So a lot of schools that I’m looking at going to are out of state. The problem is that my mom is really against taking me to tour those schools. She just doesn’t see the point in taking a trip several states away just to visit a college. I’ve tried to explain to her how important I think it is to see a college before I apply there, but she just doesn’t understand (she’s a high school drop-out who knows next to nothing about the college process). She also would never let me visit any alone/with friends. Are there any ways I can “experience” a college like in a tour without physically visiting them? If it helps, the schools I’m most interested in are UPenn, Georgetown, and Columbia (yes, I’m aware that I have crazy aspirations).
It is always nice to see schools before you apply but it isn’t always possible. I’d certainly do everything I could to see a school first had before you commit to going. Some ideas are to: go through the school websites, look for the school newspapers online, read some good guide books (ex. Fiske, Princeton Review, Insiders Guide…), google video college tours and see if you can find schools you are interested in there, if a college rep comes to your HS or to a college fair near you try to go, ask the school if you can have an alumni interview, if there is anyone you know who is at any of those schools now talk to them. If you didn’t yet I’d try to visit some schools nearby so you can get a sense of campus life in general. And you didn’t ask but I hope you also applied to some less selective schools because the group you have are reaches for pretty much everyone. Good luck.
You can go on the individual college’s websites or go on other websites that show college tours. It’s not the best but it gives you a good idea of what the school is like. I don’t know what year you are in high school but either way, experiment with different schools (not just the big names) so you can see what you like.
You might like the LAC, the private school, the big public state flagship or the Ivy.
I never thought about video tours on YouTube. That’s actually a really great idea. I’m always so iffy about looking at college websites because I feel like they can be misleading since they’re there to make the school look “pretty,” if you know what I mean
The three universities that interest you are large urban ones, and to some extent they have a feel that reflects their urban location and the differences between Philadelphia, Washington DC and New York City. Penn dominates its host City in many ways – in it’s location and it’s role in Philadelphia life (e.g. it runs the major Philadelphia hospitals). Georgetown is located in an exclusive section of DC, while Columbia is somewhat removed from the heart of Manhattan. In many ways the three universities are difficult to experience even in a typical 1/2 day college tour. I would recommend that you look at them through the lens of your intended major. Study the course catalog for each of the universities. Look over the course requirements. The student newspapers for the three universities provide a strong indication of what student life is like. So look over (online) the Daily Pennsylvanian at http://www.thedp.com/, or the Columbia Daily Spectator at http://columbiaspectator.com/, or the Georgetown Hoya at http://www.thehoya.com/. Study the social scene at these universities. Fraternities and Sororities are more important at Penn than at Georgetown or Columbia. That may be a plus or minus for you. Look over the athletics scene at the three universities. Georgetown is very much into Basketball. And look over the special student centric programs that are the standouts at each of the three universities, as for example Kelly Writers House at Penn. Think about intern and research opportunities that you may undertake as an undergraduate. Georgetown offers an extensive network of intern assignments in government, while Penn and Columbia would offer strong undergraduate research opportunities in the sciences and business. There’s of course more … But perhaps you get a sense of how you might approach alternatives to a physical tour.
Another option is to Google Map and use the “guy” to walk the streets in the general area. Not all college campuses/areas will be visible on Streetview but it’s an alternative. I know what you mean about the colleges trying to make their school look “pretty.” That’s why you use multiple sources to get an idea (and why you should eventually visit if you get accepted).
I’ve only visited two out of nine schools I’ve applied to. I will visit the other schools if/when I’m accepted. I personally don’t think it’s beneficial to tour around a college (a big one anyways like the dream reaches) before any decision. Some kids end up falling in love with the place and be like “THIS IS MY DREAM SCHOOL. I CAN DO NO OTHER PLACE.” And then they run the risk of potentially NOT being accepted.
I do understand completely when people say visit a school. It is beneficial but it’s just my two cents in the bank that you shouldn’t place all your loves, hopes and dreams on one place if you don’t even know the outcome.
@fogcity, how do you find, or know about, these programs:
I would like to know about the special details like this for colleges, since it is really this sort of detail that can make the difference.
Would your Mom let you go with any friends whose families are touring colleges? We saw a lot of that the last few years.
YouTube videos! Look at past years’ move-in days, homecoming, other campus events.
Remember to spend time investigating a few safety schools. 
She also would never let me visit any alone/with friends.
@JustOneDad OP said no. While it would probably be a little distracting to tour with friends, it’s better than not touring at all. @tsoniaw, if any of your friends are interested in the same schools, you should arrange to tour with them and their parents. Your mother shouldn’t have any qualms about that, if there’s a responsible adult with you.
Someone above mentioned looking for the school newspapers online. I second that, it is a great way to see a school’s “dirty laundry”. We learned a LOT of interesting things about our kids’ schools through doing that.
It’s definitely nice to visit a college to get a feel for the campus. But it’s not always possible. And overall, I do not feel it is necessary to visit every school to which one applies. You can obtain so much information from many other sources.
My advice would be to:
-Read the campus’s newspaper (my D loves to do this - it gives you a feel for student life)
-Check out YouTube videos
-Grab a copy of “The Insiders’ Guide to the Colleges” and “The Princeton Review 379 Best Colleges.” Those are excellent resources. My D and I discovered so many great colleges from student reviews alone (among them Wellesley and Bryn Mawr). Just flip through it and see what you can find.
-Cruise the colleges’ websites.
-Flip through the course catalogues. Some schools have more of a choice of classes than others (Brown, with its Open Curriculum, had an amazing selection, while Columbia is more structured with its Core).