A college tour is a series of campus visits to a number of colleges or universities (two or four year) by a prospective student (freshman, transfer, or graduate.) College tours may be taken individually or by school groups and educational programs as a way for a large number of people to visit several schools over a short period of time. In addition, many colleges now offer virtual tours on the Internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

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Campus visit

A college tour is composed of multiple, distinct campus visits. In most cases a campus visit involves an information session directed by an admissions officer and a walking tour of campus conducted by a student ambassador. A campus visit can be taken by individual students and their families, with the student and parents often joining other individuals to create a larger group. Many colleges offer “open houses” usually consisting of a day or series of days set aside for students and their families to visit a particular school. Often there will be special programs or presentations during these times which would not be available during a regular visit. Most colleges and universities also offer private tours and information sessions for large groups from a single school or educational program.

Counselors and admissions officers often urge students to visit colleges before applying.
Students often use their observations from college visits to make a final selection.

College tours are usually planned 2 to 4 weeks in advance and more for larger schools.. Students are encouraged to plan their visit during the school year when classes are in session to get a true sense campus life. A family campus visit can be arranged by calling the school's visitor center or admissions office. Many colleges allow students to register for their college tour on the campus website.
Group campus tours are planned by high school counselors, parent-teacher associations, and educational programs such as Boys and Girls Club of America or Upward Bound

Upward Bound

Upward Bound is a federally funded educational program within the United States. The program is one of a cluster of programs referred to as TRIO, all of which owe their existence to the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Upward Bound programs are implemented and monitored by the United States...

. Tour operator

Tour operator

A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...

s also offer paid services to plan and arrange college tours for groups in addition to transportation, lodging and activities.

Information session

An admissions information session provides prospective students with knowledge about the college they are applying to. These sessions usually last thirty minutes to an hour and include information about admissions requirements, financial aid, and academic requirements for acceptance to that particular institution.

Campus tour

The walking campus tour allows students to see the campus including academic buildings, residence halls, dining halls, athletic fields, and other areas. Some tours offer students a glimpse into a dorm or classroom but this varies from campus to campus. Walking tours are usually conducted by a current student ambassador who, in addition to pointing out campus highlights, answers student questions.

Sample campus visit

Time	Activities
9:00 – 9:15 am	Arrive on campus
9:15 – 10:00 am	Orientation given by the college admissions office, including: Welcome and campus introduction Information session Q&A session
10:00 – 11:00am	Campus walk, guided by a campus ambassador, including: Library Classroom buildings / lecture halls Gymnasium / field / stadium Student union / cafeteria / bookstore
11:00 – 12:00pm	Individual exploration of campus: Talk with students Visit a dorm Shop at bookstore Talk to professors / coaches / recruiters Eat at cafeteria