Inspiring students to consider and work towards going to college requires their counselors to draw on a number of techniques, technologies, tools and programs like college tours. There’s no debate over the value of enabling students to explore and experience actual campuses; in fact, many counselors report that tours can often be the catalyst or tipping point for a child who could go either way. But taking students on tours demands both time and money, things that are typically (well, always!) in limited supply among counselors and school systems.
So how do America’s college counselors approach this challenge? What are some best practices for making campus visits easier, more cost-efficient and more valuable to students? And how might this information help counselors secure more funding for these programs?
This is what we hoped to learn and share when we created and distributed our 2016 College Tour Survey to nearly 2,400 high school counselors throughout the country (most of whom are affiliated with GEAR UP, TRIO, and AVID programs). What we found was both a wide variance in answers for some questions, then almost universal agreement on others.
One of the most clear-cut answers was in response to “What is the Ideal Number of Students for a Tour?” Counselors and teachers across the board responded that between 20-40 students was optimal for a tour to be both exciting and personalized. While “more than 40 students could become unmanageable,” according to one counselor, from my ten years of experience conducting college tours, I would point out that a small crowd of engaged students builds enthusiasm that feeds upon itself. A feeling of “we can ALL go to college” develops and becomes peer support and encouragement that another respondent noted “lasts long after the tour is over.”
But maintaining the ability to deliver an individualized experience for each child — one that enables him or her to ask questions and have conversations — is equally important. So I believe that ultimately, organization, agenda and oversight are key to achieving both goals.
In response to the question, “What problems have you encountered on previous college tours,” the leading responses were no guidance on campus, lack of on-tour support and disengaged or disruptive students. Hmm, I refer back to organization, agenda and oversight…
At the other end of the spectrum was a question that saw a nearly equal division among counselors across five different answers: “In order, which factors are most important to you when planning a college tour?” The number of colleges toured just barely finished first over cost and organization of the tour, followed closely by the quality of accommodations and added cultural and/or service activities. The fact that these responses were so evenly split confirms that counselors view them all as integral parts of a successful program – but I have to think that this creates a lot of pressure and stress on those attempting to “do it all.” Too often, a lack of time and/or experience planning, budgeting or managing tours results in one or more of these being sacrificed.
Speaking of “doing it all,” our survey respondents rated nearly all of the activities for students on tour as being “very important.” Ideally, counselors would like them (in order of most popular response) to:
- walk around the campus;
- meet college students;
- talk to an admissions counselor;
- tour a dormitory;
- dine in an on-campus facility;
- listen to a tour guide;
- learn about student organizations; then
- attend a campus event.
Whew! That’s a full tour – especially when visiting multiple campuses in a day!
The take-away from this question, which was echoed by many of the respondents, is a tour should give students a glimpse into college life that they can’t get from a website. They don’t need statistics and dry facts as much as real, multiple-sensory engagement. Seeing, hearing, tasting – even smelling and touching, too, while they tour beautifully landscaped campuses!
Our 2016 College Tour Survey reveals the preferences of counselors in dealing with a lot of other important considerations when planning and conducting college tours, such as:
- trip durations and distances;
- number of campuses visited;
- budgets and cost reduction measures;
- outsourcing needs;
- security;
- parental involvement; and more.
I’ve found this data to be invaluable as I talk with counselors throughout the country who are seeking to minimize their work and stress and to maximize the experience and value of their college tour programs. I encourage you to download and share our survey of your peers – and to share your thoughts, concerns (or really great tips!) with all of us in the comment section below.
Kathie Boozer is the founder and president of Explore Colleges, a premier college group tour operator. Explore Colleges’ customized tours help students experience the unique cultures, environments, and opportunities on each campus and inspire them to follow their dreams. Contact Kathie at kboozer@explorecolleges.org
