@millie210
“Do they think students are, on the whole, more competitive or collaborative?”
This one line points an educational environment important to many students and programs. Some universities are even designing new buildings to specifically address this educational concern because of the recent focus on the project related format and team interaction. Yes, architects are even involved as design can assist, but most of the buildings look much the same.
You will have difficulty picking up on the cultural differences between student populations without interacting with the students themselves. Personalities and social attitudes are not always defined by GPAs or test scores. If possible, an overnight is a good idea for final choice selection.
Tours are more about facilities and are run by selected students. As suggested, pick up the university paper and initiate conversation with matriculating students. If you barge in on a table of four at the student center or snack bar you might get four opinions. Were they open and positive about their university? Why or why not?