Now that fall has arrived, universities and colleges across the province have begun readying themselves for the recruitment process. Nobody actually calls it that, but that is essentially what it is - schools begin putting out their best wares for potential students to see. Brochures will be released, websites updated, promotional materials posted AND student site visits scheduled. That's right, it's time for the fall tours to begin.
Each school will establish a series of fall tours for their campuses for potential new students to come visit. Now of course one can go visit the campuses at any time during the year on their own, but the fall tour season offers a chance to participate in a guided tour, led by a student at the school that will facilitate a visit to all the key sites. An advance phone call will even allow special consideration for a visit with the faculty of the program of interest and a separate tour of the facilities most relevant to that program.
We highly recommend signing up for these fall tours as an opportunity for potential students to get a feel for campus life and see the facilities first hand (stop in at the residences, the student centre, the athletic centre and the main food buildings while you are there). Think of it as visiting the model home before you buy a house - you wouldn't make a large investment like that site unseen, so why do it with an education investment. You may be surprised by the reactions the students will have - "wow I didn't realize how far from home it is", "did you see the size of that gym?" etc.
Be sure to stop by the faculty presentations while you're there and stop to talk to some of the senior students in the programs of interest - find out why they chose their programs, what other options they considered, the clubs they have joined, their favourite part of the program/school.
Make it into an adventure - if nothing else, you may take away some of the anxiety common to students that head off into the unknown next fall.
Book your tours now, they come to an end before you know it!
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