With college campuses shut down across the country, it is impossible for prospective students to visit campuses and attend information sessions. They will be unable to observe the school’s culture, get a sense of the academic rigor, and talk to current students. All of these would have ultimately determine if a school would be a good fit. It is disappointing for the student. Plans have to be changed, and their spring break is not at all what it was supposed to be. All common feelings that most of the world is feeling right about now.
But, while the students are home, and they have the time, there are so many resources that they can turn to to help them understand what makes each university unique. There are the obvious resources: The university’s websites have an abundance of information and most offer virtual tours. Another option is to follow the school on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Why not visit the school’s YouTube channel for videos of events? Another way to tap into the culture of the school is to visit the archives of the student newspaper. Not only will the articles give the applicant a sense of what is happening on campus, it will also give the student a glimpse into each school’s community and values as an institution.
Other sources that students may want to turn to include: https://www.pinterest.com/, Poets and Quaints, https://daytripperuniversity.com/, https://www.campusreel.org/ and https://www.unigo.com.
We are living with a lot of uncertainty, but what is certain is there is no lack of resources to get the search started even while stuck in quarantine.