It’s no secret that campus visits make a big difference when it comes to choosing the best fit college. Unfortunately, in the spring of 2020, as colleges shut down due to the threat of the coronavirus disease, high school juniors and seniors were forced to postpone or cancel travel plans to visit their schools of interest.

However, as the fall semester of 2020 kicks off, many colleges have resumed classes, and are once again offering in-person campus tours, with precautions, to keep visitors and local communities safe.

Campus Tours, Now with Social Distancing

Visiting students and their families should expect to follow social distancing protocols as outlined by the Center for Disease Control. These may vary from college to college, but generally include the use of face masks, maintaining six feet between persons, and limited tour group sizes.

Many college tours have adjusted their routes or campus coverage as well, opting to showcase certain university buildings, while others remain closed to the public. Some schools, such as Missouri State and Tulane University, have even chosen to keep campus tours entirely outside.

Other colleges, such as Emory University and Southern Indiana University, offer drive-thru tours. Some of these drive-thru tours bridge the gap between virtual and in-person campus tours by conducting the spoken portion of the tour via a live Zoom conference during the drive, so that you can ask questions just like you would if the person giving the tour were actually with you.

Nothing Compares to Being There

Clearly, for a prospective student choosing a best fit college, nothing compares to being on campus. with the freedom to meet students, have a meal at the dining hall, attend a class with a professor in your desired field of study, and stay overnight.

While the tours being conducted during the pandemic may be different than you would expect, colleges and universities are working hard to provide you with the best possible experience and will showcase absolutely as much as possible given their restrictions to make the environment as safe for you as reasonably possible.

If you are looking to tour some colleges this fall semester, do your homework so you can accurately gauge what to expect. Contact the Admissions Office at your schools of interest, or check out their website to learn whether or not, and how, they are offering campus tours.

For a list of colleges that are allowing in-person visits, visit The National Association for College Admission.

For those that choose not to travel, online resources like virtual tours, webinars, online info sessions, and admissions meetings through video conference are widely available and gaining in popularity. Check out our blog to learn more about the many online resources for college-bound students during COVID-19.