ic S/general/checkmark circled Thanks for subscribing! Be on the lookout for our next newsletter.
ic S/general/checkmark circled
Saved to My Favorites. View My Favorites
Articles / Applying to College / Should College Tour Opinions Guide List Creation?

Should College Tour Opinions Guide List Creation?

Elena Loveland
Written by Elena Loveland | Oct. 16, 2018
Should College Tour Opinions Guide List Creation?
iStock

You've created your college list and planned out a calendar of when you plan to visit each one. But here is a scenario that you might not have considered: What if you're on a college tour and you just have a feeling it isn't the right place for you? And what if this happens on more than one college tour?

Well, this shows why college tours are so important. You can research colleges all day long online or discuss them with your counselor or friends, but there is nothing like stepping your own two feet on a college campus. Once you are there, you either can imagine yourself as a student on that campus or not.


However, if there is just one thing about the campus you discover on a college tour that you don't like, it doesn't mean you necessarily would dislike the entire college experience there.

“Usually a college is on someone's list for a reason — if the student tours and 'doesn't like' the school, there must be something specific that is overriding the positives," says Elizabeth H. Wiltshire, founder of Wiltshire College Consulting. “I would challenge the student to tease out what aspects he or she doesn't like, and use that information to add some more options to the list."

Evaluate the Reason

Therefore, you should try to figure out exactly what you did not like on the college tour. Was it just one aspect of the college, were there multiple features you did not like or was it an overall general feeling of “I don't think I would like being a student here."

In some cases, it is one particular thing that you don't like about the college — not necessarily the entire college itself.

“Developing a college list is an iterative process," notes Wilshire. “After touring some X schools — not liking them — and then touring some Not X schools, the student may conclude that X isn't really that important! The final choices could be based on some other factor entirely."

If it is one thing that is bothering you, that college still might be a contender for your list. If multiple aspects about the college bothered you on the tour, then it might not be the college for you, and you may want to take it off your list.

After touring a few colleges, you might consider making an appointment with your school counselor to discuss your feelings about the colleges. If you disliked many things about a college, you may not want to apply there after all. If you disliked many things at more than one college you toured, then you may need to consider reevaluating what you are looking for in a college experience and come up with new additions to your list -- and of course, schedule more college tours.

An in-person experience on a campus gives you a more authentic perspective of what a college is like and is a vital process of the college admission process. It can help you narrow down your list of colleges, and in some cases, if many college tours were not what you expected, then it may be time to reassess what you are looking for in a college or add more possible colleges to your list that have different characteristics.

Written by

Elena Loveland

Elena Loveland

Elena Loveland has been a writer and editor covering higher education and college admissions for 18 years and is the author of Creative Colleges: Finding the Best Programs for Aspiring Artists, Designers, Dancers, Musicians, Writers, and More. Creative Colleges has earned recognition in the College Bound Teen, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Gate and U.S. News and World Report's Annual College Guide. Loveland has spoken at the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the University of the Arts, as well as several high schools about college admission for creative students. She has worked for the National Association for College Admission Counseling as editor of the Journal of College Admission and for NAFSA: Association of International Educators as editor-in-chief of International Educator magazine. As an independent journalist, Loveland.s work has appeared in numerous publications such as American Careers, Dance Teacher, Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education, International Educator, Pointe, Teen Vogue, University Business and the U.S. News & World Report's Annual College Guide, among several others. She has a master's degree in English and has been an adjunct instructor at three higher education institutions. Loveland provides private college admissions consulting to families upon request. She lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

More on Applying to College

See all
typing at computer- karolina-grabowska-6958506-resized

Authentic Voice in College Essays

That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay.

So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…

college-interview

College Interview Prep Tips: Brainstorm, Research, Analyze, Generalize

I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…

campus gates

Academic Index Scores: Why They Matter and How They're Calculated

Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.

8 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

7 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…

pexels-yan-krukau-8197544

Avoid College Application Regrets: Tips For Getting It Right the First Time

Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…

Get a student loan that goes beyond tuition.

Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.

Explore Now!
Find Your Scholarship

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

Search for Scholarship