Tufts Blogs

The college search process is an especially stressful one, and often tours are a monumental part of it as one of the best ways to get a complete picture of a college campus, one that can feel hard to get from websites or statistics. At the same time though, it’s not always easy to use these events to their fullest potential. During my own college search, I found that visits and tours could blend together into an information soup. I struggled a lot to keep everything organized, especially regarding info in areas I may not have been as interested in. As a tour guide, I've met a lot of people that have made a more productive use of their tour experience than I did. So, I wanted to share some of the most effective questions you can use to maximize your own college tours!

“How did you adapt to campus life during your first year?”

This question is especially great if you’re more curious about what living in college is like after hearing the basic information about first year life. Learning how to operate in an independent environment is a difficult transition to say the least, and tour guides are almost always happy to talk about their personal experiences. You’re likely to hear more personal details about them and their friends. For example, I talk about my first year room in The Courts, a residence hall which isn’t visible on the tour route, my dining preferences, and strategies for time management.

“How do you form relationships with your professors?”

This is a go-to, reliable question for many, and for good reason. Professors can be at the very heart of your academic experience, and forming relationships with them makes for easy access to advice in navigating your future. I’m always glad to hear this question and talk about Tufts' small average class sizes and accessible office hours. However, no matter what college you attend, those connections provide a valuable resource.

“What’s one thing at this college that was different than how you thought it’d be?”

For many people, myself included, there’s a desire to ask what tour guides think about potentially negative aspects of their experiences, as it’s natural to want to know about potential difficulties and challenges. This question avoids the outward negativity that can come with those questions while still providing a sense of actual campus life and possible obstacles. It can also provide useful insights into adapting to college life regardless of where you end up attending.

“What’s something that’s been impactful to you that isn’t normally mentioned on tours?”

This is a great question to ask individually either at the end of tours or between stops, giving a lot of insight into what guides think is important outside of the typical information. I love this question every time I get it, because I always like to talk more about the Tufts Pre-Orientation programs that were a very important part of my first semester. Even if a guide doesn’t have something they completely left out of the tour, it’s a great opportunity to get elaboration on niche aspects of the college experience.

Point and ask!

See a building, an art display, or anything else on a campus that just looks interesting? Point it out to your tour guide and ask about it between stops! You’ll be taking in a lot of information during the college search process, and amid all those bits of unique info that just expands on your knowledge a little might be what you remember most! Maybe you’ll learn about the oldest building on campus, or a place where a club meets every weekend, or where a number of majors hold their classes!