<p>How do you choose schools to apply to without having toured any. I never got to go on tours and now it's too late. Even so, I ahve to come up with 7-8 names to apply to and I don't know what to base my choices on. Clearly academics come first, but after that, how do you choose between good schools?</p>
<p>1) Check out a book like the Fiske Guide, The Insider's Guide to Colleges, etc.
2) Look at the colleges' websites. They should have plenty of resources for prospective students, and they probably even have virtual tours... not the same thing as the real deal, but okay nonetheless.
3) Check out homepages for departments you're interested in majoring in and clubs you might be interested in joining. Read the student newspaper online.
4) See if you can e-mail current students to ask questions.</p>
<p>Many students apply to schools before they visit campus. Campus visits are hard-- they are time-consuming, costly, and many times difficult. (Think about the hassle it must be to get to some of those "middle of nowhere" schools).</p>
<p>Come up with the best list you can, and then tour the schools after you're admitted. I'm not sure the tour gives you the best picture of the college in the first place-- I think an overnight or an extended visit is much more telling.</p>
<p>Search by the school name on youtube and check out the forums
on CC as well :)</p>
<p>We found the Princeton Review website very helpful. You can get a good idea of the atmosphere and type of student at every school by reading "What Students Say" about the Student Body, Academics and Campus Life. You can also see how your stats match up with the school's averages so you can get a better sense of which schools are matches, reaches or safeties.</p>
<p>I just got hooked to a totally cool way of doing this .... use
Google Earth and start from your home.... it would be like a real trip
by road or air and you can swish down like superman (or supergirl)
down on to your favorite campuses, look at the photographs and
satellite view and all the related links.....</p>
<p>:)</p>