Do I need to visit colleges this summer?

School’s out. Your schedule is finally open. And somewhere in the background, a parent, a counselor, or that one overachieving friend has mentioned “college visits.”

Maybe you’re excited about it. Maybe it sounds like a chore. Maybe you’re not even sure which schools you’d want to visit, or whether it’s worth the time and money to go see a campus in person when you can view a virtual tour from your couch. 

Here’s the honest answer: it depends on where you are in the process. But for most students, yes, visiting colleges is one of the most useful things you can do. Not because admissions offices keep track (though some do), but because there’s something that happens when you walk onto a campus that no website, brochure, or TikTok can replicate.

You feel something. Good or bad, clear or confusing, that feeling is still important data. And it’s the kind of data you can’t get any other way. 

Why Summer Visits Are Actually Great

You’ve probably heard that visiting during the school year is better because you’ll see the campus energy “in action.” That’s true in theory, but realistically, during the school year, you’re managing classes, extracurriculars, and homework. Fitting in campus visits could mean missing a day or two of school, which means makeup work and added stress. And if the schools you want to see are more than a few hours away, the logistics get complicated fast. 

Summer solves most of those problems. You have time. Your family (probably) also has more flexibility. And you can string together multiple campus visits in a single road trip without worrying about a calculus test on Monday. 

Yes, campus will be quieter. Fewer students walking around, some dining halls closed, maybe a more relaxed vibe overall. But you can still do things that matter:

• Sign up for the official tour. Admissions offices run tours during the summer too. Sign up in advance through the school’s website. These are led by current students and give you a solid overview of the campus, dorms, academic buildings, and student life.‍
• Attend an information session. Most schools pair tours with a presentation from an admissions officer. This is where you’ll learn about the application process, financial aid, and what the school is actually looking for. Pay attention. Take notes. The details here can shape your application later.‍
• Walk around on your own. This is the most important part, and most students skip it. After the official tour, spend an hour just wandering. Sit in the library. Walk through the student center. Check out the surrounding neighborhood. Eat somewhere nearby. You’re trying to answer one question: can I picture myself here? ‍
• Talk to people. If you see students on campus (there are usually some around, even in summer), ask them what they like and what they don’t. You’ll get more honest answers than anything on the school’s website.

When It Makes Sense to Visit

If you’re a rising junior:

This is the discovery phase. You don’t need a final list yet. The point of visiting now is to figure out what kind of campus feels right to you. Big or small? Urban or rural? Research university or liberal arts college? You might think you know the answer, but campuses have a way of surprising you. 

Try to visit a range of schools: a large state university, a mid-size private school, and a small liberal arts college. Even if none of these end up on your final list, you’ll learn a lot about your own preferences. That self-knowledge is the foundation of a strong college list.

If you’re a rising senior:

This is the narrowing phase. You should have a rough list of 8 to 12 schools by now, and summer visits are how you tighten it. Visit your top choices if you haven’t already. Pay special attention to the schools in the middle of your list, the targets and realistic reaches, because those are the ones you’re most likely to attend, and they deserve more than a cursory glance at a website. 

Rising seniors should also think about demonstrated interest. Some schools track whether you’ve visited, attended an info session, or engaged with their admissions office, and factor that into their decisions. This matters most at mid-tier selective schools. It matters less at highly selective schools (the Ivies, Stanford, MIT) where they get more interest than they can possibly track. But if a school on your list values demonstrated interest, a visit is one of the strongest signals you can send.

If you’re a rising sophomore (or younger):

No pressure. If your family is traveling near a college campus this summer, stop by and walk around. Soak it in. You could still do a formal visit but use this time to explore interests, not institutions. 

How to Make a Visit Actually Useful

The difference between a productive visit and a forgettable one comes down to preparation. Here’s what to do before, during, and after: 

Before:

• Sign up for the official tour and info session on the school’s admissions website. Slots fill up, especially in June, July and August. 
• Spend 30 minutes on the school’s website beforehand. Look at the department for your intended major, skim the student newspaper, check out clubs and organizations. You’re building a baseline so the visit adds to what you already know.
• Write down three to five questions you actually want answered. Not generic questions you could Google, but things like: what’s the advising system like? How easy is it to switch majors? What do students enjoy on weekends?

During:

• Take photos. Not just of the pretty buildings, but of the things that stand out to you, good or bad. A bulletin board full of interesting events. A dorm room that’s smaller than you expected. The view from the library. These will help you remember the feeling of each campus later. 
• Take notes right after the visit, while it’s fresh. What did you like? What didn’t click? How did the campus make you feel? Be specific. “I liked it” is not useful. “The engineering building felt modern and the students seemed genuinely excited about their research projects” is useful. 
• Don’t judge a school by the weather. Seriously. A rainy visit day does not mean four years of misery. Try to separate the temporary conditions from the permanent ones.

After:

• Compare your notes across schools while they’re still fresh. What patterns are you seeing? Do you keep gravitating toward smaller campuses? Schools in cities? Places with a specific vibe?
• Share your impressions with your parents. They’ll notice things you didn’t, and vice versa.
• Update your college list. If a visit confirmed your interest, great. If it removed a school from your list, that’s equally valuable. A shorter, more focused list is always better than a long, vague one. 

What If You Can’t Visit in Person?

Money, time, and distance are real constraints. Not every family can do a cross-country college tour, and that’s completely fine. Virtual tours, online info sessions, and video content from current students can fill a lot of the gap. And some families may prefer to visit campuses later, after a student receives an acceptance first. 

Here’s how to make the most of remote research:

• Most schools offer virtual tours on their admissions websites. These aren’t as good as being there, but they give you a sense of scale, architecture, and layout.
• YouTube is underrated. Search “a day in the life at [school name]” and you’ll find student-made vlogs that show the real campus experience, not the polished admissions version.
• Attend virtual info sessions. Many schools have continued offering these even post-pandemic, and they’re a great way to hear directly from admissions officers and ask questions.
• Check Google Maps Street View. Walk the campus and surrounding neighborhood virtually. It’s not the same as being there, but it tells you more than a brochure.

If you can visit even one or two schools in person, prioritize the ones you’re most seriously considering and fill in the rest with virtual research.