During this time of pandemic, College Liftoff wants to do all we can to answer the college-related questions coming to us. We understand families and teens are stressed and worried by all the unknowns–so we’re here to help answer questions, separate myths from facts, and help alleviate some of the stress.
So, one of the first questions we are getting a lot of is:
How are teens expected to choose the right college without being able to do a campus visit?
The truth is, visiting college campuses is important–but tours aren’t everything.
What most families don’t realize is that campus tours tend to highlight just the “pretty” things about the campus–nice buildings, rolling hills, a sizable football stadium, sushi-to-go in the dining halls.
These are many things that you can learn and see online…and they’re certainly not the most important part of your actual college experience. (They are also things that many, many college campuses have in common).
The bottom line is, a campus tour shouldn’t be your deciding factor in a college.
What you CAN do, in lieu of a campus tour, to help you make a decision about a college, is get a hold of faculty in your desired department.
Talk to them. Email them. Ask them about their curriculums…classes and class format…and any other question you can think of.
They’ll be able to tell you more about what your day-to-day college and class experiences will be more than a tour guide.
Additionally, College Liftoff has sent students to hundreds of colleges across the country…and we would be happy to connect them with you. They’d be happy to answer any questions you have about campus life, classes, real experiences, etc. Use them as a valuable resource, as they have nothing to sell!
So…ask us! And continue to ask us any college-related questions you have, both in general or in relation to this pandemic. We will answer them all!
