to the school.

“It’s a way for them to dive a little deeper and to have a greater sense of familiarity with the university while they’re exploring options,” she says.

The University of California—Berkeley also offers 360-degree virtual tours for prospective students. Previously, the school was posting YouTube videos and virtual question-and-answer sessions, but it has since moved to a platform called YouVisit, which is used by about 700 schools across the country. Virtual tours proved to be a game changer for admissions, says La Dawn Duvall, executive director of visitor and parent services at Berkeley.

Students visiting Berkeley can start in the center of campus with a virtual tour guide providing information about the school while they explore at their own pace. In the last year, Duvall says more than 22,000 unique visitors have taken a general virtual tour of the school with about 3,000 more touring specific locations around campus that are available on YouVisit, including residence halls and academic buildings.

Auburn averages nearly 30,000 virtual visitors, including students living in India, China, Canada and Brazil, and about 25,000 in-person visitors per school year, Gaymon says.

These numbers suggest how important virtual tours have become for schools across the board, Duvall says. In a matter of minutes, students and families can visit a school in California, then zip to one on the East Coast, saving hours in the car or thousands in airfare and hotel bills, which may allow families to plan other visits .

Lafree says she expects these trends to continue, even as in-person visits resume.

“The demand for that virtual admission visit has really hardly decreased at all, so there’s no going back to pre-COVID for college admissions,” she says.

Well-produced virtual college tours also offer pizzazz that experts say prospective students may not see in other marketing materials. For schools that use VR, it provides an immersive experience; users have the sense that they're in that environment.

Prospective college athletes don’t have to visit an actual campus to get a good idea of what the school and its athletic facilities look like, says Zvi Goffer, a co-founder of CampusVR, the platform a number of universities and college athletic departments use for VR tours. This has been especially beneficial for schools and athletes as National Collegiate Athletic Conference transfers have become more prevalent, since it allows athletes to take an unofficial visit of a school without having to leave their living room, he says.

“This is going to become the norm,” Goffer says. “Visualization, as much as some people want to fight that trend, there’s just no substitute for it.”

But universities are also aware that prospective students are craving authenticity, even through virtual experiences and in social media, says Alexa Heinrich, social media manager for St. Petersburg College in Florida.

Lafree says high school students are cognizant that virtual tours and other school-produced content are intended to be marketing tools, so they're also looking at a school's TikTok, Instagram and YouTube pages to find first-person, user-generated content from other students.

Many students have begun to use social media apps the same way they might use a search engine, Heinrich says, and experts say visiting social media channels is a good way for students to make the most of vetting a school virtually. With this in mind, Heinrich says some schools have started to do “student takeovers” on their social media pages, where students show what a typical day is like on campus for an average student.

Potential students are craving something "that feels a little less robotic," she says.

“Social media plays a huge part in showing what student life and campus life is going to be like for them,” Heinrich says. “We can put out emails and tell you about the affordability of our college, but social media is going to do its best work when we’re showing students enjoying their experience at our college.”

Prospective students are applying to more schools, according to a March 2022 Common Application report , which showed the number of submitted applications rose by 21.3% between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. (That includes data from 853 member schools.) With shortlists now longer than ever, students can use virtual tours to weigh options.

Campus officials advise prospective students to use the virtual tour as a jumping-off point and then to weigh academic programs, admissions requirements and other factors that will shape student experiences at the school. If students have interest in a specific program or activity, they should follow up directly with the school to gather more information.

“I would recommend taking their time and not just using just the tour, but using the larger campus website, the websites of your department or academic area of interest – supplementing those together,” Duvall says. “Take information from all of those places, because there’s not one that’s going to give you everything you need to represent the experience."

While college officials praise virtual tours as an option, they also encourage students to visit campus if possible. Gaymon says the function of a virtual college tour is to get a look at campus life. Other questions are best reserved for the admissions office.

“The virtual tour does not replace the traditional visit,” she says. “For us, it truly enhances it.”

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How to Make the Most of Virtual College Tours

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Sometimes, you may not be able to visit the college you are considering to tour its campus. While many current college students tout the importance of being able to actually step foot onto the campus you might go to, sometimes the circumstances just do not work out.

However, colleges and universities have begun to offer great virtual tour alternatives, that while not exactly the same, can greatly subsidize a campus tour visit.

In fact, I never visited my campus in person until I was actually enrolled in it! So, here are the best ways to make the most of your virtual college tour.

Virtual Tour – 360 degree view

Many universities have invested in robust virtual tour software in the wake of COVID. Some larger universities will be equipped with a self-paced 360 virtual tour software, while smaller universities may have a YouTube video walking you through the campus.

Regardless of the technology being used, the virtual tour option will likely follow the same path that official campus tours would take. You should be able to “visit” all the key landmarks at your prospective university while your virtual tour guide tells you information.

If your university offers a 360 virtual tour, this also means that you will be able to “walk” around in the direction you please to explore on your own. While this is not the same as walking on the campus in person, the ability to explore to your heart’s content is a great feature that can be offered virtually. Use this to your advantage as this is an important aspect in making the most of your tour. 

Because of the nature of a virtual tour, you will not be able to ask questions or likely see more major specific buildings. However, you can use the explore feature to look at your major buildings if possible, and you can get your questions answered in another way.

As you are taking your virtual tour, write down any questions you might have so you can ask them later.

One positive thing that people usually forget with virtual tours is that even if the weather is bad in real life, in the virtual tour, it is always going to be a warm, sunny day!

Beyond the broad tour of the campus, make sure you tour the prospective colleges you are interested in as well! While the overall tour is great to help you learn more general facts and information about the school, if you want to learn about information specific to your prospective major, many schools will also offer college specific tours.

Thus, if you are interested in business, make sure to do the general tour and the business school tour. Do not be afraid to tour several colleges!

Even if you think you are set on a major, it can still help to do a virtual tour of several different colleges because something in the tour may spark your interest.

Because it is virtual, it will not take any additional walking or days to do the tour, so a little extra time is likely going to be well worth it.

Zoom Information Sessions

Typically, paired with a virtual tour or otherwise offered concurrently, universities will offer information sessions over Zoom. Depending on the size of your university and the Zoom sessions offered, you may be put in a panelist setting or have the opportunity to connect with representatives one on one.

Regardless of the setting, you will get more information on the school, and this is where you should ask the questions you wrote down during your virtual tour.

If you have personal questions, this may be better asked during a one on one conversation, but if this is your only session, do not be deterred from asking your question!

I remember during my session, I asked a personal question pertaining to my unique circumstance but I asked it anonymously through the chat function. The host was able to answer my question and give me the exact information I needed.

If possible, I recommend collecting the emails or LinkedIn contacts of the people presenting in the Zoom session. While adults are likely going to be bombarded with questions and may be too busy to help you, current students may be more likely to answer your questions. 

Connect with current students

Maybe you know a family friend that goes to the school you are considering. Or, as I mentioned, you obtained someone’s contact information through an info session.

Regardless, it is important for you to use your resources. It is the combination of these three tips – the virtual tour, Zoom info session, and connecting with current students – that will get you your most holistic outlook on the university you are considering. 

Even if you do not have a family friend or are not able to connect with a current student during an information session, there are still ways to get in touch with a current student. One of the best avenues you can use is LinkedIn.

If you do not already have a LinkedIn, go ahead and make one . You can find current students and even filter by the major you are interested in. Many students will be open to chat and help you find out more information.

Simply reach out to them in a polite and professional manner and ask to set up a coffee chat. Here, you can ask direct and personal questions as well as their opinions on the school.

While an admissions officer or school representative will only talk about the school in a positive manner, prospective students are important to connect with because they will tell you about the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you are struggling to think of some questions to ask them, here are some that you might want to consider. Of course, ask them about the questions that you wrote down during the virtual tour if you have not already.

Other things you might want to think about are questions about social life/Greek life or how helpful the advisors are. You may also consider asking about why they chose their major or what aspects of their college they wish they could change.

Take advantage of the fact that you are having a one on one conversation and make sure to learn from their experiences and advice. In this way, you will get a great outlook on the college or university from the administrator level as well as from a personal level.

Additional tips

Another important thing to look at is the dorm living situation. While a tour of the dorms may be included on the virtual tour, you may not be able to see what a model dorm room looks like.

In order to take a look, you will have to do some extra research. You can get an idea of the kind of amenities your dorm room will have as well as the general sizing of the dorm.

Like the virtual tour, if you go on to your school’s housing website, they will also likely have a 360 virtual tour of the inside of the dorm room. Even if they do not have the 360 virtual tour, they will likely have a robust set of pictures and a list of amenities.

One more tip to get the most information out of a virtual tour of your prospective university is to take yourself on your own virtual tour. Using the Google maps walking feature, you can explore the campus and may even be able to look inside certain buildings.

If you did not know about this feature, simply Google your potential university and drag and place the little orange person in the bottom right corner of the screen wherever you want to look.

In this way, you can “walk” around and get a good look at buildings that might not have been covered in the official virtual tour or have been blocked off by the software.

Another thing you might not have considered is if there are local branch campuses that are near you that you would be able to visit. For example, while Penn State ’s main campus is located in the middle of Pennsylvania, they have 20 branch campuses located throughout the state.

If you may not be able to visit the main campus, see if your school has branch campuses and tour one of those! While it is not the same as the main campus, university culture usually spans across locations and you will still be able to get a good gist of the culture.

Generating a view on a college culture without visiting the campus can be difficult but is one of the most important things you pick up on when you tour a campus in person.

In lieu of this, you can still get an idea of the college culture through social media. In order to see how students are, try finding “a day in the life of a student at XYZ university.”

While these types of videos are common on TikTok , you can also find more long-form videos on YouTube. You can get a much more personalized view of a student’s life and they are usually more unfiltered than any tour guide you may talk to.

These unsolicited, self-posted media videos about the school are probably some of the most authentic and realistic reviews of the school. Another important social media is of course the school’s official accounts such as their Instagram or even TikTok.

While this is an official view of the school, it can still provide insight to see what they choose to showcase about themselves.

Lastly, look at Reddit. Students at your school have likely made an un-official Reddit associated with the school in which they ask questions, debate, or complain about topics. Take a look through here and you will quickly see what people are struggling with, whether they are major classes, advisors, or the school system.

Beyond Reddit, you can also look at other unofficial affiliated school social media. Many schools have a Barstool account that shows what students are up to.

For a glimpse into the social lives of the students at your school, this is a helpful resource. However, keep all these unofficial resources in mind with a grain of salt, as these are someone else’s opinions, and only a small representation of what goes on at the school.

While a virtual tour cannot be the same as an in person tour, they can still be a great alternative to getting the information you need while staying in the comfort of your home.

Depending on how you do your research, you may actually learn more while “touring” virtually. Don’t be deterred by the fact that you cannot visit the campus in person.

As I mentioned, I never visited my college (Penn State) in person before I enrolled and I love it and am so happy I made the choice I did. Use your resources and make sure to ask lots of questions!

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Author: Sophia

Sophia is a current college freshman at Pennsylvania State University with plans to major in marketing. When she's not studying or in the gym, you can find Sophia watching her favorite Youtube channels or streamers. In the future, she hopes to travel the world while developing her marketing skills and building her network.

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Articles & Advice > Campus Visits > Articles

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How to Have a Great Virtual Campus Visit Experience

If you're overwhelmed by all the virtual college visit options, have no fear. Here's a comprehensive guide to having your best virtual tour experience.

by Kelli Dolan Senior Assistant Editor, CollegeXpress

Last Updated: Mar 24, 2023

Originally Posted: Feb 23, 2022

With the onset of COVID-19, high school and college students alike lost in-person access to valuable resources for their education. For high school students going through the college search and admission process, one of the biggest losses was their ability to go on campus visits. Campus visits and colleges tours are an important part of the college admission process because they’re the best way to determine if a college feels like a good fit for you.  

But colleges and universities weren’t about to let the pandemic stand in the way of showcasing what their schools have to offer for prospective students—enter the virtual college tour! While some colleges were already utilizing this valuable online tool, many more jumped on the opportunity when in-person visits were no longer a viable option. Though many schools have opened their doors to visitors once again, virtual campus tours remain a great way to stay safe and save money while exploring colleges. Take advantage and make the most of these valuable tools in your college search with this comprehensive guide.

Types of virtual college tours

When it comes to virtual college tours, there are three distinct approaches colleges take to showcase their campus and amenities. Some schools will utilize one of these options, while some will mix and match methods to give students a more wholistic look at life at their school. Here’s what to look for when exploring a college or university’s website.

Live virtual visits

Live virtual visits are your best bet to really get to know a college. With these events, you typically register online and tune in at a certain date and time—much like you would for an in-person tour. A representative of the college will take you (or a group of prospective students) on a walking tour of campus via livestream. This virtual touring method is beneficial because it gives you the ability to communicate with your tour guide and ask questions, either by directly speaking to them or through a text chat feature.

Self-guided virtual tours and maps

Most schools offer some sort of self-guided virtual tour and campus map either on their own website or through the popular virtual tour website YouVisit.com . These types of tours allow you to learn about and explore a school’s campus at your own pace through photos, program and location write-ups, videos, maps, and more. How extensive a virtual tour is will vary from school to school, but that alone can be a good indication of the value a college places on making sure prospective students have an accessible and comprehensive view of campus. 

Pre-recorded video series

The last type of virtual tour you’ll come across are pre-recorded video series. These often fulfill a similar role to livestream guided tours. Students or admission representatives will be recorded going on a tour of the college’s campus to talk about features of the college, discuss popular programs, and show off certain buildings and locations. These pre-recorded tours make it easier to explore and learn because you can pause and play the videos at your own pace, but the major downside is the lack of chat feature and direct interaction with the person guiding the tour.

Related: COVID–19 and Virtual Campus Tours

Other virtual events to sign up for

The great thing about the various types of virtual tours is that most colleges offer multiple ways to learn more. If a school offers a pre-recorded video tour and you have questions to ask, they’ll also likely offer an information session or “open house.” Or if a college does offer a live guided tour for a large group of registrants, a follow-up Q&A may be offered so you can get answers to questions you didn’t have time to ask during the livestream. Here are the types of virtual events you should be looking for to supplement your research.

Guided tours

As previously discussed, guided virtual tours are the best version of a virtual campus visit. These offer a look at the college as close as you can get to visiting in person and allows you to chat and interact with the person giving the tour. But these tours aren’t just offered at all times. Be sure to research early so you can sign up for the virtual tours of the schools you’re most interested in, then create a schedule to keep on top of them all. You’ll be expected to tune in on a certain day at a certain time, so come prepared to ask questions and engage in the process!

Information sessions

Information sessions are helpful if you’ve just been exploring recorded video series and self-guided tours or maps. They allow you to sit down at an assigned time and talk to representatives from a college to ask questions and connect with someone who could help you in the admission process if you decide to apply to that school. Pay attention to the details, though, because some schools will offer individual sessions, groups sessions, or both. If you have the option, choose whichever feels more comfortable for you.

Current student Q&As

Q&A events with current students are something you should sign up for regardless of what type of touring you’ve been doing. A college’s students are the best representation of a school’s character, social life, and academic environment. If students seem enthusiastic and excited to talk with you and discuss their school, then it’s more likely to be a place you’ll thrive and want to be. So don’t skip out on these. It’s where you’ll get honest answers to your most important questions!

Related: How to Overcome Anxiety and Talk to College Students on Campus Tours

Explore virtual tours at your own pace

The beauty of virtual campus visits is the ability to go at your own pace and explore a lot more colleges than you could feasibly schedule in-person visits for—both time and money wise! Keep your research on track with these tips.

Make a research schedule

It’s easy to get lost in all the different offerings for virtual campus exploring, especially if you have a lot of colleges you’re interested in. As you’re signing up for events and figuring out what type of virtual tours each school offers, create a research schedule for yourself. Mark down any guided tours, information sessions, or Q&As you’ve registered for that require you to attend on a certain day. From there, you can fill in other blocks of time to sit down and explore self-guided tour or video series options.

Take notes as you go

Regardless of what type of touring you’re doing, you should be taking notes! Virtual campus visits can throw a lot of information at you all at once, and it can get overwhelming. Taking notes will keep you focused on the things that are most important to you —be it academic programs, athletics, campus organizations, or anything else. These notes will also guide your decision-making later when you’re narrowing down your list and making your final college decision.

Compare your likes and dislikes of each college

Using the notes you’ve taken, make a pros and cons list for each college you toured, then compare them to the pros and cons of other colleges. This will give you a better idea of which colleges most comprehensively adhere to all your wants and needs. From there, you can narrow down your larger list of schools to just the ones you’ll apply to. (Most students tend to apply to anywhere from four to 10 colleges on average.)

Related: 7 Ways to Narrow Down Your List of College Choices

Reach out to admission to ask questions

Whether you’ve been going on guided virtual sessions, exploring maps and interactive tours, or missed the opportunity to sign up for information sessions, the admission office is always there to help you and answer questions. Why? Because they want to support you and hope their college is a great fit for you! Here are some common things you should connect with admissions about.

Ask about things you feel were missing

Colleges and universities are always looking for feedback on ways they can improve how they showcase their school to prospective students. If you felt like there was a lack of information in the research and touring you’ve done for a certain school, reach out to them to ask about it and suggest they include that information in their virtual offerings if you think it’s something other students will benefit from.

Ask for more information on specific programs

Some colleges have a lot of programs, so it’s impossible to cover them all with a virtual tour. In fact, a lot of schools will either skip over program-specific information and cover only general features and amenities of their schools or highlight just their most popular programs. If the major you’re interested in isn’t covered, do some further research on their website, then reach out to the admission office with additional questions or ask them which faculty you should contact from that program’s department.

Ask about connecting with students and alumni

If a school you’re interested in doesn’t offer virtual Q&As with students, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have designated students (and even alumni) who are willing to talk to prospective students. If you’d like an idea of what current student or postgrad career life is like for people who attend a certain school, email an admission officer and see if they can connect you with someone you can have a conversation with.

Set up in-person tours for colleges you’re most interested in

Obviously, the purpose of virtual campus tours is to make college visits more attainable and safe for a larger pool of prospective students—but they still can’t replace the experience of physically visiting a school. And since we’ve been living through the pandemic for a while now, a lot of colleges and universities have modified their in-person campus visit options to ensure the safety of staff and students. If it’s possible for you, try to set up safe in-person visits for only the colleges you’re most interested in. Your previous research should give you an idea of which colleges these are. Attend masked-up and see if the campus is really as impressive as it seems online!

Related: 7 Smart Things You Should Do on Your Next Campus Visit

The pandemic has taken a lot away from students, but it has also presented the opportunity to find alternative ways to access important resources. Take advantage of these new opportunities to explore your colleges of interest and make the college search process a little more fun and less stressful. At the end of the road will be an amazing school that will set you up for a bright future.

Ready to start exploring online to find the best-fit school for you? We’ve made it easy with our brand-new list of CollegeXpress Featured Colleges With Virtual Tours !

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This 13-minute student-hosted virtual tour is best viewed at 1080s. For optimal experience, we suggest viewing on a mobile device or with cardboard or 360° glasses. Otherwise, you can navigate on a stationary monitor by clicking-and-dragging or by using the compass in the upper left. Welcome virtually to The Farm!

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There is no better way to get to know campus than to see if for yourself, but if you are not able to join us in-person, you can  explore Mercy University in one of our virtual tours.

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College Visit Road Trip Planning Tips

W hen it’s time to visit colleges, the process to plan a trip can definitely seem intimidating. These road trips can be a great way to see parts of the country that you normally wouldn’t see, but you’ll also want to make sure that you take the time to observe what you need to see to make college decisions.

When your kids are in high school, it’s important to maximize your vacation time with them. However, you’ll also have to start the college search, and time in these last two years of high school moves quickly. So, it’s important to plan your college visit road trips efficiently. There are a lot of things you can do up front to use your time effectively.

Wondering how to plan college visits on a road trip? Here are our college visit road trip planning tips. Leave us a comment if you have some tips to add.

Make a College List

Before planning college road trips, and hitting the road for visits, you’ll need to make an efficient college list. Whether you hire a college counselor or do your own research, it’s important to develop a list of colleges and universities that are potential options. If your teen isn’t sure of what they want in a college, visit some local college campuses to get an idea of what types of things to look for.

Start With Virtual Tours

You can do many campus tours virtually these days. While it’s still a good idea to do college tours in person, a virtual tour is a great way to really focus in on that college list. You may be able to prioritize some campus visits while eliminating others.

Visiting colleges out of state can be expensive, so virtual tours are a great way to save money. Even if you eliminate just a few options, it can be worthwhile.

Some schools offer on-demand virtual tours, while others have them on a scheduled basis. So this is something you’ll need to research in advance. Plan a schedule for virtual tours so that you aren’t doing them all at once because even attending virtual tours can be tiring.

Map Out Your College List

I’m a visual person, so I needed to see all of my daughter’s college options in one place. Create your own Google map (or any other mapping website) by adding each individual school to the map. Then, scroll out and see clusters of schools where you can road trip. By doing this, we identified several clusters and decided to focus on the upstate New York area for spring break.

You’ll want to figure out how much time you have to tour. Plan enough time between tours so that you aren’t getting overwhelmed, and can also spend some time in the area.

Look at Tour Options

Colleges offer information sessions and tours by reservation. This year, options have been limited, so you’ll need to look at tour options and register as soon as possible. Don’t plan your road trip until you know that you have the tours scheduled. School vacations and holidays can be especially busy.

If you are visiting multiple colleges during your road trip, make sure that you have plenty of time between tours. It’s a great idea to stay overnight in the college town so that you can experience the local area, in addition to the campus.

Book Hotels and Eat Locally

It can be really tempting to tour multiple schools in one day, especially if you have limited time. If at all possible, staying overnight in the area can be a great way to get a feel for the area.

For our road trip, I found local chain hotels with great reviews. We wanted to stay as close as possible to the college campuses that we visited. To get restaurant recommendations, I asked my Facebook friends who lived in the area so that we could visit local gems. Try to avoid national chain restaurants if possible so you can get the full experience.

Be Prepared

Touring college campuses can be tiring and exhausting. Be prepared for everything that you may face by packing appropriately. Comfortable shoes are especially important because you’ll be doing a lot of walking. I was surprised to see how many steps I did during every tour.

Check the weather in advance so you pack the appropriate clothing. For our upstate New York spring break trip, the weather varied from rain to snow to sun. Even though the temp at our home in Boston was a beautiful 70 degrees, it was cold and rainy in Syracuse . You’ll also want to pack umbrellas.

Ask Questions

The guided tour is truly the best opportunity to learn about the college. Typically these tours are given by current college students, and they are generally very open and willing to answer any questions that you may have. Take every opportunity to ask questions – about the curriculum, student life, dorms, facilities, activities, and dining options.

If the college offers a separate information session, be sure to sign up for that too. It will provide you with essential information, especially about the application process.

Take Photos

A good way to remember the campus is to take photos. There’s usually enough time at each tour stop to take a quick photo on your phone. Then, you’ll have pictures to review later.

Take Notes After Each Tour

Once you visit several schools, the details will all start blending together. As soon as you finish a tour, your child should take some time to take notes about the school. List all of the pros and cons, as well as any questions that you still have. It’s also a good idea to start listing things that are most important to your child as they start to narrow down school options.

I printed copies of this checklist from FamilyEducation , and there are lots of others available on the internet.

Redo Your List

After your first college visit road trip, you and your teen will start to have some ideas of what they are looking for in a college. That may mean that you can change the list you started with – adding new schools and eliminating others that may not fit what your teen wants.

The post College Visit Road Trip Planning Tips appeared first on Family Travel Magazine .

When it’s time to visit colleges, the process to plan a trip can definitely seem intimidating. These road trips can be a great way to see parts of the country that you normally wouldn’t see, but you’ll also want to make sure that you take the time to observe what you need to see to …

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April 22, 2024 - Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

Matt Egan, Alicia Wallace and Chandelis Duster

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it is 'determining next steps'

From CNN's Jillian Sykes

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued a statement Monday regarding tents on its campus.

"MIT officials are aware of the tents, and are determining next steps with a focus on ensuring campus is physically safe and fully functioning. MIT Police were on scene throughout the night and will continue to be present."

Robert Kraft says he is willing to support The Kraft Center at the university

From CNN's Chandelis Duster

Robert Kraft, billionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and backer of Columbia University, on Monday said he is still willing to support The Kraft Center at the school that supports Jewish students, calling it “a haven of safety.”

Kraft, an alumnus of the university, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead” that he loves the school and “we have to have accountability.”

“There are both professors and students within the university who say things that I think cross the line and there should be accountability. I believe in free speech. Say whatever you want but pay the consequences. And don't have your face covered. I don't think that should be allowed,” he said.  

“I can’t believe in New York City at Columbia University Jewish students are afraid to go to classes in the United States of America in 2024. It’s amazing to me and horrible,” Kraft also said.

Asked where he drew the line at Columbia University regarding both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests and what he finds objectionable, he said “there is a lack of education on the situation” happening in the Middle East. 

“I’m concerned about America and what’s going on in this country. And to keep it open and free for all people of all backgrounds to do as they wish,” he said.

Asked if he has confidence in Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, he said he thinks she is “very well intentioned” and said “we have to look at what goes on with faculty.”

Columbia faculty stage walk-out in solidarity with students

From CNN's John Towfighi

Hundreds of people gathered on Low Plaza Monday afternoon as Columbia University faculty delivered speeches in support of the student protesters who were suspended and arrested Thursday.

Faculty who spoke denounced university president Minouche Shafik’s decision to authorize the New York Police Department to remove protesters from campus and demanded all legal and disciplinary charges be dismissed and expunged from students' records.

Faculty held signs that read, “Hands off our students,” and “End student suspensions now.” Some faculty donned their academic regalia and wore sashes that read, “We support students.”

Speeches were met with cheers and claps from the crowd, as well as chants for Shafik to resign.

Christopher Brown, a professor of history, said, “I’m here because I am so concerned about what is happening at this university, with where we are now and with where we are going. Thursday April 18, 2024, will be remembered as a shameful day in Columbia history.”

“The president’s decision to send riot police to pick up peaceful protesters on our campus was unprecedented, unjustified, disproportionate, divisive and dangerous,” Brown said.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter Isra Hirsi was among the protesters arrested Thursday , posted on X that while she’s glad to see faculty demonstrate in solidarity with students, she wants the protests to focus on Gaza.

"On Thursday, Columbia arrested and suspended its students who were peacefully protesting and have now ignited a nationwide Gaza Solidarity movement. This is more than the students hoped for and I am glad to see this type of solidarity. But to be clear, this about the genocide in Gaza and the attention has to remain on that," Omar wrote.

NYC Mayor condemns "vile" and "disgusting" rhetoric at college campuses

From CNN's Alicia Wallace

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday condemned “vile” and “disgusting” rhetoric being used at campuses such as Columbia University, where students are holding protests over the Israel-Hamas War.

Adams told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he supports First Amendment rights but said law enforcement officials are on the ready if any of that speech goes too far or if there’s an imminent threat to people or property.

"That is one of the fundamental rights we hold dear as Americans: The right to protest," Adams said on CNN's "The Lead." "What we have seen playing out on many of our college campuses, and particularly Columbia University, is hate. We’re seeing vile language being used."

Adams noted that he can feel the "duality of this moment" and how the events of the past six months are weighing heavily on Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers. He added that the police escorts of Jewish students through campus were reminiscent of the Army soldiers who escorted nine Black students into a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, nearly 67 years ago.

"There is no place for hate in this city," he said.

New York Police Department officers have a “large presence” surrounding Columbia but have remained off the campus grounds at the request of the school’s administration, NYPD deputy commissioners said earlier on Monday.

Adams told Tapper that the NYPD’s commissioner of legal matter is monitoring the protests for any speech that violates law. Additionally, police officers will take "appropriate action" and go on private property if there’s an "imminent threat."

Protesters gather at The New School in New York City

From CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald

The New School students and pro-Palestinian supporters rally outside The New School University Center building, Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York.

Protesters have gathered at The New School, located near the Chelsea area of the New York City borough of Manhattan.

An encampment of four tents was set up in the lobby of the building that houses auditoriums, a cafeteria and a library. Roughly 75 students, and other people who have The New School IDs, gathered inside the building.

"Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not stop, we will not rest," was repeatedly chanted. 

Outside the building, protesters from the school, as well as outsiders, joined in chants from the sidewalk.

There is a stark difference between the inside and outside of Columbia University's campus

From CNN's Ramishah Maruf

A pro-Palestine rally is held at the steps of Lowe Library on the grounds of Columbia University today in New York City.

There’s a stark difference between the inside of Columbia University's campus and the outside, where there are protesters gathered on the street. 

The encampment is only open to those affiliated with campus. Only those with a Columbia ID can enter the campus gates. Inside the encampment, programs include teach-ins, poetry readings and film screenings. Some students are quietly finishing assignments, while others are painting posters.

Elsewhere around campus, students are eating and completing assignments. Many students take graduation pictures at this time, and some are in graduation gowns walking down Broadway. Risers are set up for an upcoming commencement ceremony.

Other students are holding large American flags underneath Butler Library.

Pro-Palestinian and Pro-israel face off outside of Columbia University which is occupied by Pro-Palestinian protesters in New York on April 22, 2024.

But the students can still hear the tension that is taking place yards away at the university gates. There is a gathering of pro-Palestinian protesters, who in the early afternoon were chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long Live the Intifada.” There was a smaller group of pro-Israeli protesters, who chanted back “Down with Hamas” and “Victory to Israel.” A line of New York Police officers were monitoring the street.

What it's like inside the Columbia University encampment

Students protest in support of Palestinians on Columbia University campus, as protests continue inside and outside the university in New York City on April 22.

The inside of the encampment is quiet – most of the noise comes from protestors outside the gates of Columbia University's campus, who are chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long live the Intifada."

It was a sunny day on campus, and in one corner, students were painting posters. One person strummed a stringed instrument, and other students are reading books or on their laptops finishing assignments. Others have donated provisions, ranging from a table of snacks to hygiene products. There was also a pile of blankets.

“We’ve just been trying to keep students mobilized and keep pushing for divestment,” Dalia, a first-year student at Columbia College, told CNN. “We are a very mobilized student body and a very unified student body. Hundreds of people have been in and out of the encampment.”

CNN agreed not to publish her surname due to safety concerns.

She said the students at the campus “refuse to be complicit in the genocide, the apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine.”

There are strict community guidelines for the encampment. One rule says not to share names or details of anyone met in camp, and asking for permission before photographing or taking video.

The encampment is filled with dozens and dozens of tents, from students to neighboring Barnard College staff. Today’s encampment program included an Earth Day performance, poetry reading and a Dabka lesson, a traditional dance from the Arab region. Prior program events included dance performances from different cultures.

Democratic House members tour Columbia campus

Democratic Reps. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Dan Goldman of New York and Kathy Manning of North Carolina, who are all Jewish, spoke at a news conference Monday after touring Columbia University’s campus. 

"We saw it firsthand as we walked past the encampments on the university's main lawn full of protesters spewing incendiary antisemitic hate and vitriol. Many aren't even Columbia students I've been told. Their campaign of intimidation is sickening and shocking and as the White House said yesterday, ‘echoes the rhetoric of Hamas terrorists,'" Gottheimer said. 

He also criticized Columbia University leadership, saying, “toothless combinations from administrators aren't going to stop the anarchy we’re seeing.”

“The only way to do it is with deeds, not words,” Gottheimer said. “Colleges have a legal obligation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to provide students, including Jews and Muslims, a school environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race color or national origin. Yet just feet from here, Jewish students are being verbally and even physically assaulted.”

Gottheimer continued, “To the administrators of Columbia and beyond, here are our demands: Stop the double talk and start acting now. Discipline harassers, restore civility on this campus, encourage peaceful constructive dialogue.”

He also gave a message for students: “While the leadership of Columbia may be failing you, we will not. We will do everything in our power to keep you safe and do everything in Washington we can to make sure that you feel welcome at this university or any university across the United States of America. And Columbia University, if they don't follow through, will pay the price.”

Goldman said he was "encouraged" the Columbia University president issued guidelines about additional security, calling it a "very important first step" and criticized what is happening on campus.

"That is unacceptable for a university, that is unacceptable for an academic institution. There is no question that everyone has a First Amendment right to speak out in this country and that must be preserved," Goldman said. "But a university and all universities have an obligation to maintain the safety and security of their students from all backgrounds."

Manning said university leadership should "do more to keep Jewish students safe and to re-establish an atmosphere in which all students can learn, study and participate safely in campus life."

"Columbia must also move forward with its promised efforts to teach its students and its faculty about the nature and history and dangers of antisemitism. It must ensure that Columbia professors are not encouraging and spreading antisemitism," Manning said.

"I call on the US Department of Education and the US Department of Justice to work with the White House to ensure that all universities take steps necessary to keep Jewish students and faculty safe. I also call on Congress to enact legislation to implement the steps outlined in the US national strategy to counter antisemitism, to address the scourge of antisemitism which is a threat to the foundations of our democracy," she said.

President Joe Biden condemns antisemitism on campus

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during a visit to Prince William Forest Park to commemorate Earth Day in Triangle, Virginia, today.

President Joe Biden decried antisemitic protests around college campuses Monday and said his administration was working to combat anti-Jewish hatred.

"I condemn the antisemitic protests, that’s why I’ve set up a program to deal with that," Biden said when questioned about the events at Columbia University in New York.

"I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians," he said, without expanding upon what he meant.

Biden was speaking after an Earth Day event in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Virginia.

When asked whether Columbia's president should resign, Biden appeared to mishear: "I didn’t know that. I'll have to find out more," he said.

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Newsroom / Maryville College Career Center holds ‘Connect the Scots’ event

Maryville College Career Center closes out successful academic year with ‘Connect the Scots’ mixer for businesses, students

April 24, 2024

The end of the 2023-24 academic year is in sight, and for some Maryville College students, it’s the end of an era … but thanks to the efforts of the MC Career Center , it’ll be the start of a new one for many of them.

On Thursday, April 18, the Career Center hosted a final opportunity for graduating Scots and undergraduates to explore their post-MC options. Called “Connect the Scots,” the casual networking meet-and-greet took place in Isaac’s Café and allowed 91 students to interact with 35 organizations and graduate programs looking to fill their ranks with Maryville College students who have worked diligently alongside their academic studies to prepare for jobs, internships and graduate school.

“I feel like Maryville College is really career-focused, because I’ve taken a lot of classes through Maryville College Works that have well prepared me for exploring what my next steps will be,” said Calista Jones ’24 , an English major who will graduate with other members of her class on May 4. “I feel like a lot of the connections you make at events like this are good gateways to jobs, especially when so many of these representatives attended Maryville College themselves. It’s really special to connect with people who have a strong passion for this school, and it’s a great way to set up opportunities in the future.”

Organized as more of a business casual networking event, “Connect the Scots” served as an informal counterbalance to the center’s Career and Internship Fair , held each fall in the Clayton Center for the Arts . At the latter, participating organizations set up booths and tables to distribute information; at “Connect the Scots,” students were able to mingle with representatives in a more relaxed setting.

“The Career Center understands the importance of networking,” said Dr. Niklas Trzaskowski , director of the center. “Many folks find their career opportunities through networking rather than submitting applications online. We wanted to create an opportunity for students to practice attending a mixer in a familiar environment to practice their networking skills.

“Last March, we hosted our first ‘Connect the Scots’ event. We took some of the feedback we received from organizations who attended the 2023 edition to improve the event in 2024. Our partners are great and very understanding of what we hope to accomplish on the career development side with our students. We’re grateful for the way they adjust and provide our students with an opportunity to learn about their organizations in an environment that may be different from a traditional career fair.”

For some participants, the reputation of MC students precedes their involvement in outside-the-box events like “Connect the Scots.” Lauren Hounshell, a campus recruiter for Axle Logistics , said she looks forward to any Maryville College-related event at which to give potential recruits a glimpse of the possibilities at her company.

“I think Maryville College provides a top-tier education and equips its students with all the skills necessary to go out into the workforce and be successful, so we’re really looking forward to connecting with more students and growing our partnership here,” she said.

“We’ve worked with a lot of Maryville College students and graduates, and we know they’re amazing,” added Kristi Nguyen, a senior recruiting and training coordinator with 21 st Mortgage Corp . “At something like this, they’re able to connect with potential employers in a more casual setting, and I’ve been able to reconnect with many students I’ve met before and see how far they’ve come. From my understanding, many of the students attending today weren’t required to do so, which means the extra step they took to come on their own is a trait that’s really important to our company.”

And the Career Center, she added, is an ideal point of contact between area companies and graduate programs and a well of untapped talent ready to join the workforce. For Trzaskowski and his team — which includes Career and Internship Coach Leah Hadder and Office and Marketing Manager Alaina Tipton ’17 — capping an academic year with a successful “Connect the Scots” is a feather in a cap that’s already festooned with many of them.

“Through appointments with our office, all our career events and classroom visits, the Career Center team has likely interacted with a large percentage of students enrolled at the College,” he said. “I am most proud of my team. Through our events (fairs, information sessions, tablings in Pearsons Hall, ‘Connect the Scots,’ etc.), we have brought close to 100 organizations to our beautiful campus this academic year.

“Leah, in her first academic year as career and internship coach, has completed more than 120 individual appointments with students and graduates and taught countless students in Maryville College Works courses. We welcomed Alaina to our team, and she has done a great job strengthening our social media presence and connecting students to our services and events. We were able to collaborate with several faculty members throughout the semester, most notably Drs. Gabie Kerr , Angela Sebby and Rachel Ponder . Above all, I am just so grateful for all the support that we have received from our campus community throughout this academic year.”

It hasn’t gone unnoticed: Senior Design major Austin Zettle ’24 , who attended last week’s mixer, has landed an internship at the Walt Disney Company, a dream post that was likely made possible, he said, by the assistance provided by the Career Center.

“They’ve done so much, from helping out with my LinkedIn profile to checking over my resume to making sure I had professional-looking headshots,” Zettle said. “Anything you need to be successful, the Career Center is here to help with that. Maryville College has become a big family to me, and I love how everyone works to make sure you succeed. Any problem, any issue, they’ll help you, because that’s all they want.”

And the center’s work doesn’t end when the academic year does: The MC Career Center is open during the summer, Trzaskowski said, which can be an ideal time for students to work on professional development outside the rigors of classes, projects, finals and lectures.

The center’s availability, he added, isn’t just limited to students, either: Employers looking to recruit from a student body well-prepared for the workforce are encouraged to reach out as well.

“Are you still searching for full-time talent? Are you planning to hire interns in the fall? Curious how your organization can visit our campus? Contact me and let’s discuss how the Career Center could support you,” Trzaskowski said. “We are super excited about the upcoming academic year, when we will debut some new events and fine-tune some of our existing ones. We hope to bring even more organizations to campus.”

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    A Thriving Community After Graduation. Join more than 70,000 graduates from Mercy University and the College of New Rochelle in networking and support future generations of students with a gift. Explore Mercy University's virtual tours to experience our campus from the comfort of your own home. Discover our facilities and vibrant community here!

  23. Virtual Tour

    Our current students want to "meet" you! Whether it's about weekend life, most popular classes, or favorite study spot, our Mules want to answer your questions. Connect with a Current Student. Explore a virtually immersive simulated walkthrough of the Muhlenberg College campus including interactive options to get to know the campus community.

  24. The Ultimate Guide to College Campus Visits

    April 22, 2024. The Ultimate Guide to Campus Visits. A campus visit is a huge step on your journey to selecting the right college. College tours are where you learn about the campus atmosphere, engage with students and faculty, visualize your future, and generally check the vibes.

  25. Virtual Open House

    Join us for our Virtual Open House! You'll quickly learn that Champlain is a special place. Not just because we're located in one of the most beautiful college towns in the country, but because we're a college that dares to be different. Join us for our Virtual Explore Open House Tuesday, September 24, 2024 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST

  26. College Visit Road Trip Planning Tips

    Start With Virtual Tours. You can do many campus tours virtually these days. While it's still a good idea to do college tours in person, a virtual tour is a great way to really focus in on that ...

  27. April 22, 2024

    Heightened tensions around pro-Palestinian protests on the campus of Columbia University have led the school to go all-virtual on Monday. The protests are now in their sixth day.

  28. University of Minnesota Morris Men's Golf vs Martin Luther College

    Give our virtual tour a try. You can discover the beauty of campus right from your computer, phone, or tablet. You can discover the beauty of campus right from your computer, phone, or tablet. Launch Experience

  29. Maryville College Career Center holds 'Connect the Scots' event

    The Maryville College Career Center wrapped the academic year with a "Connect the Scots" social that served 91 students. ... I am just so grateful for all the support that we have received from our campus community throughout this academic year." ... Virtual Tour. Campus Map. 502 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy Maryville, TN, 37804 ...

  30. Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: A Virtual Tour

    The AAPI Heritage Month Virtual Tour is a 60-minute event that shares the stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from the 1800s through the present day. The experience includes trivia and a virtual visit to San Francisco featuring beautiful murals and artwork in San Francisco's Chinatown with our LIVE-streaming guide! The experience is going […]