By Sarah Burnett
To tour or not to tour? That is the major question that seniors are being faced with during the remainder of their senior year. As national College Decision Day, May 1st, is approaching, students are having to decide whether or not they are going to commit to a college they have never even been to. Here are several ways to tour a college campus during a pandemic while staying safe, and following CDC guidelines.
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- Virtual Tours: Most colleges are offering a virtual tour option for prospective freshmen to see what campus life is like, without actually traveling there. To access these tours, first visit the college’s website. From there, usually there will either be a virtual tour option underneath the “Student Life,” “Visit Us,” or “Admitted Student Tours” Tab. For example, on UMD’s website, all you have to do is click the search bar on the home page, and type in the word tour. You will then be able to choose from a variety of videos, including dorm, campus, dining hall, and recreational facilities tours. This is a great way to explore your future college’s campus and living experience without having to come in contact with anyone outside of your immediate family.
- Virtual Info Sessions: Instead of in-person orientation, many colleges are offering virtual informational sessions to connect with prospective students. Many college representatives, current and former students, and faculty members are hosting Zoom or Google Meetings to give students information about campus life, host live Q&A sessions, and answer any concerns a student may have. Keep a look out for a virtual orientation email that your college may possibly send you, as it is a great way to talk to people who have experience with that college.
- Tour (At your own Risk!): While it is not encouraged to travel during the pandemic, many seniors are deciding to travel and take their own self-guided tours at colleges/universities. A select few colleges are offering admitted and socially distant student tours, typically with a limit on the number of people in your family who can attend. On all college campuses, it is required that you wear a mask at all times, but at some colleges, such as Penn State, there will be a $250 fine if you are caught without one on. Many hotels are offering reduced rates at this time, and many students are taking advantage of it to tour colleges. Claire Kelly, a senior at Atholton high school who recently committed to Clemson University, took an in-person self guided tour and “loved it and really enjoyed [her] experience.” While a self-guided or very small admitted-student tour during a pandemic may not be the safest option, it is allowing prospective students to at least have some sense of what their future college may look like.
Over this past week, my dad and I traveled to North Carolina to tour UNC Chapel Hill. We took advantage of my day off of school on Wednesday by traveling down to North Carolina on early Tuesday morning, and driving back to Maryland on Wednesday night. Before driving down, we both tested negative for the coronavirus, and attended an admitted student virtual info session to have a better feel of the campus and student life. For our trip, we stayed at the AC Marriott Hotel, located in downtown Chapel Hill, and they were very safe with their precautions in order to prevent the spread of covid-19. When we arrived at Chapel Hill, the hotel staff was required to take our temperatures each time we entered the building. Other precautions included, but were not limited to; Only having one family in the elevator at a time, providing wipes and disinfectant spray in the hotel room, having the TV remote UV-cleaned and placed into a bag before the new family enters the hotel room, and all staff members wearing 2 masks and a facial shield at all times.
When we were touring UNC in person, my dad and I wore two masks to ensure that we were protected. We went inside a few buildings, chatted with current students (6 feet apart and outdoors of course), and enjoyed the nice North Carolina weather. Almost all of the local restaurants and shops offered outdoor seating/dining, and UNC traffic directors created a separate lane for the sole purpose of curbside restaurant delivery. Luckily we were able to access a self-guided map online, and we had a great time discovering all of the different academic buildings and recreational facilities. From what I saw at Chapel Hill, the University created many outdoor seating areas for students to hang out or study while being safe. There were also buildings dedicated to being covid-19 testing centers. My dad and I also made sure to test negative to covid-19, twice, to ensure that we were being safe and keeping the rest of our family safe.
Overall, the in-person tour I went on was a great experience that I would highly recommend to other seniors who are unsure of what college you want to attend next year; That is, if you are comfortable with following all CDC guidelines and practicing social distancing. If you aren’t comfortable with leaving your house or being with other people outside of your immediate family, I would highly suggest signing up for a virtual tour or a virtual info session. They are very informative and can provide you with a great feel for what in-person student life and activities are like.