college tours today

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking

Virtual college tours are considered one of the easiest, most accessible ways to learn about a school. While a more typical college tour may still be conducted in-person, the reality of that is changing. With the technological advances of the last 10-15 years, virtual tours have become a new, affordable possibility. Indeed, a virtual college tour can be an excellent way to learn about a school’s campus, programs, student life, clubs and activities, and much more.

You might be curious, how exactly do virtual college tours work? The answer depends on the school. Some virtual tours are live streams or recordings of in-person campus tours. Others are interactive maps where you can click on buildings and see what happens inside. Some will even include Q&A sessions with students. These are just some of the many ways schools show prospective students what life is like on campus. However, not all virtual college tours are created equal.

In this article, we’ll explore the world of virtual college visits, including:

• Benefits of engaging in college tours
• Similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours
• Different formats of virtual tours
• Top 25 virtual tours worth taking
• How to plan and make the most of your college visits
• What comes next after a college tour 

Without a doubt, college visits will play an integral role in your college journey. So, let’s dive into why college visits are so important to the application process. 

Why College Visits?

Before we explore virtual college tours in greater detail, let’s discuss why college visits are important to begin with. First and foremost, college tours are a way to learn about schools before you apply or even attend. Attending college is a big commitment. Therefore, taking the time to learn more about each school will allow you to feel more confident in deciding where to attend. 

Secondly, the college admissions process is a time of self-exploration. By engaging in college tours, you can learn more about yourself just as you do about colleges. Maybe you will notice you like smaller campuses that aren’t in bustling cities. Or perhaps you will realize that having a lot of cultural diversity on campus is important. By learning these facts about yourself, you will contribute to your overall personal development as well as create a holistic college list.

Lastly, college visits for juniors help to put together a strong application. Many colleges request that you write a supplemental essay about why you want to attend their school. Through a visit, you can gain knowledge about the school and be able to speak passionately and specifically about why you wish to attend in your essays. This is more critical than ever since the number of applications has skyrocketed at many schools. As such, you’ll need to make sure your application demonstrates why you are a clear fit.

College visits and the admissions process

As you may have already gathered, there are two times when you might find it most valuable to visit colleges:

Before applying

Virtual college tours and in-person campus tours can help you narrow down your college list. In doing so, you will only spend money and time applying to colleges that you would really love to attend. College visits for juniors can also help them write stronger essays.

After admission to make a final matriculation decision

If you are admitted to multiple schools, a campus visit can help you feel more confident in your final decision. As a senior, you also might have more specific questions about certain activities or campus life. Getting to know the campus more can also help ease the transition into your first year. Since you’ll already know where important buildings and resources are located, your first day may not be as overwhelming!

Now that you understand the importance of college visits, let’s explore what goes into planning a college visit.

Planning your college visit

As we shared, college visits are an important part of the admissions process. However, planning in-person campus tours can be time-consuming and expensive. To begin, you and your family will need to explore what times of year are best to travel. Some common times to visit schools are during school breaks or summer vacations. However, if you hope to see more activity on campus, then try to plan your visit when classes are in session. 

Next, we recommend setting up a visit with the admissions office. While you can, in most cases, visit a campus without an appointment, the appointment helps you gain access to a tour. It may even allow you to speak with an admissions officer. Ideally, you will book this appointment a few months before the visit. If you find yourself running short on time, you can also show up on campus and take a self-guided tour. Occidental College , Haverford College , and Claremont McKenna College all offer self-guided tours, whether using a printed map or a downloadable app. 

The cost of college visits

Regardless of whether you pre-schedule your visit, you will need to pay for your travel including transportation, hotels, and meals. Many students try to see multiple schools in one visit to save money and time.

For some students, setting up in-person visits is difficult. Beyond the expensive nature of travel, parents or guardians may not be able to take off work or find childcare. Some high schools organize college visits for juniors, or even sophomores, where adult chaperones take large groups of students to visit schools. However, this may not be an option at your school.

If the cost and logistics required to attend in-person college tours is prohibitive, don’t worry! In the next sections, we’ll discuss the many similarities, as well as the unique benefits, of virtual college tours.

COVID-19’s Impact on College Visits

While virtual tours existed pre-pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic made them a necessity as college campus tours were canceled. Since then, virtual tours have become more advanced and more widely available. In some cases, college virtual tours can offer as much, or more, than an in-person campus visit.

While many students still prefer in-person visits, virtual tours can be used as a tool to explore colleges earlier in the application journey. Virtual tours can also be useful to prepare for an in-person visit. If a student can spend 15 minutes taking a virtual tour and noting what buildings or parts of campus interest them most, then they can focus their in-person tour on those aspects. 

Overall, virtual tours are an excellent way to visit schools that are completely inaccessible, such as ones that are too far away. Many international students use virtual college tours to explore campuses they wish to attend. Indeed, the fact that virtual tours exploded during the pandemic has raised several questions about accessibility, including the need to make more tours available in multiple languages or geared towards low-income families.

Coming up, we will explore more about the similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours. 

In-person vs Virtual College Tours

Luckily, visiting colleges today does not require you to go to a campus. Indeed, the number and quality of virtual campus tours for students have skyrocketed in recent years. Undoubtedly, there are similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college tours.

Similarities between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

• They provide a layout of the campus.
• They allow students to get a sense of the campus architecture, including the inside of academic buildings and dorms. For example, UT San Antonio offers special housing tours for students to see where they might be living.
• Students can learn about specific academic programs. For instance, Harvard offers a specialized in-person tour for engineering and applied sciences students in addition to the Harvard virtual tour.
• They offer insight into student life on campus. Emerson College , for example, offers videos of students talking about their transition to life in Boston and co-curricular activities.
• Tours allow students to explore the available clubs and activities on campus.
• They are opportunities to hear directly from actual students about their experiences. Colgate , Princeton , and Barnard all offer virtual conversations with students.
• Students can get some of their doubts answered. Many tours offer a live Q&A with current students. Pomona ’s live virtual sessions include this offering.

Differences between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

Note that depending on the school, you may or may not receive information about that school’s admissions process during a tour, whether in-person or virtual. Several schools, like Spelman , encourage students to schedule separate webinars to learn more about the admissions process, as this is not a topic covered in their campus tours. 

Now that we have explored the similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college visits, let’s look more deeply into when and how to use virtual college tours.

Understanding Virtual College Tours

When first hearing about virtual college visits, many students and families are skeptical about how useful they can be. However, college virtual tours have advanced so much in recent years that many offer a similar, if not enhanced, experience to an in-person visit. 

As we discussed, there are several obvious reasons why college virtual tours are easier than in-person, including the fact that they are free and require little to no planning. In the following sections, we will discover more of the benefits and uses of virtual college tours. We will also discuss how they work and explore some of the best virtual college tours that exist today.

Are Virtual College Tours Worth It?

Yes—college virtual tours are absolutely worth your time! Indeed, virtual college tours can be a very good investment of time depending on where you are in your college admissions process. Let’s explore some ways that you can use virtual college visits to aid you in your college decision-making process:

Initial exploration of schools

As a freshman or sophomore in high school, you might not know how to prepare for the college process. Using virtual college tours, you can begin to explore schools and learn about what you like and don’t like in a college. This process can help you stay motivated to work hard as you will visualize your goals with greater clarity. You will also begin to learn what types of schools you are drawn to, which can help you build a college list faster in your junior year.

Exploring more and different schools

In the past, many students were limited to only visiting schools they could travel to. In some cases, leaving their state or country was impossible. Virtual college tours offer much more accessibility for students who cannot travel large distances. Also, since they can be completed in much less time than in-person college campus tours, virtual college visits may allow you to explore schools you had never considered. Perhaps you were only considering applying to big public schools. With virtual college visits, you can branch out and easily explore small, liberal arts colleges as well.

Narrowing down the list of schools you might want to visit in person

You might have a long college list. Ideally, you’ll want to cut it down when considering which schools to visit. This is where virtual college visits offer a unique opportunity to make the most of your time and resources. Before you get on the road, you can do a virtual tour to see if you like the campus enough to visit. Or perhaps the virtual tour helps you see which parts of campus you want to explore further, or which buildings you want to enter.

Alternatively, maybe your virtual college visits give you the confidence to know you like the school enough that you don’t need to spend lots of money on a flight in your junior year. Perhaps you will wait and see if you are admitted and visit the school afterward to decide if you want to attend.

Certainly, we can agree there are many benefits to virtual college visits. However, some virtual college tours are more interactive, engaging, and informative than others. Later, we will explore some of the virtual college tours that are worth taking.

While the quality of the tour may depend on the schools you’re interested in, how much you get out of them ultimately depends on you. We will explore how to make the most of your college virtual tours later. 

What Are Virtual College Tours Like?

Now that we have convinced you that college virtual tours are beneficial, let’s look at what you can expect from them. Most virtual college tours for students have some combination of the following offerings:

Guided tour of campus

This can include a combination of interactive maps and pictures, embedded videos, informational text, and voiceovers describing what you are seeing. Some college virtual tours offer 360-degree views that allow you to click around and move through campus as if you were there, such as the University of Tampa ’s tour. Even more advanced tours offer immersive virtual reality (VR) technology which allows you to put on a headset and bring the campus to life in front of your eyes. However, VR campus tours typically require you to have your own equipment at home.

Campus highlights

Most virtual college tours for students will highlight important buildings or landmarks. These can include academic buildings, monuments, libraries, dining halls, residence halls, and the student union. By showing you these buildings, schools hope to give you a sense of what your day-to-day life may look like as a student there.

Student testimonials

Another helpful part of college virtual tours is student testimonials. Sometimes, this looks like students leading a campus tour while sharing their own experiences. Other times, schools will offer webinars for prospective students to ask questions of others. More common these days is the use of social media to share student experiences. Some schools will allow students to “take over” their social media accounts and post about their day so that prospective students can see what a day on campus is like. Consider following schools of interest on social media so you can get an insider’s perspective.

Now that you know what you can generally expect from college virtual tours, let’s explore the differences between college campus tours across schools.

How Do Virtual College Tours Work?

As the name suggests, virtual tours happen via a computer, phone, or other piece of technology. However, that can look very different depending on the school you are investigating. As we shared above, many virtual college tours for students include some kind of guided tour of campus, a list of highlights, and student testimonials. However, these items can come in very different formats.

Here are some of the formats you can expect:

Pre-recorded videos.

These can look like videos of a student giving a tour or a video of activities happening around campus. Since these are the simplest version of virtual college tours for students, they are the most common. Schools like Dartmouth , CalPoly , and Vassar all offer pre-recorded tours. 

Interactive videos

Some videos let you click on buildings or landmarks as you watch to learn more. In some cases, you can even enter buildings. For example, the Harvard virtual tour lets you click through photos of the athletic center, dorms, libraries, labs, and quads. The Harvard virtual tour also includes a voiceover that provides additional information as you scroll through images. 

Interactive map s

Here you’ll have a map of campus, whether flat or 360 degrees, that lets you click on landmarks to gather more information. Cornell , Bucknell , Wesleyan , and Pace all have online maps you can explore.

Live streams

This is a video that is being filmed at the same time you are watching it. Live streams sometimes offer a chance for Q&A with the student hosting. To take advantage of this, you will need to be present at the exact time the live stream is being shared. In some cases, you may need to register ahead of time to receive the link. An example of a live tour is at the University of Pennsylvania , where students register ahead of time for a one-hour, live, student-led virtual campus tour.

Live Virtual Tour vs. Pre-Recorded Tour

Take special note of the distinction between live virtual tours and pre-recorded virtual tours. Live virtual tours are being streamed as you watch them, which means you will get a better sense of what is happening right then and there on campus. Sometimes, live virtual tours include a Q&A section where you can ask questions. Meanwhile, pre-recorded virtual tours are less interactive but offer the flexibility of watching them whenever you can.

A common platform for many of these virtual college tours is YouVisit . YouVisit specializes in making virtual experiences as interactive as possible. For that reason, you may notice that many of the online virtual college tours you discover are similar in format. YouVisit’s tours tend to include interactive 360-degree maps, voiceovers, videos, and photos.

As you can tell, there are many formats and options for virtual tours. Indeed, the menu of options has exploded in recent years, in part due to the necessity created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we will look more closely at when to take a virtual tour and explore some of the most helpful virtual tours worth taking.

When is the right time to take a Virtual Tour?

Virtual college tours can be useful at any stage, whether you’re already working on applications or just starting to build your college list.  No matter where you are in the college admissions process, remember: it’s never too early to take a virtual tour! However, before you start exploring virtually, it’s useful to know how virtual college tours can benefit you.

Tours for sophomores, juniors, and seniors

Virtual college tours will look different for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a sophomore, a virtual tour might be a way to dip your toes into the world of college admissions. Since you can take virtual college tours from the comfort of your own home, this is a low-stakes way to get a feel for which colleges you’re interested in applying to. 

College visits for juniors are a bit more meaningful. You may be starting to create a college list, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the different parts of the virtual tour. Consider taking notes as you go, so that when you start applying to schools you have observations from your virtual tour to look back on. 

If you’re a senior, there’s another important aspect of virtual college tours to keep in mind: demonstrated interest. When colleges read your application, they often look for “demonstrated interest,” which is a way that you demonstrate that you care about the school. Colleges want to admit students who will ultimately choose that college, and one way to show that you care about a school is to attend a tour. 

What Colleges Offer Virtual Tours?

In general, virtual college tours make tours accessible for people who can’t travel to the school for whatever reason. Most schools understand that not all students can visit in person and will offer some type of virtual tour—whether it’s a recorded tour, a video of the campus, or another interactive option. 

So, how do you decide which ones to take? Up next, you’ll find our list of the best virtual college tours that we think are worth your time.

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking!

As we’ve discussed, virtual tours are a great way to get a feel for a school’s campus without having to make the trip to visit. You can take a virtual tour at almost any time—you can even take one more than once!

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 25 great virtual college tours that you can embark on in lieu of a traditional college visit. 

Top 25 Virtual College Tours

1. princeton university.

First on our list of virtual college tours worth taking is Princeton University. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton is ranked #1 in National Universities. Princeton’s virtual tour consists of a live-streamed Zoom webinar, where one of their tour guides will take you along with them on their campus tour. You can even ask your guide questions in the Zoom chat!

2. Harvard University

Next on our list of best virtual college tours is Harvard University, located in Cambridge, MA. The Harvard virtual tour is self-guided, meaning that you can click around the Harvard virtual tour to see panoramic views of Harvard’s classic New England campus at your own pace. Plus, if you’re interested in Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, there’s a separate Harvard virtual tour that goes into even more detail on that school’s offerings.

3. University of Pennsylvania

If you’re interested in UPenn but can’t make it out to Philadelphia, you can explore UPenn’s campus with virtual college visits. You have to sign up online to take one of Upenn’s virtual college tours since they’re led live by Penn’s student tour guides. With these live tours, every tour is different. Since different students give them each time, if you decide to take the tour more than once, you’ll likely learn something new! 

4. Cornell University

The virtual college tours at Cornell are self-guided. This means that you can take yourself around Cornell’s beautiful campus in Ithaca, NY, at your own pace. At each location, Cornell supplies fun facts and details about the campus that can help you get to know the school better. 

5. Dartmouth College

With Dartmouth’s virtual college tours, you can get the best of both worlds: a live-streamed campus tour and a self-guided tour. If you’re just beginning to think about Dartmouth as an option, watch their video of a pre-recorded tour to get a feel. If Dartmouth is your dream school, get to know their campus in bucolic Hanover, NH, by taking a live virtual tour led by a student—that way, you can ask all of your questions and feel more like you’re really there!

6. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) – San Luis Obispo

If you want to know more about Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, they provide a wealth of virtual college tours that you can take. Not only does Cal Poly offer the classic student-led virtual tours and prerecorded tours. They also have virtual tours of their housing and of each academic college. Even if you can’t make it out to this coastal California city, you’ll have a great feel for the Cal Poly campus. 

7. Barnard College

Curious about college in the Big Apple? Take one of Barnard’s virtual college tours. Once you register for Barnard’s virtual tour, you gain access to spaces in Barnard that aren’t even available on the in-person tour. Barnard also offers an audio tour, where you can listen along to a live tour guide.

8. Pomona College

At Pomona, a college located in Pomona, California, you can explore in a multitude of ways. Pomona offers a pre-recorded virtual tour, as well as info sessions and webinars that you can attend from home. 

9. University of Texas – San Antonio

Located in San Antonio, TX, the University of Texas campus at San Antonio offers a self-guided virtual tour. At each location on the virtual tour, UT offers a video accompanied by written information to help you get to know the campus better.

10. Wesleyan University

If you’re looking for an idyllic New England campus, you’ll find one with Wesleyan’s virtual college tours. Wesleyan is a small liberal arts school located in Middletown, Connecticut, and you can follow along with a current student as they “walk” you through different locations on campus. 

11. Colgate University

Located in Hamilton, ME, Colgate’s beautiful campus is just a few clicks away. Colgate’s college virtual tours let students make their way through the campus on their own time, and you can supplement your virtual college visit with webinars and online info sessions. 

12. Washington State University

Though Pullman, Washington would be beautiful to see in person, WSU’s college virtual tours will make you feel like you’re right there without ever leaving your house. WSU offers a personal tour, where you can direct yourself around the Washington State campus. 

13. Bucknell University

At Bucknell University, you can take college virtual tours by navigating through their virtual campus map. Though you might not get a feel of Bucknell’s location in Lewisburg, PA, you’ll come away with a great understanding of their campus—they even have a specialized map for prospective engineering students. 

14. Vassar College

Next on the list of college virtual tours worth doing is Vassar. Vassar is located in scenic upstate New York, but if you don’t want to make the trip, you can easily get a feeling for the campus with their many options for college virtual tours. Vassar offers an interactive campus tour, a 30-minute preview video of the campus, and even sample classes and recordings of past events. 

15. Claremont McKenna College

The second of the Claremont Colleges after Pomona, Claremont McKenna offers recorded video tours and self-guided college virtual tours. Claremont McKenna is also located in Pomona, CA. So, if you’re virtually touring Pomona, you might as well give Claremont McKenna a look as well!

16. Haverford College

If you’re interested in living in Pennsylvania, you can give this lovely campus located just outside of Philly a look. Haverford offers live virtual tours where two students will take you on a “stroll” across campus, giving you advice and answering questions along the way. 

17. Harvey Mudd College

If you love Pomona, CA, but Claremont McKenna and Pomona weren’t your vibe, give Harvey Mudd a try. Harvey Mudd’s college virtual tours consist of separate videos for each stop along the tour that take you through all of the most important buildings on Harvey Mudd’s campus. 

18. Middlebury College

For your Middlebury College virtual tours, you get all the benefits of variety. Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, VT, has a wealth of options for students who don’t choose to do college campus tours in person. This includes virtual tours in English and Spanish, self-guided interactive maps, recorded information sessions, and more. 

19. Pace University

If you want to get to know Pace University, the college offers interactive maps for both of its campuses—one in NYC and one in Westchester, NY. Using Pace’s maps, you can make the most of New York City college campus tours without ever having to navigate the subway. 

20. Occidental College

Next on our list of virtual college campus tours worth taking is Occidental College. Located in sunny Los Angeles, CA, Occidental offers a self-guided virtual tour, where you can click through 360 views of the campus and hear from Occidental’s student tour guides along the way. 

21. Furman University

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Furman University also offers stellar options for their virtual college campus tours. Furman gives you the option to explore individual campus buildings with interactive and immersive technology, which includes videos from their tour guides to give you insider knowledge about each location. 

22. Spelman College

If you want to tour Spelman, you don’t have to go all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. You can take one of their virtual college campus tours, where you can take your time looking at each of their buildings. Spelman’s virtual map lets you see inside and outside of many different campus locations, and get a better feel for the vibe of the campus as a whole.

23. Emerson College

Located in Boston, MA, Emerson offers lots of options for students who want to take college virtual tours. Using an interactive map , prospective students can make their way around Emerson’s campus to explore different buildings and facilities. The Emerson campus map also includes some city landmarks, like Boston Common, that are close to campus and part of the Emerson experience.

24. University of Tampa

At the University of Tampa, students can take college virtual tours to get a feel for the beautiful Tampa, FL campus. The University of Tampa offers tour videos, 360 interactive campus tours, as well as virtual visits. If you register for a virtual visit, you’ll also be able to attend a 30-minute info session hosted by an admissions counselor. 

25. Texas State University

For the last school on our list of college virtual tours worth taking, we visit (or more accurately, don’t visit) Texas State. Texas State offers a virtual interactive map, a video tour led by student tour guides, and also provides a presentation where you can learn more about the academics and admissions policies at the school. You can tour both of Texas State’s locations, one in San Marcos and one just north of Austin.

As you can see, not all virtual college visits follow the exact same format. However, there are certainly many opportunities to “visit” a school without ever stepping foot on campus. Next, let’s talk about scheduling and making the most of your college visits.

How To Schedule Virtual College Visits

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best virtual college tours that you can take, let’s talk about some logistics. 

For most virtual college tours, you can take them whenever you want—that’s part of why they’re so great! Whatever your schedule is, you can slide in a college visit on your own time. You could even do a bit of a virtual college visit, take a break, and come back and finish later. It’s totally up to you. 

Schools may ask you for your name and email when you click on their virtual college visits. This is totally fine, and also can work to your advantage. Remember demonstrated interest? You want the college to know that you’ve taken their college campus tours, whether it’s a virtual college visit or in-person. This is especially meaningful in college visits for juniors or seniors.

Even though many virtual college visits can be done on your own schedule, some schools offer live virtual tours. If you want to take one of these college campus tours, you’ll need to sign up in advance. Even though these virtual college tours for students require a little bit more planning, it can be helpful to be in a Zoom with other prospective students and tour guides so that you can ask questions in real time. 

Making the Most of a Virtual College Visit

Even though you might be taking your virtual college tours from your bed, it’s important to still make the most of it. While a virtual tour might not feel the same as in-person college campus tours, there are some things you can do to make the most of the experience. 

Block out dedicated time

At first, virtual college tours for students might not seem very outwardly engaging. However, you should try and make the most of your experience. Don’t multitask, or do college campus tours while you’re watching TV. This is still a college visit, and you want to treat it as such. Immerse yourself in your virtual college visit—you want to get as close as you can to experiencing it in person! 

Consider your priorities

Virtual college visits can serve different purposes for different students. Some students have no idea what they’re looking for from their college campus, and others are already set on what they want their college experience to look like. On the virtual tour, make sure to look at the school’s housing, academic facilities, recreational facilities, and transportation. If there’s a must on your list—for example, if you want a school with a main quad, or a school that’s integrated into a city—see if the school has it! 

Ask questions

If you’re taking a tour on your own, think about the questions you’d have for a tour guide if there was one present. What can you learn from virtual college tours for students, and what do you still have questions about? These are the kinds of things you could ask in an information session or research after your tour.

Next Steps after your Virtual Tour

Once you’ve finished your virtual tour, there are some next steps you can take to make the most of it. 

If you’re just starting to build out your college list, think about what stood out most from your campus tours. Write down some big takeaways from the school, or a list of pros and cons, so you can start comparing schools that you want to put on your college list. These can be informal—something like “huge library,” or “weird vibe” is totally fine—just make sure you write down enough to remember how you felt about the school so you don’t have to take the virtual tour a second time.

If you’re ready to apply, reach out to admissions with any questions you have after the virtual college tours. Explore the application requirements at the schools you’re most excited about. See if the school has any supplemental essays that ask you why you’re interested in the school—these virtual tours can give you great talking points about the school that you might want to include in an essay.

Sometimes after a virtual tour, you might still not know how you feel about a school—that’s okay! Virtual tours are just one way to get to know a college. You can keep doing research, and take advantage of other virtual resources offered by the school. 

Even More Virtual Opportunities

So what are the other ways to learn more about a school from the comfort of your own home?

Along with the virtual campus tour, many schools also offer virtual information sessions. These are Zoom calls with admissions officers who are there to provide information on the school and answer applicants’ questions. Attending information sessions can also be a way to show demonstrated interest to a school that you want to attend. 

Some schools also have student testimonials, or other videos with students who can answer questions about the school. These are a great way to see what actual students think about attending the school. Many colleges also provide a way to reach students at the school with questions—email the admissions office and ask if there are students you can talk to about their experience. 

Virtual College Tours – Final Takeaway

College visits for juniors, seniors, and sophomores are an important part of the college admissions process. Since the pandemic, you can go on amazing virtual college visits from the comfort of your own home. On a virtual college tour, you can get to know the campus, and see what kinds of resources the school has to offer.

There are a few different types of virtual college tours for students. Some are interactive maps, where you can click on different buildings and explore. Others provide a 360 view of various parts of campus. Some are live Zoom meetings led by student tour guides, and some schools provide pre-recorded videos that you can watch. All of these virtual tours are great options to learn more about the school, and if a school provides more than one, they’re all worth doing!

When you’re taking a virtual college tour, make sure to make the most of it. Set aside some time to really focus on the tour, keep your priorities in mind, and take notes on things that stick out to you and questions you have during the tour. 

If at the end of your virtual tour, you’re sure that you’ve found your dream school, don’t hesitate to reach out to CollegeAdvisor for application guidance. Our team of experts is always here to support students in navigating the admissions process. Happy (virtual) exploring!

This article was written by senior advisor Courtney Ng and advisor Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Colleges and universities across the world offer virtual alternatives to on-campus tours and information sessions. 

Colleges and Universities That Offer Virtual Campus Tours

Below is a table of colleges and universities with virtual alternatives to on-campus tours sorted by state. If you don’t see your prospective school(s), check directly on school sites. Best of luck with your virtual tours in this moment of social distancing. Kudos to you for being resourceful!

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How to Make the Most of Touring Colleges Virtually

Now that COVID-19 has closed college campuses, experts walk us through how to choose a school online.

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Right now, in an alternate universe, high school students are traveling the country looking at prospective colleges. In any ordinary year, juniors would be touring schools over spring break and seniors would be preparing for admitted students weekends. Even admissions officers would be flying around the nation, attending college fairs and speaking to high schoolers unable to travel. But in the era of COVID-19, these journeys are some of the millions that have been cancelled.

In a recent Scoir survey , 80% of high school juniors and 84% of parents surveyed reported that campus visits are extremely or very important to their college selection process—so, what now? T&C spoke with college admissions experts to get advice for students and parents alike on how to virtually visit and choose a school.

Evaluate Yourself Before Evaluating A School

Before scheduling a virtual tour, it's important to figure out what kinds of colleges you may be interested in. Jennie Taylor Tucker is the CEO and founder of Pointer , an app designed to inform students about the admissions process and help them customize their search to fit their needs. Her biggest piece of advice for prospective students is to use this time at home to self-evaluate.

"This moment actually provides an opportunity to take pause and reflect on who you are as a person," Tucker suggested. "This is such a challenging process under normal circumstances, and in this moment, so much of what I think students should be doing is thinking about who they are and what makes them tick. The more self-aware they are, the better their college exploration will be."

Many college counselors ask students to make lists of qualities they'd value in a school. Aaron Fulk, director of college counseling at Marin Academy, a prestigious independent school in Northern California, asks students to take this questioning a step further.

"I think this is an opportunity for our students to actually do the search process in a more thoughtful way," Fulk said. "An important thing for our students is to articulate why they want to go to college. Many of our students and parents often scoff when we ask, but a lot of students can't answer that."

From there, Fulk asks students to figure out what they want out of college, and then explore online resources through that lens. This is also how students should be approaching the task of putting together their wishlist of schools.

Adam Lips, Director of College Counseling at Stanford's Online High School, does not see virtual counseling as an impediment to the process, having worked with students via video conference even before the pandemic.

"Initially, it’s finding places that are a good fit for the student, and then when they're applying, it’s helping them put together a strong application," Lips said. "I think that all of that can be done extremely effectively in an online environment. I don’t think you have to give much up at all. "

Where To Look

Once you've listed a few schools of interest, the next step is to go to a college's website. While these websites are large and overwhelming, there are specific areas targeted to prospective students.

Whitney Soule, Dean of Admissions and Student Aid at Maine's Bowdoin College, suggests beginning with the school's admission requirements. She also noted that many schools that usually mandate standardized testing are relaxing those requirements this year (Bowdoin, for one, is test-optional).

"It's very important to be looking to see how colleges are responding to what would normally be their admission requirements, both curriculum-wise and through standardized testing, so students can feel secure about what they’re going to have available at the time they apply," Soule said.

Financial aid is another incredibly important factor to consider as you're researching your potential schools. Most institutions have a calculator online where students can input their information and get an estimate about the cost of attendance. Soule noted, "[Students] really should be exploring financial aid as much as they should be exploring what the college is like."

Next on the website, take a look at the school's curriculum. Especially for seniors trying to decide between schools, Fulk asks his students to dive deeply into requirements and course offerings: "[What] always shocks me, the longer I do this job, is the number of students that are going to leave for college in five or six months and have not looked up the curriculum."

Finally, investigate what's important to you. Look at the website pages and social media accounts for potential majors. Research extracurricular options that interest you. Explore housing options. Make sure you're thoroughly examining whatever aspects of college you, personally, value.

Must-Reads for the College Search

Frank Bruni Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania

Dave Evans and Bill Burnett Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

Loren Pope Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges

Edward B. Fiske Fiske Guide to Colleges 2020

Feel (almost) like you're on campus.

There are a number of ways to explore campus or speak to students and admissions officers online. From online campus tours to Zoom information sessions, colleges are more virtually accessible than ever.

Though this year may be disappointing for some students, Soule noted that tens of thousands of students nationwide each year are unable to visit colleges before attending, so schools have already been trying to provide more virtual options. "It’s important to keep in mind that the lack of opportunity to visit is a new issue for some families and a familiar issue for a lot of families," she pointed out.

When looking at schools virtually, first join the mailing lists of colleges of interest. That way, prospective students will learn about upcoming virtual programming and options via email, which is particularly crucial in this admissions cycle.

"Recognize that college admissions are creating a lot of content very quickly to try to accommodate the lack of in-person exposure," Soule said. "The best way for students to have access to that content is to get onto the mailing lists of colleges they might be interested in."

Once you're informed, there will likely be plenty of virtual options available. YouVisit offers free virtual campus tours of over six hundred colleges and universities. All of our experts advised that students attend online information sessions through the schools' admissions offices. And many schools are offering live chat services on their websites, where prospective students can be connected with an admissions officer or student, similar to a customer service experience you might find while online shopping.

Our experts also recommended a number of other online resources and websites, including Niche , College Confidential , Campus Reel , and individual schools' social media accounts. All of theses sources will provide more information about each school, and many also feature photos and video which enable students to get a sense of the campus. Students can also use Google Maps to look at a school's surrounding area, Tucker says: "Are there things in your day-to-day now that you want to carry over to your college experience? Does that environment have similar things?"

Experts' Picks: Online Resources

YouVisit offers virtual campus tours of over 600 colleges and universities. Many tours are accompanied by student guides, providing their commentary on the school.

This site allows you to search colleges based on the qualities you value like cost, major, selectivity, or religion. Niche also provides student reviews and comments.

Google Maps

Tucker recommends students use Google Maps to explore the area surrounding a school of interest. Use the satellite view to explore a college's landscape, especially if you can't get there in person.

Pointer helps students take control over their college process and find a school that is the right fit for them, through school profiles, personality quizzes, scheduling help, and self-reflection.

Information sessions with admissions officers should also be a part of your virtual college visit. Knowing the constraints of social distancing, colleges are giving students greater access to their faculty and staff than ever before.

"Schools are trying to be mindful of this moment and be as flexible, adaptive, and empathetic as possible to students," Tucker said. "So, there are resources on a school-by-school basis that are available in a way that they wouldn’t be normally."

All of our experts agreed that the best way to get a real sense of a school is to talk to as many people as possible, whether you connect with alumni from your high school or ask a school's admissions office to connect you with current students and faculty. "It’s not just browsing a website. It’s interactive; it’s a human being who has a personality and a smile and gestures and is answering questions in real time," Soule said.

Students can tell a lot about a college based on how they're treated, Lips noted. He asks his students to "make direct contact with people who will give you a good sense of what’s going to be available to you [at this school], and then also how helpful and welcoming the people from those offices are, too."

A major part of the college search has always been finding a school you connect to personally, as well as academically. That does not change, even though today's search process is different.

Keep Some Perspective.

Make no mistake—this is an incredibly difficult time to be applying to college. With mounting uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus, colleges are unsure how and in what form the fall semester will take place, and some current seniors are considering taking a gap year to avoid the possibility of beginning college online.

"I’ve definitely had many more students thinking about delaying," Lips said. "In any year, I think it’s a great idea. Particularly this year, if the college gives that option."

While 89% of Scoir survey respondents said they had no intention of delaying enrollment, those figures may change as we learn more about the impact of COVID-19. Lips also noted that possible deferrals could have rippling consequences, including lower college admittance rates for the class of 2021, since fewer spots will be available if many current seniors defer admission.

With standardized test dates being cancelled and high schools moving to pass/fail grading systems, there are numerous other complications to consider. But despite all of these hiccups, it's important for students to keep everything in perspective.

To that end, Fulk recommended students put more of an emphasis on wellness in their college plans—for instance, an incoming freshman might plan out five things they will do to build community once the semester begins.

"Wellness is actually a far better indicator of success and persistence and graduation than even standardized testing or high school GPA," Fulk said. "We’re trying to talk to our students... more about how you are going to find your community as quickly as possible, and how are you going to find people that you can connect with and trust."

"Your primary concern needs to be your personal health and well-being. You need to do what’s best for you," Lips said. "Even though people are skeptical of the colleges and cynical about the admissions process, I think [the colleges] try to be reasonable and are going to be accepting and understanding."

Finally, remember that you are not alone. The whole world has been turned upside down by the coronavirus and everyone is handling it in their own way. Students will react differently, but remember that everyone applying to college right now is going through the same problems.

"I try to remind our juniors that every junior in the country is going through this," Fulk said. "They shouldn’t feel like they're behind—certainly they can have all sorts of emotional responses to this. They can be frustrated or angry or disappointed, but it should be unifying. Everyone is experiencing this together."

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Harvard visitor center tours.

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For information about Harvard College Admissions tours for prospective students, visit their website .

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The free, student-led public walking tour through Harvard Yard provides a history of the University, general information, and a unique view on the students’ individual experience. 

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Explore Harvard with our free mobile app, featuring a collection of self-guided walking tours. Whichever tour you decide to embark on, you’ll be sure to learn something new.

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Learn the history behind well-known spots across Harvard’s campus! Each stop highlights iconic buildings, traditions, alumni, and much more.

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Explore vibrant public art in Allston! You’ll encounter can’t-miss installations along Western Avenue and learn the stories behind them and their artists.

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Discover a new side to our campus through an art-filled adventure! Explore outdoor art, famous architecture, renowned cultural institutions, and more.

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The Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Walking Tour Experience explores Harvard University’s entanglements with the institution of slavery through a 10-stop tour around Harvard’s campus.

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Frequently asked questions

General tour information.

The Harvard University Visitor Center offers several different types of tours. For our in person tour offerings on campus, we provide the Official Historical Tour of Harvard. All tours are provided to the public for free and to private groups for a fee. Our tours typically run 45-60 minutes.

To view the schedule and register for our free public tours (virtual and in person), please visit our Eventbrite page . To request a virtual or in person private tour, visit this link .

We also offer a free self-guided historical tour through the Visit Harvard mobile app, which you can download on iOS and Android devices. You can take this self-guided tour on campus or from the comfort of your own home.

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The in person Historical Tour of Harvard explores Harvard Yard. Tours depart from the Visitor Center which is located at the front desk in the Smith Campus Center. Our address is 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Registration for our in person tours must be made in advance. Registration is made available starting the Friday before your tour week. Parties of up to 14 persons can register for a free in person tour. Parties of 15-60 are encouraged to submit a request for a private tour .

Registered tour goers should arrive at the Visitor Center at least 15 minutes before your tour to check-in. Tours depart from the Smith Campus Center and end in Harvard Yard.

Information About the Visit Harvard Mobile App

Visit Harvard is a free mobile app by the Harvard Visitor Center that features a collection of self-guided tours centered around the Harvard University experience. The Visit Harvard mobile app can be downloaded by anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, to be enjoyed from wherever you might be visiting, whether it’s in-person at Harvard or from the comfort of your own home.

What tours are being offered in the mobile app? Currently on the app, visitors can take a mobile version of our popular in-person and virtual tour, the Historical Tour of Harvard.

How long is the mobile tour? This self-guided tour takes place across 14 mapped stops through Harvard’s campus. At a standard walking pace, it will take between 45-60 minutes to complete the 1 mile long tour.

Can I take the mobile tour in-person or virtually? The mobile tour is designed to be accessed in-person on Harvard University’s campus, starting at the Harvard Visitor Center, located at the Smith Campus Center in Harvard Square (1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA). It can also be viewed from the comfort of your own home. Simply download Visit Harvard in the app store, select the Historical Tour of Harvard, and begin your journey!

Where can I download the Visit Harvard mobile app? You can download the Visit Harvard mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play . There is also a desktop version of the app you can access here .

Learn More About the Harvard College Admissions Process

For more information about Harvard College Admissions, please visit their official website . Their contact information can be found here .

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How to Choose Colleges With Virtual Tours

A guide to some of the tour sites that aim to help students feel as if they are walking around campuses without leaving home.

By Donna De La Cruz

With college campuses closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, free virtual tours have grown in popularity . High school juniors hoping to begin college in the fall of 2021 are not able to visit campuses in person, but they and their families have many ways to explore their options while staying safe at home.

Here is a guide to some of the tour sites that aim to help students feel as if they are walking around campuses. They can visit as many colleges as they like, without the cost of a road trip or the aching feet.

If you are just getting started on the college admissions process:

The National Association for College Admission Counseling provides information from more than 1,000 colleges and universities on changes to admissions processes resulting from the pandemic. The tool lets students get an overview of resources available at each institution, including links to virtual tours offered, said the association’s president, Jayne Caflin Fonash. “If someone only wants to know about schools in a certain state, or is only interested in finding out about standardized testing policies for the fall, they can drill down to get that information,” Dr. Fonash said.

StriveScan is offering the Strive Virtual College Exploration program through May 8 to take the place of in-person college fairs. Students get advice on how to write a college essay, apply for financial aid, and the chance to ask questions to officials from more than 450 colleges from 45 states and 13 countries — Canada, Britain, Ireland, Italy, France, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Australia and Mexico. All sessions are taped, allowing students to download them. StriveScan’s president, Dan Saavedra, said more presentations will be held in the coming weeks, including one focusing on STEM schools and another on small, private liberal arts schools.

If you are ready to start touring:

There are several websites that allow students to tour and compare schools. These sites offer interactive maps, photos, videos and testimonials.

CampusTours offers tours of more than 1,800 schools in the United States as well as tours of schools in the United Kingdom, Canada, China and France. Its advanced search feature allows students to fine-tune details they are searching for, such as how much tuition they want to pay. About 100 schools offer insights from enrolled students during parts of the tour on campus life, the company’s president, Christopher Carson, said. CampusTours is also working on a feature to allow students to ask questions while they are on the tour that are sent to college officials, he added.

YouVisit offers tours of more than 600 U.S. schools. The tours offer prompts that pop up asking students for input that is sent to college officials to respond, an attempt to replicate the questions and answers that come up during in-person tours. YouVisit also offers students to tour using “virtual reality” tools. “There is nothing that replaces that in-person experience that makes a student fall in love with a campus, but the goal of a virtual tour is to do as much as it can to replace those moments,” said Emily Bauer, vice president for agency services for EAB, the education research and technology company that owns YouVisit.

If you want to attend a Historically Black College or University:

The Chicago HBCU Alumni Alliance is offering virtual fairs in which nearly 50 H.B.C.U.s give students information on admissions, programs and scholarships. Videotapes of the events will be available on the alliance’s website in the coming weeks. The alliance’s president, Danielle James, said more virtual fairs are planned for the summer.

StriveScan also featured presentations from several H.B.C.U.s.

Other virtual tour sites include:

YoUniversity : Students can click on tabs such as “safest campuses,” “most diverse campuses” and “top academic colleges,” as well as “best campus food” and “coolest dorms.”

CampusReel : Students enrolled at colleges can upload their videos to this site for sharing, after being vetted. Students or parents must register to join.

If you want to take a gap year:

The Gap Year Association offers videos on what it means to take a gap year and is building a new student membership platform — a nominal fee will be required to join — that will give students access to weekly calls to learn about gap year opportunities, said the association’s executive director, Ethan Knight. The website also offers information on accredited gap year programs and counselors.

If you want to play sports in college:

Virtual tours, like the ones at YouVisit , can put students in the stands or on the playing field to get a simulated experience of being an athlete there. CampusTours has a feature that lets students find sports offered at various schools.

After you’ve narrowed down your list:

This is the time to start making personal outreach to schools, Mr. Carson of CampusTours said. “You can’t rely on virtual tours to tell you everything about the institution, you need to reach out to the schools themselves.” Traditionally, students have been told that some colleges rank in-person visits as a show of “demonstrated interest.” This year that could take different forms, like emailing professors and admissions officers or attending Zoom meetings. “Demonstrated interest is very valuable,” Mr. Carson said. “Make personalized phone calls and write emails.”

14 Tips for an Effective College Visit

Visiting a college can help a student determine if he or she wants to spend the next four years there.

Getty Images |

Finding the right fit.

For high school students in the process of researching a variety of colleges and universities , admissions professionals recommend scheduling campus visits to get a better feel for the schools. Some colleges track whether prospective students make an in-person visit and count it as "demonstrated interest," which could help admissions chances. For both students and families, campus visits are an important part of the process when choosing which college to attend. "They are very likely to show you things that you didn’t know you cared about. That’s a great first step," says Rachel Rubin, co-founder of admissions consulting company Spark Admissions. "It’s really important for families to think about what they want to know.” Here are 14 tips for how students can get the most out of college visits.

(Getty Images) |

• Start planning early.

As students get closer to the final year of high school, their schedules are filled trying to balance school and a social life – all while exploring potential college campuses. To ease the stress, students and families may want to make visits sooner, ideally before senior year. The College Board recommends spring of junior year as a good time to visit campuses for students who have already done the research on those colleges. College visits are a good use of downtime over spring break, as well. Late summer and early fall before senior year are also convenient times, the College Board website notes, adding that classes may already be in session, allowing prospective students a fuller glimpse of campus life.

• Ask questions.

A campus visit is a great chance to not only see the campus, but also to ask questions about the school and what the experience is like on campus. While some information can be found on a school's website, speaking with student ambassadors or school officials while visiting campus can provide additional important information necessary for making a smart college decision. "I think the best way to make the most of the tours is to ask a lot of good questions of the tour guide and to engage with any current students to get their opinion on life on the campus,” says Satyajit Dattagupta, chief enrollment officer and senior vice chancellor at Northeastern University in Massachusetts.

• Get student perspectives.

The largest population on any college campus is the student body. Given their collective experience, it's likely they'll have opinions to share on academics, facilities, dining services , student life and more. Talking to current students is a valuable part of vetting a college and can provide prospective students with unfiltered perspectives about the school and the student experience. "Talk to as many students as you can to get a flavor of the student population," says Liz Doe Stone, a senior private counselor for Top Tier Admissions, an admissions consulting company. "Email students from your high school who attend that school and ask to get together for coffee when you’re on campus."

• Explore college through the lens of campus media.

Student newspapers can be a valuable source of insight into what's happening at a college. But don't stop there. The College Board's campus visit checklist also recommends tuning in to the campus radio station and reading other campus publications such as literary reviews and department newsletters. This allows students to find out what issues are popular on campus, controversies happening, new programs being created, what students are excited about and trends to be aware of, Stone says. "The more that you can do ahead of time to get to know the campus culture so that you can ask good questions to current students, that’s another great way to get a more authentic sense of what’s going on or what it would be like to be a student there."

• Visit academic departments.

Along with being comfortable with the campus environment, students should explore academic departments that interest them. A great way to start can be touring facilities, sitting in on a class and meeting professors . This is a good way for students to learn about the areas where they might be spending the most time if they choose to attend school there, and it's also valuable information when comparing schools. For best results, email professors or administrators ahead of time to set up a meeting, Stone says, but even informal visits can be valuable.

• Check out other campuses nearby.

When visiting a college in person, prospective students should consider visiting other campuses nearby. Many major metro areas are home to multiple colleges, and even rural areas may have colleges that are surprisingly close together. As students plan their visits, families should take note of other options near the schools they intend to visit. "If you're going to spend some time traveling, whether it be across the state or across the country, you might as well try to maximize that and investigate other opportunities that are close and convenient," says Collin Palmer, associate vice president of enrollment management at Kent State University in Ohio.

• Learn about the local community.

While the college is the main attraction, students shouldn't overlook the surrounding community where they may live and work when off campus. Take time to discover coffee shops, restaurants and other places you might enjoy visiting frequently, and consider how the community might factor into your education aspirations, says Kent Hopkins, vice president for academic enterprise enrollment at Arizona State University and ASU Global. Determine whether the community will provide internship or externship opportunities or serve as a potential career launch pad, he says. Palmer adds that students should also consider whether they're looking for an urban or rural experience , or what size city they prefer.

• Visit a dining hall or student center.

The college dining hall is not only a place where many students consume a majority of their meals, but it also tends to be a community hub where students congregate to study or meet for clubs. Given the likelihood that much of a student's time will be spent in the dining hall or student center, experts say students and families should plan to eat at least one meal on campus to get a sense of available food options and other amenities. "That can be a great way not only to sample the on-campus food options, but also to have informal conversations with current students in line or at a nearby table,” Stone says. Some schools have particularly tasty options , and those with dietary restrictions should get a sense of whether the school can cater to their needs.

• Explore the campus library.

Another place where students spend significant time is the campus library. Many campuses have more than one library, and there's often variety in what each library offers. Some have coffee shops and restaurants. Stone notes that some are open-stack libraries, meaning students can browse, select and check out books themselves. Others are closed-stack, meaning library staffers retrieve the books for students. Similarly, some campus libraries offer a slew of private study rooms with modern technology available to use for various projects. Prospective students should use the campus visit to make sure the school library fits their academic needs.

• Explore various virtual tour options.

Some colleges may be too far from home for students to make an initial visit. Online tools allow prospective students to take virtual tours from the comfort of their couches. Students can take self-guided virtual tours or sign up for more interactive options such as 360-degree video and virtual reality. Experts say virtual tours are good substitutes for those unable to visit in person. Some guided in-person tours may not take students to all the places they want to see, but through virtual tours students can investigate other aspects of campus. Virtual tours are especially valuable for international students, experts say.

• Ask about campus safety.

With the amount of time traditional college students spend on campus, feeling safe on school grounds is an important factor to consider when exploring colleges. Prospective students should ask tour guides about campus safety policies. In virtual campus tours, students can ask guides or the admissions office for more information. Federal law requires colleges to release information related to crime on and around campus. Families can check annual security reports to see recent incidents on campus. If anything stands out as a cause for concern, ask the school for more information on campus safety . While on campus, asking students how comfortable they feel at the school is a good way to gauge how safe students generally feel, Hopkins says.

• Get financial aid information.

Along with understanding the culture of a school and the academic options it provides, students should research financial aid opportunities at a college. A campus visit is an opportunity to do just that. Finding out the types of aid available, such as merit-based and need-based, is one of the first questions students should ask when speaking with the financial aid office, Rubin says. “Students can also bargain for more money once they’re accepted, and that’s where they really have a leg up," she says. This can also help students budget for attending that school, Hopkins says, noting that families should be aware that cost of attendance is not the sticker price. Families should factor in room and board, travel expenses for students attending away from home and any aid or income that could help offset costs.

• Ask about disability accommodations.

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act, any school that accepts federal money is legally required to provide accommodations for qualifying students with disabilities . Some do the bare minimum, but others have strong programming for students with disabilities because they have a high number of students needing services. Some charge fees for certain services, like tutoring, so experts suggest taking time on a college visit to meet with the disabilities services office to ask what’s available and at what cost. “It’s really important for students to understand to what extent they need to fight for these services and always be on top of their teachers and make sure their accommodation plan goes out to everybody at the start of each semester," Rubin says.

• Meet with clubs and organizations.

A big part of the college experience is the social component, and experts say students should make sure they attend a school where they can get involved in clubs and organizations. For example, students who are interested in joining a fraternity or sorority should check out Greek life housing and meet with the campus administrator overseeing Greek organizations. Those who enjoy sports recreationally should reach out to presidents or leaders of club sports organizations or someone who organizes intramural sports, Stone says. “I always tell students to talk to any extracurricular leaders tied into your interest,” she says. "So if you’re a violin player, speak to someone in the music department. If you love drama, talk to someone who is the head of the theater club."

Learn more about colleges.

Get more advice about how to choose a college and check out the complete rankings of the Best Colleges to find the school that's best for you. For more advice and information on selecting a college, connect with U.S. News Education on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook .

College visit tips

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Campus Tours

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Ask questions, attend an academic overview, explore history, culture and community, visit with a group.

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Personalize your visit with a “choose your own adventure” format where visitors select a tour guide who shares a common interest or point of connection during a 75-minute walking tour of our lakefront campus.

Additionally, you'll have the option to join an admission staff member to learn more about Northwestern’s holistic admission review process and our affordability commitments (weekdays only). This 30-minute session starts with a brief overview of the application and financial aid processes, before inviting your questions about Northwestern and the college search. For additional guidance about admission and affordability, we encourage you to explore  our website  and  YouTube channel , or  connect directly  with admission staff.

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If you are unable to join us for a guided campus tour, or you are interested in exploring campus on your own, we encourage you to follow our self-guided tour. The self-guided tour includes a robust guide to campus buildings and academic information, an extended tour route just like our student guides would provide, and stories from over 20 Northwestern students!

Visitors can head over to the  Segal Visitors Center  vestibule, open 24 hours a day, to register for a self-guided visit and download a copy of the tour. In addition, during normal business hours, admissions officers and current students are available in the main lobby of the Visitors Center to assist you at the front desk and answer any questions.

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If you are eager to experience life as a Northwestern student, join us for a Purple Preview visit. This program is geared toward high school seniors , but also open to interested juniors. You will be paired with a current undergraduate student host, and together, you’ll spend the morning attending class, exploring campus, and learning more about daily student life.

To ensure that we can match you with a host, you must register for a Purple Preview experience at least one week prior to your visit . Click the button below to view available dates and register.

While you are on campus, get to know our academic community. Representatives from Northwestern’s six distinct undergraduate schools host information sessions for prospective students, which help you to learn more about the school’s areas of expertise.

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Offered most Mondays and Fridays (and select Thursdays) at 11:45 a.m. Located in the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts 2 nd  floor: 70 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston, IL 60208 5-minute walk from the Segal Visitors Center Note : This session is intended for prospective music majors.

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Sessions are located in the Wirtz Center 235: 1949 Campus Dr, Evanston IL 60208

Beginning in June , sessions will be located in the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, Suite 5-125 : 70 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston, IL 60208

5-minute walk from the Segal Visitors Center

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Offered most Mondays and Fridays at 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Located in Annenberg Hall 123: 2120 Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208

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Offered most Mondays and Fridays at 4:00 p.m.

Located in the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center 2-350 (The Hive): 2133 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60208 . Enter through the main doors on Sheridan Rd. and take the stairs or elevator up two floors to find room 2-350.

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Monday sessions located in McCormick Foundation Center 4 th   Floor Broadcast Studio: 1870 Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208

Friday sessions located in Fisk Hall room 115: 1845 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208

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Offered select Mondays and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. until July

Beginning in July , offered select Mondays at 3:30 p.m.

Located in Segal Visitors Center auditorium

Our general campus tours (both guided and self-guided) provide a thorough introduction to campus facilities, academic opportunities, and student life. For a deeper look at Northwestern’s history and communities, continue to explore campus on your own with the help of the following audio tours.

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NCAA Softball Tournament regionals 2024: Full bracket picks for Road to Women's College World Series

T he Women’s College World Series doesn’t begin for about another two weeks, but the path to get there has been officially laid out.

On Sunday night, the bracket for the 2024 NCAA Softball Tournament was unveiled, with 64 teams taking one step closer to their championship dreams.

MORE: Watch Road to Women's College World Series bracket reveal live with Fubo (free trial)

As it has been every year in the event’s modern history, the bracket features 16 seeded teams, each of which hosts the opening set of games. Texas earned the No. 1 overall seed, with longtime rival Oklahoma, which defeated the Longhorns Saturday in the Big 12 championship game, coming in with the No. 2 overall seed. The remaining top eight seeds were No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Missouri and No. 8 Stanford.

Overall, the SEC accounted for eight of the 16 regional hosts and each of the conference's 13 teams made it into the NCAA Tournament field.

Once the tournament begins, Oklahoma will look to win its fourth consecutive title and sixth in the past eight tournaments. No team has ever won the Women’s College World Series four years in a row.

Here’s the full 2024 NCAA softball tournament bracket, as well as updates from an eventful Selection Sunday:

NCAA Softball Tournament bracket live updates

All times Central.

6:50 p.m.: McGuffin said Duke's non-conference strength of schedule hurt it, noting that was a reason the Blue Devils were lower than some might have expected with the No. 10 overall seed.

6:48 p.m.: Softball tournament committee chairman Kurt McGuffin cited Texas' 16 top-25 wins and its non-conference strength of schedule when explaining why the Longhorns earned the No. 1 overall seed.

6:43 p.m.: Notable that each of the SEC's 13 softball teams got into the 64-team field, while also accounting for eight of the top 16 seeds. It just means more, or so I've heard. And that league will only get stronger next season, with the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas.

6:41 p.m.: The last four in, according to the ESPN broadcast: Indiana, Ole Miss, Penn State and UCF. The first four out? BYU, Louisville, Texas Tech and Wichita State.

6:38 p.m.: The final national seed goes to Texas A&M, which will be the No. 16 overall seed and the eighth SEC team among the top 16. The Aggies will take on Albany in their first game. Penn State and Texas State will be in the regional's other matchup.

6:36 p.m.: The No. 15 seed goes to Florida State, which will play Chattanooga in its first game. UCF and Auburn will be in the other game in the Tallahassee regional.

6:34 p.m.: Alabama gets the No. 14 overall seed. The Crimson Tide will play USC Upstate while Southeastern Louisiana and Clemson will face off in the other matchup in Tuscaloosa.

6:32 p.m.: Louisiana is the No. 13 seed, the first host from a conference outside of the Power Five. It will take on Princeton in its first game. Ole Miss and Baylor will also be making the trip to Lafayette, Louisiana for the regional.

6:30 p.m.: Yet another SEC team with a top-16 seed, with Arkansas earning the No. 12 seed. The Razorbacks will play against Southeast Missouri State while Villanova and eight-time national champion Arizona will square off in the regional's other game.

6:29 p.m.: The No. 11 overall seed is Georgia, which will play against UNC Wilmington in its first game. Liberty and Charlotte will also be heading to Athens, Georgia.

6:27 p.m.: We have our first (current) ACC team, with Duke picking up the No. 10 overall seed. The Blue Devils will play Morgan State Friday in Durham, North Carolina. Utah and South Carolina will be there, as well.

6:25 p.m.: Moving past the top eight, LSU gets the No. 9 overall seed and will play another group of Tigers, Jackson State. Southern Illinois and Cal will also be heading to Baton Rouge.

6:17 p.m.: The final host? No. 8 Stanford, which will play fellow Bay Area school Saint Mary's on Friday night. Cal State Fullerton and Mississippi State round out the Stanford regional.

6:15 p.m.: Missouri will be the No. 7 seed, becoming the third current SEC team to host a regional. That number will obviously swell next season. The Tigers will play Omaha in their first game. Indiana and Washington are also in the region. A couple of future Big Ten rivals.

6:13 p.m.: The No. 6 seed goes to UCLA, one of the sport's historic powers. Bruins are 37-10 this season. They'll square off against Grand Canyon to open. San Diego State, which gets to stay close to home, will play Virginia Tech in the other game.

6:12 p.m.: Oklahoma State is the No. 5 seed. A little lower than some might have expected. It will take on Northern Colorado Friday. Michigan and Kentucky will also be heading to Stillwater. Looks like a tough region overall.

6:10 p.m.: Florida is the No. 4 seed. The Gators will face Florida Gulf Coast Friday. Florida Atlantic and South Alabama are the other matchup in the region. Should be a relatively quick drive for the other teams in that region beyond the host.

6:08 p.m.: Tennessee gets the No. 3 seed. The Vols' region includes Dayton, who they'll face Friday, as well as Miami (Ohio) and Virginia.

6:07 p.m.: Oklahoma, the three-time reigning national champ, gets the No. 2 overall seed. The Sooners will face Cleveland State in the first round Friday. Boston University and Orego are also in the Norman region.

6:05 p.m.: A bit of a surprise early with Texas getting the No. 1 overall seed. The Longhorns were the No. 1 team in the country entering the Big 12 tournament, but they lost to Oklahoma in the conference title game. They'll play Siena. Saint Francis (Pa.) and Northwestern are also in the region.

NCAA softball regional sites 2024

Here’s a look at the 16 sites for the regional portion of the bracket, along with each school that will be playing host:

This section will be updated as regionals are released

• No. 1 Texas (Austin, Texas)
• No. 2 Oklahoma (Norman, Oklahoma)
• No. 3 Tennessee (Knoxville, Tennessee)
• No. 4 Florida (Gainesville, Florida)
• No. 5 Oklahoma State (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
• No. 6 UCLA (Los Angeles)
• No. 7 Missouri (Columbia, Missouri)
• No. 8 Stanford (Palo Alto, California)
• No. 9 LSU (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
• No. 10 Duke (Durham, North Carolina)
• No. 11 Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
• No. 12 Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
• No. 13 Louisiana (Lafayette, Louisiana)
• No. 14 Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
• No. 15 Florida State (Tallahassee, Florida)
• No. 16 Texas A&M (College Station, Texas)

REQUIRED READING: Oklahoma softball announces record attendance for 2024 regular season at new Love's Field

NCAA Softball Tournament bracket 2024

There are four teams in each of the 16 regions. The regional stage of the tournament is double elimination, with the remaining team in the four-team pod moving on to the super regionals. In each region, play begins with the No. 1 seed squaring off against the No. 4 seed while the No. 2 seed and No. 3 seed are matched up against one another.

In the super regionals, two teams, each of which advanced by winning its region, plays a best-of-three series, with the victor moving on to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.

Here’s a look at which teams are in each region:

Austin Regional

• Northwestern
• Saint Francis (Pa.)

Norman Regional

• Oklahoma (2)
• Boston University
• Cleveland State

Knoxville Regional

• Tennessee (3)
• Miami (Ohio)

Gainesville Regional

• Florida (4)
• Florida Atlantic
• South Alabama
• Florida Gulf Coast

Stillwater Regional

• Oklahoma State (5)
• Northern Colorado

Los Angeles Regional

• San Diego State
• Virginia Tech
• Grand Canyon

Columbia Regional

• Missouri (7)

Palo Alto Regional

• Stanford (8)
• Mississippi State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Saint Mary's

Baton Rouge Regional

• Southern Illinois
• Jackson State

Durham Regional

• South Carolina
• Morgan State

Athens Regional

• Georgia (11)
• UNC Wilmington

Fayetteville Regional

• Arkansas (12)
• Southeast Missouri State

Lafayette Regional

• Louisiana (13)

Tuscaloosa Regional

• Alabama (14)
• Southeastern Louisiana
• USC Upstate

Tallahassee Regional

• Florida State (15)
• Chattanooga

College Station Regional

• Texas A&M (16)
• Texas State

NCAA Softball Tournament schedule 2024

• Start date: Thursday, May 16/Friday, May 17 (regionals)
• End date: Thursday, June 6/Friday, June 7 (WCWS championship series)

The 2024 NCAA Softball Tournament will begin on either Thursday, May 16 or Friday, May 17. It will continue through the first week of June, ending either on Thursday, June 6 or Friday, June 7, depending onwhether the WCWS championship series requires three games.

• Selection show: Sunday, May 12
• Regionals: May 16/17-19
• Super Regionals: May 23-25 or May 24-26
• Women's College World Series: May 30-June 6/7 in Oklahoma City

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NCAA Softball Tournament regionals 2024: Full bracket picks for Road to Women's College World Series

Meghan Markle Embraces Quiet Luxury in a Peach Maxi Dress and White Pantsuit on Her Nigeria Tour

The Duchess of Sussex began her day in Heidi Merrick and vintage Lanvin and finished it with Altuzarra.

The couple first visited Lightway Academy in Abuja, Nigeria, for its inaugural mental health summit. Meghan wore a peach-colored maxi dress by Heidi Merrick with vintage Lanvin earrings, Emme Parsons sandals, an Ariel Gordon bracelet, and an Aurate necklace, per the Meghan Markle fashion account, @whatmeghanwore . She accessorized with a Cartier watch and bracelet.

Harry spoke to students at the school about the importance of discussing mental health, leading Meghan to tell them after, “You see why I’m married to him?”

He told them:

If I say mental health, do you know what it means? In some cases around the world, in more than you would believe, there is a stigma when it comes to mental health. Too many people don’t want to talk about it ‘cause it’s invisible. It’s something in our mind that we can’t see. It’s not like a broken leg, it’s not like a broken wrist. It’s something that we are still relatively unsure of. But guess what? Every single person in this room, the youngest, the oldest, every single person has mental health. So therefore, you have to look after yourself to be able to look after other people. And other people have to be able to look after themselves, to look after you. That’s the way it works. And there is no shame to be able to acknowledge that today is a bad day, okay? [If] you woke up this morning feeling sad, [if] you left school feeling stressed, [if] you’ve lost a loved one in your family, and you don’t know who you talk to or who to speak to, all of these things you may be led to believe are not for conversation. We are here today to tell you that that is not the case. Every single one of those things is completely normal. It is a human reaction, whether it’s grief, stress, whatever the feeling is, it comes from an experience that you have had. You can have it. She can have it. I can have it. They can have it. Every single one of us is likely to have that on any given day. So if, if you take anything away from today, just know that mental health affects every single person in the entire world. And the more you talk about it, the more you can kick stigma away, far, far away into long grass, and then everybody will have the opportunity to be able to share how they’re feeling, how they’re coping, and then you can help other people. So will you promise to us that after today, no more being scared, no more being unsure of mental health? If you are unsure, then ask. Ask your teachers. Ask your friends. Be there for one another. If you see your friend in your class not smiling, what are you gonna do? You gonna check in with them? Are you gonna ask him if they’re okay? ‘Cause it’s okay not to be okay.

Meghan and Harry then went to the Defense Headquarters , where Chief of Defense Staff Christopher Musa formally welcomed the couple to the country. Meghan changed into a white Altuzarra pantsuit for that meeting.

The couple signed the visitors book there, and Meghan paid homage to her Nigerian heritage, writing, “With gratitude for the support of the Invictus [Games] community. And for welcoming me home.”

Harry admired her calligraphy and said, “She has beautiful handwriting,” per the trip’s pool reporter.

Tomorrow, Meghan and Harry will attend a training session for the organization Nigeria: Unconquered, according to People . Meghan will co-host a women in leadership event with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organization, in the afternoon. In the evening, the couple will attend a reception hosted by the chief of defense staff to honor military families.

On Sunday, the last day of the trip, the duke and duchess “will attend a basketball clinic with Giants of Africa, a cultural reception, and a polo fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered,” People wrote.

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🥎 DI softball selections revealed

⚾️ Indiana State's redemption run

NCAA.com | May 12, 2024

• 2024 SEC softball: Bracket, schedule, scores, TV times for the tournament

The Florida Gators won the 2024 SEC softball conference tournament on May 11 at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama. The Gators defeated No. 5 Missouri to claim their sixth SEC tournament championship and tie Alabama for most conference tournament wins in program history.

The Gators earn an automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA tournament bracket, which will be revealed Sunday, May 12 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. We're tracking all the automatic DI softball qualifiers and conference tournaments here.  

2024 SEC conference tournament bracket

Click or tap here for a closer look at the bracket  

2024 SEC conference tournament schedule

All times listed in ET. Times are subject to change.

• Game 12 – No. 2 Florida 6, No. 5 Missouri 1
• Game 1 - No. 13 Ole Miss 7,  No. 12 Kentucky 2
• Game 2 -  No. 8 LSU 3 , No. 9 Alabama 2 (14 innings)
• Game 3  -  No. 5 Missouri 3 , No. 13 Ole Miss 1
• Game 4 – No. 7 Georgia 6 , No. 10 Auburn 5
• Game 5 – No. 11 South Carolina 8 , No. 6 Mississippi State 4
• Game 6 – No. 8 LSU 2, No. 1 Tennessee 1
• Game 7– No. 5 Missouri 3, No. 4 Arkansas 1 
• Game 8 – No. 2 Florida 9,  No. 7 Georgia 4 
• Game 9 – No. 3 Texas A&M 3,  No. 11 South Carolina 2
• Game 10 – No. 5 Missouri 2, No. 8 LSU 1 (F/8)
• Game 11 – No. 2 Florida 7, No. 3 Texas A&M 3

SEC tournament championship history

• 2024 NCAA softball bracket: Women's College World Series scores, schedule

• NCAA Division I Softball Committee announces 2024 championship field

• 2024 Big 12 softball: Bracket, schedule, scores, TV times for the tournament
• Championship Info
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• Committee chair breaks down 2024 NCAA softball bracket
• 2024 NCAA DI softball bracket selection show
• 2024 college softball conference tournaments: Schedules, brackets, auto-bids
• College softball power rankings: Tennessee rises to No. 2
• Missouri, Florida rejoin Power 10 college softball rankings before conference tournament week
• College softball power rankings: Florida State rejoins Power 10

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2024 Wells Fargo Championship odds, field: Surprising PGA picks, predictions by model that's called 11 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the wells fargo championship 2024 10,000 times and revealed its pga golf picks.

The second major of the year is just around the corner, but first is a stop at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship beginning on Thursday at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. While a pre-major field is often watered down to some extent, the Wells Fargo Championship 2024 features an impressive entry list headlined by Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Wyndham Clark is the defending champion, while Adam Scott is an intriguing name to watch after he secured a T-5 finish at this event in 2023. 

Play gets underway from Quail Hollow on Thursday at 11 a.m. ET. McIlroy is the 13-2 favorite in the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship odds, followed by Schauffele (9-1), Clark (14-1) and Patrick Cantlay (16-1). Scott is a huge longshot at 45-1 on the PGA odds board. Before locking in your 2024 Wells Fargo Championship picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

SportsLine's proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up more than $9,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model correctly predicted Scottie Scheffler would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Masters, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, and the RBC Heritage this season. McClure also included Hideki Matsuyama in his best bets to win the 2024 Genesis Invitational. That bet hit at +9000, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned nearly $1,000.

The model also predicted Jon Rahm would be victorious at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. At the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm's second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scheffler winning in 2022.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Nick Taylor (70-1) winning the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, and Rickie Fowler (14-1) finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

This same model has also nailed a whopping 11 majors entering the weekend and hit the Masters three straight years. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the Wells Fargo Championship 2024 field is finalized, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2024 Wells Fargo Championship predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Wells Fargo Championship 2024: Clark, the defending champion and one of the top favorites, stumbles this week and barely cracks the top 10. Clark has been playing extremely well in 2024, securing one win and two runner-up finishes.

However, Clark has finished T-31 or worse in two of his last three starts on the PGA Tour, which includes a missed cut at the Masters. He's also struggled with accuracy off the tee this season. The 30-year-old enters this week's event ranked 111th in driving accuracy (60.10%). Quail Hollow puts a premium on positioning off the tee, which doesn't bode well for Clark's chances to repeat as champion.

Another surprise: Sahith Theegala, a 25-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. 

Theegala certainly has the game to finish near the top of the leaderboard this week. The 26-year-old has played well this season, securing five top-10 finishes in 12 events. He recorded a runner-up finish at the RBC Heritage in April and he enters this week's event ranked fourth in strokes gained: total (1.528), eighth in strokes gained: putting (0.710) and 11th in scoring average (69.39). If he's striking the ball well this week, he'll have a great shot at finishing on top of the leaderboard at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.  See who else to pick here .  

How to make 2024 Wells Fargo Championship picks

The model is also targeting five other golfers with odds of 22-1 or longer to make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big. You can only see the model's picks here .

Who will win the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the Wells Fargo Championship 2024 odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected Wells Fargo Championship leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors, including the last three Masters.

2024 Wells Fargo Championship odds, field

Get full 2024 Wells Fargo Championship picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Rory McIlroy +650 Xander Schauffele +900 Wyndham Clark +1400 Patrick Cantlay +1600 Collin Morikawa +2200 Justin Thomas +2200 Max Homa +2200 Tommy Fleetwood +2500 Viktor Hovland +2500 Sahith Theegala +2500 Cameron Young +2500 Hideki Matsuyama +2800 Jordan Spieth +3000 Matt Fitzpatrick +3500 Tony Finau +3500 Si Woo Kim +3500 Sungjae Im +4000 Sam Burns +4000 Russell Henley +4000 Jason Day +4000 Alex Noren +4000 Byeong Hun An +4500 Brian Harman +4500 Adam Scott +4500 Will Zalatoris +5000 Stephan Jaeger +5000 Corey Conners +5000 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +5000 Akshay Bhatia +5000 Tom Hoge +5500 Denny McCarthy +5500 Chris Kirk +5500 Billy Horschel +5500 Shane Lowry +6000 Sepp Straka +6000 J.T. Poston +6000 Harris English +6000 Rickie Fowler +6500 Tom Kim +7500 Adam Schenk +7500 Kurt Kitayama +8000 Keegan Bradley +8000 Justin Rose +8000 Andrew Putnam +8000 Patrick Rodgers +9000 Lucas Glover +9000 Brendon Todd +9000 Taylor Pendrith +10000 Taylor Moore +10000 Matthieu Pavon +10000 Jake Knapp +10000 Austin Eckroat +10000 Adam Hadwin +10000 Mackenzie Hughes +11000 Eric Cole +11000 Emiliano Grillo +11000 Cam Davis +11000 Seamus Power +13000 Nick Taylor +13000 Webb Simpson +18000 Adam Svensson +20000

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Did Taylor Swift just add a popular UC cheer to her Eras Tour choreography? Maybe

Taylor Swift has called an audible for her upcoming Eras Tour shows .

Following the release of her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," the pop superstar added a handful of new songs to her concert setlist (her Thursday show in Paris was her first since the album came out last month). She also created a new tour logo and added new outfits, which have the internet buzzing.

But one change in particular has Cincinnatians shook.

Videos of Swift singing "So High School," a song seemingly about her relationship with NFL tight end Travis Kelce , have flooded the internet. And one clip appears to show her paying homage to his alma mater: the University of Cincinnati .

In the video, Swift is seen, along with her background dancers, moving her arms in a circular motion before clapping her hands together. A Twitter/X user pointed to a video of Kelce doing a similar move during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 .

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Kelce's routine was actually " Down the Drive," a popular UC cheer fans and students do when attending Bearcats sporting events. The school's football team had just played in the College Football Playoff days earlier, so Kelce was showing his support.

It's fair to note, Swift didn't appear to do the entire "Down the Drive" routine. She didn't spell out "U-C" with her arms or anything. So the singer may have just been doing a cheerleader-like dance, which would fall in line with the high school theme of her song. But it's fun to imagine her watching the Bearcats with Kelce.

UC's social media team even reposted the video, along with the words to the famous "Down the Drive" cheer.

Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason, visited UC last month for a live show of their "New Heights" podcast . Bengals stars Joe Burrow and Orlando Brown Jr., and former Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder, were also in attendance.