As your parent advocate (and source of all things related to the college admissions process), it’s my goal to pass along the BEST college-related information to parents. College visits are crucial in the selection process and for those of us with limited travel capabilities, virtual sites enable you and your family to get a bird’s-eye view of potential campuses.
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Greetings, Parents! There are new tools for your family’s college search and if you haven’t noticed them yet…you are excused! Here’s the lowdown: virtual campus tours are not yet available for every college university, but most colleges and universities have either discovered or are in the process of exploring this option. The term “virtual” is no longer tethered to images of early nineties cyber nerds with giant goggles. Virtual tours are now an indispensable tool for many real estate and travel companies, and naturally, in the Higher Ed space, where getting familiar with campus life is a key component of a student’s and their parents’ decision.
The virtual college campus tour is ever-evolving. The tool, which evolved out of static videos and photos of campuses, used to be available only via a school’s .EDU website. Now companies like YourCampus360 have made the same tours, which simulate a campus walking tour and include 360-degree panoramas, available via colleges’ Facebook pages and also via mobile app (for iPhones/iPads and Android phones.) This enables busy students and parents to preview and review college campuses – pre and post-live visit – and to interact directly with the school throughout the admissions process.
Many colleges and universities in the U.S. have, or are in the process of developing virtual campus tours, and this trend has taken hold across the globe, as institutions worldwide compete for higher international student populations.
Be on the lookout for these virtual tours on your college search, and if you don’t see one on a school’s homepage, simply dig a little deeper – many times they can be found on a school’s Admissions and Visit pages. Happy searching and good luck!
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YourCampus360 is a team of New York City-based higher education marketing technology experts. The company leads the industry in creating virtual experiences that connect schools with prospective students across all of the most popular platforms: EDU websites, mobile devices, Facebook, YouTube, and more.