As a second semester senior I have had my fair share of college tours, both good and bad ones. I have learned very quickly what can make or break your college visit. Here are my top four tips to make your college visit worth your while. 

1. Have an open mind: When visiting a new college, it is vital to have an open mind and go on the visit with a positive mindset. If a prospective student goes in expecting the worst, then they will only see all the negative parts of said college that you otherwise might not have focused on. Therefore, to have a positive experience touring a college, you should try your best to have an open mind so that you can give all the colleges you visit a fair chance, not just your favorites. 

1.  Be a consumer: The only way for you to know if a college is the right fit for you is to know as much as possible about the college. When going on a tour ask the tour guide every question that pops into your head, there is no dumb question when it comes to deciding what your future will look like for the next four years. 

1. Eat a snack beforehand and bring water: A quick way to spoil a college visit is to go on an empty stomach. Most tours are around two hours long and consist mostly of walking around the campus. So, eat a snack beforehand to keep your energy up throughout the entirety of the tour. Going along with this I would recommend bringing a drink of some sort. After walking for a longer period of time you will get thirsty, especially if you’re visiting the college in the summer months. So, to avoid feeling parched which will have a negative impact on your overall experience at a college bring something to drink to keep hydrated.  

1. Don’t blindly listen to everything a tour guide says: It is important to remember that your tour guides are being paid to give you a tour. Meaning they roughly have a script to follow and probably are not telling the whole truth at all times since their job is to sell you on their college. This being said, much of what your tour guide explains can very much be true and likely be informative. Just be careful not to believe everything they say, ask other students what their experience at the college was, too.