Resource Library

How to Plan a Virtual College Visit

Campus tours and program deep-dives are now more accessible than ever. Exploring these opportunities can help inform your decision to visit in person or apply. Use these tips to skip the technical difficulties and become a more active participant.

Category
Preparing for College & Career
Topics
Choosing a College, My Interests, Exploring College Options, College Visit, Campus Visit, Campus Tour

Prepare for Your Virtual Tour

  • Think about the things you want in a college and make a list of questions (proximity to groceries, housing options, student activities, degree programs offered, community amenities, costs, etc.).
  • If you are not attending a live virtual visit, schedule an appointment with an admissions officer to get all of your questions answered by an authoritative source.
  • When the option is offered, sign up to talk to a current student. This is a great way to ask some questions and learn about someone else’s experience at the school.
  • If possible, look up a digital copy of the student newspaper to learn about current events and glimpse the campus culture.
  • Research the community surrounding the campus. Look up local projects, libraries, recreation centers, hiking trails, nearby ski mountains, public transportation options, and make a list of shops or restaurants you might like to try. You are investigating the place you may end up living for the next 4-5 years, so you want to make sure it is a good fit!

Explore ALL of the Virtual Events

  • Many colleges and workforce training facilities offer robust virtual offerings. Students can now look forward to interactive exploration tools like live, 3D, 360-degree, and immersive tours that allow students to steer the experience. When in doubt, reach out to an admissions expert to ask about available online resources.
  • Look for upcoming live events, Q&A sessions, and opportunities to schedule a one-on-one appointment. Many institutions even offer students a choice for those meetings e.g., email, text, call, or video conference.

Take Notes

  • Keep a record of the schools you have (virtually) explored, and those you still want to. Bookmark your favorites and consider revisiting those virtual resources every few weeks to confirm your interest and/or compare them to any new favorite schools that you might have discovered.
  • Remember, your tuition, class size, and the available programs—among other things—are important factors to weigh.
  • Once you have narrowed down your list of favorites, consider planning an in-person visit. Or start following those institutions on social media.

 

Go Virtual

See the places where you’ll study, play and live as a Vandal… from the comfort of your own device. Choose from virtual presentations, tours of the Moscow campus, or watch videos about student life and some of the classes that are unique to U of I.

Click through the ISU virtual campus tour, virtual housing tour, and/or the virtual webinar and video library. You can also sign up to talk to a current student via email, phone call, text, or Zoom.

Consider (virtually) visiting the ISU College of Technology, too!

Webinars, presentations, and (current) student panels are all waiting for you. Maybe start with the BSU campus tour highlights video—a preview of some favorite stops on the traditional in-person tour of Boise State University.

Schedule a phone or video appointment with an admissions specialist. Watch a student-led campus tour. Or learn about LC State traditions, programs, student life, and the Warrior Way with an interactive campus map.

Take a 15-minute virtual tour of North Idaho College, including the Student Wellness & Recreation Center, Molstead Library, NIC Beach & SunSpot, the Student Union Building, and the Health & Sciences Building. Or explore the NIC lookbook and a 2-minute 360-degree tour of the college’s unique offerings.

Schedule a live virtual tour to view programs offered at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center in real-time from your computer or phone. Ask questions and become familiar with the CWI culture. Or take a self-guided virtual tour at any time; you’ll see the programs located at each CWI location, learn the facts, and hear motivating stories.

CSI video tours show-off facilities while giving students a preview of the programs offered at the college. This list includes Baking, Horticulture, Agribusiness, Renewable Energy Systems Technology, and Visual Arts. Start exploring your options by exploring CSI’s offerings.

Get familiar with CEI by exploring its campus and building maps or reading up on these compelling Fast Facts.

Real education. Real jobs. Real life.

Chat, virtually, with an admissions counselor, professor, financial aid officer, and/or a current student. Take a closer look at the parts of NNU YOU want to see! Register for one (or ten) of NNU’s weekly information sessions covering topics such as study abroad, intramural sports, transferring, music ensemble involvement and more!

Learn more about the College of Idaho’s innovative PEAK curriculum, diverse and engaging community, and competitive scholarship opportunities from the comfort of your own home through the virtual campus experience. Both live and self-guided 3D virtual tours are available.

Virtual tours are provided over Zoom for prospective students and families to see and ask questions about BYU-Idaho from any location around the world.

→  YouVisit

→ Campus Tours

→ YoUniversity

→ Campus Reel

 

Each external link (above) will take you to a third-party service. The information provided there has NOT been vetted by the Idaho State Board of Education. Please use care and critical judgment when exploring content on these and other virtual-tour websites.

Being asked to create an account is not unusual. It often allows students and families to save favorite colleges, “like” content, and sign-up for more information.

Being asked to pay for the ability to view a virtual tour IS unusual. Please use extraordinary caution as in almost all cases, you should NOT have to disclose payment information in order to virtually explore a college.

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