Blog Series: Planning Spring Break College Visits Part 2: How to Arrange Tours: Efficiency and Flexibility

Now that you’ve narrowed down your list and have a general plan, it’s time to think about how to arrange your college tours. The goal is to make the most of your time by visiting several schools in one trip. Here's how you can do that.

Plan a Tour Loop

If you’re visiting schools in a specific region, group them together in a loop. For example, if you want to tour several universities in the Northeast or Midwest, look for clusters of schools that are relatively close to each other and create a tour itinerary that allows you to visit multiple campuses in one trip. This way, you’ll save time, money, and energy by limiting your travel between schools.

• Map out your itinerary: Use Google Maps or a similar tool to plan your route and determine the best way to navigate from one campus to the next. Factor in the time it will take to travel between schools and plan for breaks along the way.

• Look at nearby hotels or Airbnb: If you're visiting multiple schools in one region, find accommodations centrally located to your campuses. Consider hotels or Airbnbs near major highways to reduce time spent on the road.

Avoid Spring Break Conflicts

Keep in mind that many schools will be on spring break during the season. You don’t want to show up for a tour only to find out that there are no students around to interact with, or that there’s no campus activity to observe.

• Check the school calendar: Before booking, check the academic calendar for each school to see when their spring break takes place.

• Confirm the availability of tours: Even if a school is on spring break, tours may still be running. However, it’s always a good idea to double-check with the admissions office to ensure that your preferred tour date is available.