After you register for a campus visit for a university online, when you attend the information session/campus tour, do you have to sign in and provide proof that you registered online? What other things should I do or bring to prepare for a campus visit?
Thanks! 
They usually have a list with your name on it. It’s good to sign in. A must have for tours is comfortable footwear! If its a big tour group try to stay up front close to the guide so you can hear better. You don’t have to do much else. Just try to take in the sights and sounds and look closely at the students. The students are more important than the buildings, imo.
Other tips:
- Check the school’s schedule to ensure classes are in session (e.g. not on spring break). Touring an empty campus is much less informative.
- If possible, the student should sit-in on a class. These are often very valuable experiences.
- If offered, consider scheduling an interview while on campus. Even if the school is not at the top of the students list, it’s good to gain experience interviewing and talking about his/herself.
- Visit the campus offices for activities the student may be interested in (e.g. a sports coach, LGBT office, debate club, music/band). The directors for those activities typically love to meet prospective students.
- If the student is not “feeling it” at this school, don’t fight it, just pack up and leave. The wish list of schools will be plenty long without this one.
Good luck!
You might want to think of potential questions to ask. Make sure it’s not a question that’s easily answered by looking at their website.
After your visit, take the time to immediately write down or record your impressions. If you are visiting multiple schools, they will start to blend together.
My best tip: Ask the tour guide about their own experience on the campus, not general questions about school policies. What was your favorite class? How was your freshman dorm? Have you had trouble getting into classes? Where do you go off campus? I find that the answers are way more revealing when they talk about their own experience.
Also, try to think about what the school is trying to message. You’ll hear a lot of the same info . . . library is great and students can borrow books from other libraries. But what is the school saying about itself and its direction. Who is it addressing.
I agree with the advice to try to schedule some interviews and to do the first one or two at a school that might not be at the top of the students’ list, maybe even a more local school. It can be a daunting prospect for a 17-year-old to sit down with a college admissions rep. After they’ve done it once or twice, a student figures out that it’s probably just going to be a friendly conversation about themselves.
If you can, try to get lunch in the off-campus neighborhood where students hang out. Is it easy to get to from campus? Does your child like the vibe?
Good luck!