Many high school students don’t think about college tours, but in order to find the right school for you, you should begin your search early. Following is a list of the types of college tours students should consider doing their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years of high school and why.
Freshman Year
Yes, we said it – freshman year. You may think that a first-year high school student shouldn't have to worry about college? Wrong. Starting freshman year, all grades count toward their cumulative GPA that will be on college applications. If your student is thinking about attending college after their high school graduation, you should get them thinking about possible tours.
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If you’re near a college campus while on a family vacation or attending a college sporting event, take some time with your high school student to look around. Ask them questions about the school – what they like, what they don’t- and get them thinking about college.
Also, sit down with them to look at their future class schedule decisions. These can have an impact on which schools they can apply for in the future. Not only that, but the courses can help them prepare for the ACT and SAT in the upcoming years, which is another important component for college admission.
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Sophomore Year
Sophomore year, you can get a little more formal. This is a great time to schedule a summer tour for your student. Summer tours are great, because they can take a look around the campus, ask the tour guides questions and explore the campus without all of the distractions that usually go on during the school year.
You can speak with an admissions counselor to find out big questions, like how much tuition is going to cost, what grades and tests scores will qualify them for scholarships and which classes they should be taking. When they hear it from an actual employee at the college, the reality of the situation will set in, and they can work on setting academic goals for themselves to reach during the next two years.
Junior Year
This is the time that your student needs to get serious about college tours. He or she should have their list narrowed down, and they should be thinking about the type of major they want to look into or pursue.
This way, when they go with you to tour these schools, they can ask more realistic questions to their tour guide, faculty and even other students. Have them tour during the school year, preferably during the week Monday-Thursday. Schedule your tour for a time while class is in session and your student can get a look at what an average day on campus will look like.
Senior Year
By now, your student should have a pretty good idea of which schools they are seriously interested in attending next fall. They should be applying (or have already applied) to a handful of schools, and now is the time to start doing a deep dive into what it would really be like to go to school there.
Up until now, your student may not have imagined him or herself living, learning and spending time on the campus. Now is the time to get serious.
Tour the dorms, wellness center, cafeteria, library and more. Have them meet with someone in the office of student activities to find out what kinds of events and organizations they can get involved with on campus. Find out if the school has tutoring centers, writing assistance or study groups to help with academics. Ask what the average student does on the weekends for fun, find out what kinds of activities campus hosts and how often, look into which sports teams have the greatest student following.
What types of activities are most popular among the students at the school? Do a large percentage belong to Greek life? Is the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Volunteer trip extremely popular? Have your student find out the answers to questions like these to pinpoint where they are going to feel the most at home.
These tours can be extremely important to helping your high school student find the right home away from home during their undergraduate years. It’s never too early to start looking.
For more help with College preparation, meet with one of College Tutors College Admissions Coaches. They can help make things a bit easier along the road to life after high school.
