It’s time to decide on your future. It’s time to pick programs, schools and figure out what you’re doing with your life! It can be stressful, scary and down right exciting. Picking schools, let alone programs can be stressful especially if you’re uncertain or in a tie on where you want to go to get your education. School and program research and campus tours are the best pieces of judgement you can use to decide which school is the best for you. Here are a few reasons why you should take a campus tour of your school choices before you accept an offer:

Get information

You’re going to be spending the next couple of years here (depending on your program). You should see what programs, activities, services, clubs, sports and surrounding city area your school has to offer. If you aren’t interested in anything the school or city is offering, you might not enjoy your time there. The school has to be a right fit for you and a place that meets your needs.

Eliminate the schools that don’t interest you

Let’s be honest; there are schools that are going to excite you, and there and schools that just don’t really interest you. By touring the campus, you are able to eliminate the schools that you absolutely have no interest going to after visiting the campus in person.

First hand experience

You won’t know what you do or don’t like until you go and experience it first hand. The dream school you thought you really wanted to go to might not live up to what you thought it would be, or the school you didn’t think you wanted to go to is now your first choice. You have to go out and talk to the students, see the campus and experience it for yourself. Seeing pictures is not enough!

The atmosphere

Every place has a vibe to it whether you observe it or not; vibe being the feeling of the place you’re in whether it is a comfortable, uncomfortable, home, etc. Every place you visit has a certain atmosphere and you want to make sure that it fits you and what you’re looking for. The school should have an atmosphere that doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. You don’t know the feeling of the school until you visit. You can narrow down your school selection by how you feel when you’re on the campus, talking to the students, teachers and residents etc.

There are various reasons why you should visit and tour the schools you’re interested in going to. Ultimately, you should not make a blind decision about where you want to go. You should get as much information as possible to make an informed decision. Now go and get touring!