<p>I don't know what colleges you were referring to, but am answering describing Harvard because that's the one that I'm most familiar with that fits your description of being elite with large tour groups, etc. </p>
<p>If a college is getting 20,000 or so applicants for 1,200 or so places as is the case for Harvard and also is a tourist destination, tour groups will be huge, and deans aren't going to be able to spend time meeting individually with applicants.</p>
<p>Places like Harvard attract lots of students who want to be doctors and lawyers. </p>
<p>Students who want to major in a subject like communications or journalism that would lead directly to a job should apply to schools that pride themselves on graduating students who immediately have the skills and credentials to enter the job market in the area of their choice. That's not what places like Harvard view as the purpose of the educations that they offer.</p>
<p>When it comes to Harvard, it is not a hand holding type of place, but is a delightful place for students who are very independent and want to run with their talents, interests and ideas. Students who would prefer to be on a campus where, for instance, the professors are often seen lunching with students, and the college values itself on being nurturing and helping along the unselfconfident and late bloomers would be better off applying to colleges that provide that kind of atmosphere.</p>
<p>I also can add that from what I've seen of state flagship universities tours, one finds similar situations: Tour groups are huge and the campuses don't seem like the type where students get lots of hand holding. As for applicants, usually they don't even get to be interviewed since interviews typically aren't offered at public universities. One can, however, major in fields like communication.</p>