<p>I havent been able to really tour colleges this year and therefore i have no idea how the collges are like as far as the people and the entire campus vibe goes. I was wondering if there were any ways to get a better feel for colleges ?</p>
<p>If you aren’t sure what kind of school you want at all, try touring a few nearby schools of different types – a big public school, maybe a smaller private school, and possible in different settings – more urban and more rural.</p>
<p>Next look at the major(s) you are interested in, what your probable test scores and grade are, and also what you can afford. Look at the school websites for information. They often have virtual tours and academic sections that show the majors and programs they offer. You can also have your parents help you run the Net Price Calculator to see whether you can afford them.</p>
<p>A book like the Fiske Guide to Colleges can also help by giving you descriptions of a lot of colleges. The College Confidential forums on each college are also useful, you can go back a long ways and read all the posts if you want to.</p>
<p>Once you have done these things, then you can figure out how to best use your visiting time. Evaluate the schools first, then visit if it still seems interesting.</p>
<p>Thanks for the amazing advice</p>
<p>Oh, regarding the Fiske Guide, check with your guidance counselor or library for a copy, you can probably avoid buying one. Even one a year or two old is okay, the info doesn’t change much.</p>
<p>Beside borrowing the Fiske Guide from your school library or town library as intparent said, you can also read about schools in Insider’s Guide to the Colleges and The Princeton review’s Best Colleges. Any edition 2010+ is fine.
You can also check out the websites “Colleges that change lives” and “the college solution”.
[Colleges</a> That Change Lives | Changing Lives. One Student at a Time.](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/]Colleges”>http://www.ctcl.org/)
[The</a> College Solution |](<a href=“http://www.thecollegesolution.com/]The”>http://www.thecollegesolution.com/)</p>
<p>I agree with the advice given above. You definitely should look at different types of schools that are close by so you can try to narrow down the environment/size of a school that you like the best. In addition, most colleges seem to have their campus newspaper online so if you can find that and read it, it can help give you a sense of what is going on and what the issues are on campus. Read the school websites carefully as well. And try to get a few college guide books so you get more than one opinion (I do like Fiske, but you can also look at Princetron Review, The Insiders Guide and any others you find). Also, some schools (especially the smaller private colleges) allow you to schedule an interview close to your home with an alumni.</p>