Campus visits can last from a hour to an overnight stay, from a friendly guided tour to a formal presentation.

On October 28, 2015, students toured Bowie State University, listening to a lecture on Business Administration Core Requirements and following a guide around the campus with the college alumni.

The first step to participating in college tours is scheduling a visit. Students can research schools themselves or hear about them from teachers.

“I found out by one of my business teacher Ms.Thornton,” said senior Najar Burke.

Before going to the college visit, student preparation is important. Senior Kristian Carlyle said that “Researching the [college] might help someone get better acquainted with the school before arriving and knowing completely nothing. By preparing you allow yourself to get a 360° view of the school.”

Many students said that they would have got more out of the tour if they had researched. According to the College Board, students should bring notebooks and cameras because it can be easy to forget details after visiting a few colleges. They also recommended making a list of questions to ask both staff and students.

College tours can give students a better understanding of what they want to study by hearing from someone currently studying. “I get an insight, from the college students talking to [undergraduates] that are planning to major in the same degree, to know more,” said Burke.

Junior Jada Antoine said before the tour she was expecting to meet students in the business program and to know more about this HBCU. Carlyle said she wanted to view daily college life because college visitation can be helpful information and grant students a better perspective of the campus.