Before deciding which colleges to apply to, it is recommended that you visit first. However this can be quite costly and time consuming. These days many colleges participate in virtual tour portals for you to learn about them from the comfort of your own home. Here are three resources where you can experience college without leaving the couch:
- Ecampustours: On its site, ecampustours.com gives students 360° x 360° views of more than 1300 colleges. All virtual tours are free. The site also features a scholarship database, college planning resources, and access to the Edvisor newsletter that reminds students of important college and financial aid deadlines.
- CollegeWeekLive: A highly interactive site that allows students to take virtual tours, connect with college admissions officers in live chats, and view presentations by college planning professionals. Join the site’s mailing list and visit often to get key updates on scheduled events. With events happening daily, you could plan a month's worth of college search activity.
- College Click TV: Unique from previously listed sites, College Click TV is a collection of entertaining interviews of students, faculty, alumni and campus locals who give first-hand accounts of the college experience. Also if you like "top 5" lists, this is a great resource to learn fun facts like which colleges graduate the most billionaires, have the best dining hall food, snowiest weather, and most school spirit.
Why Is it Important to Visit Colleges Now? With eight months away from early application deadlines, you want to connect to colleges early. Learn as much as you can about them, speak to admissions officers, professors, alumni and students. By summer you want to have a final list of colleges to start applying to.
Virtual college visits are not a substitute for experiencing the real physical environment. It can, however, be helpful in getting you closer to your best-fit school.
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