There are many ways to learn about a college campus. Prospective students and families are often told that the best way to really get to know a college campus is to visit. While that may be a great suggestion for some families, for many reasons, high school students and families are not always able to do this or want to find ways to supplement their on-campus visit experience. A great alternative to visiting a college campus in-person is to check out and participate in virtual visit options that an institution may provide.  

While they may not completely replace the experience of an on-campus visit, these virtual visit resources can provide invaluable perspectives that can really help students determine if the institution is a good fit for them.  

For many colleges, virtual visit options are available alongside on-campus opportunities, so a great place to start looking for these would be an institution’s visit site or their admissions website. Another way to stay informed about virtual visit options is to sign up for an institution’s email list so that you are notified of upcoming events; you can find Cornell’s sign-up form on our website. Many colleges will promote virtual visit options to prospective and admitted students. So, following the Admissions Office’s Instagram page is always a good way to stay on top of critical upcoming deadlines, but also available visit opportunities.  

What virtual visit opportunities can students take advantage of? There are several ways to interact with institutions virtually, and we’d encourage you to check out as many as you’d like!  

1. You can take a virtual campus tour
2. Join a virtual information session led by an admissions officer and/or student
3. Some institutions, like Cornell, require you to apply to a specific college/school or major, and offer sessions tailored to those interests
4. Receive an invitation to interact with current students and ask questions, or email them a question
5. Ask an admissions officer or financial aid officer questions in a group setting
6. Watch pre-recorded videos

Whichever ways you choose to interact with an institution, this will only increase your knowledge and broaden your perspective on what life may be like on that college campus and if it is a good fit for you. So, don’t be afraid to engage in a variety of ways as you continue exploring various college communities.  

We’d encourage you to take a look at and participate in Cornell's Virtual Visit Options as well to get to know us a little bit better. We hope to see you there and best of luck on your college exploration journey!