As a senior, I understand the difficulty of choosing a college during this pandemic. With thousands of colleges around the country, how are you able to decide without seeing the college? Across the nation, colleges have shut down their campuses and moved to strictly online classes. This means that college tours have been cancelled and replaced with virtual tours.

Many seniors didn’t have the chance to visit their schools yet in person before making a decision.

“I had to choose Indiana University without visiting but I’m super excited to be attending in the fall,” said senior Anna Lawson. “Indiana has always been one of my top schools, so even though I haven’t visited yet, I know it will be a good fit for me.”

One way that students are able to get the feel of the campus life is through virtual tours. Many schools offer virtual tours, some with interactive features, giving students a full picture of life in dorms and around campus. Also, there are many YouTube videos with campus and dorm tours that help students get the feel of where they might be living next 4 years.

Lawson used this tool to be able to make her final choice on her college for the next four years.

“I’ve always known I’ve wanted to go to Indiana but from watching virtual tours, I knew it was the place for me,” Lawson said. “The virtual tour I watched had a 360 view of different spots on campus so it made it seem like I was standing right on campus.”

Many other seniors are having to make their college decisions without visiting the college, and so they must trust that the school is a good fit for them by seeing the campus through technology. Many schools have extended their commitment date to June 1, but with stay at home orders still in place it is hard for students to visit these schools. Students must trust their instincts and choose a home for the next four years without visiting and hope that they make the right choice.