Are College Campus Virtual Tours Worth it?

by Melissa Brock | Dec 6, 2023 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

You’re crazy busy. You barely keep up with work, laundry, grocery shopping and caring for the kids. Sound familiar?

You simply don’t have time to go on college visits with your high schooler, and (admit it!) you’re a teensy bit excited that college campus virtual tours exist because you don’t have to climb in the car, book a hotel room, board the dog (or your other kids). You don’t have to ask your boss for time off.

But are virtual college tours the right way to go? Virtual college campus tours allow you to view a campus online and offer ways to approach the college search process differently. When you live in an age where technology can help you and your child explore potential college campuses, should you do it? 

The answer: Virtual school tours are worth it — when utilized correctly. Virtual tour college visits, also called virtual reality college campus tours or online college tours, can offer a first glimpse of campus. We’ll walk through what happens in a virtual campus tour, the role of college campus virtual tours, why you may want to consider one, limitations and more.

A virtual campus tour is a digital representation of a college or university campus that allows you to explore the institution from the comfort of your own home (in your fuzzy slippers). 

This online experience allows you to view: 

• Campus facilities
• Key landmarks
• Academic buildings
• Recreational areas
• Other important aspects of campus life

Virtual campus tours might involve several types of immersive and interactive exploration, such as 360-degree views of campus. Some colleges use virtual reality (VR) technology to offer an immersive experience, so tours feel lifelike and three-dimensional. VR technology might be compatible with virtual reality headsets, which add high-resolution visuals with audio elements and guided narration. Clickable hotspots and live chat engage users, offering personalized exploration. 

You may also hear narrated descriptions or read written narrations to provide context for the visit. For example, a student or an admission representative might narrate the virtual tour. 

They might also include:

• Interactive maps: Digital maps can help you navigate the virtual tour and locate campus buildings, landmarks and facilities. You can click on map markers to access additional information about each location.
• Informational hotspots: Informational hotspots refer to interactive elements within the tour to access detailed information about specific areas, programs or services a college offers. 
• Embedded videos: Short videos showcase featured departments, classrooms, laboratories or extracurricular spaces to help bring life to the tour. 

A virtual college tour may be part of a larger virtual campus tour, offering more options. For example, the full campus visit may offer informational videos through prerecorded or real-time virtual events, live webinars and Q&A sessions to allow your student to ask questions and other resources. This post focuses on virtual college tours as a smaller portion of campus visits. (Trust me, Harvard’s virtual tour will blow you away.)

The Role of Virtual Tours

Ideally, virtual tours serve a role as an information collector. However, virtual tours can contribute to informed decision-making because they offer context and color about a college. Virtual visits can help your student decide where to apply. If they don’t like the looks of the campus on the virtual tour, they may have an easy application decision.

Always keep the role of virtual tours in the forefront of your mind — it shouldn’t replace a physical campus tour unless you can’t get around it. The role of a virtual tour includes: 

• Visualization: Virtual tours offer a realistic visual representation of the environment, showcasing key features, facilities and surroundings.
• Information dissemination: Virtual tours involve giving information: descriptions, facts and multimedia content.
• Supplement physical visits: A virtual tour of colleges supplements traditional physical visits by providing a preview or follow-up experience to give you a peek into the window of the college or university.

Why Consider a Virtual College Tour?

You and your prospective student may want to consider virtual campus tours for various reasons: 

• Geographical constraints: If you cannot physically travel to a college campus due to geographical distance, financial constraints or other logistical reasons, a virtual campus tour offers a convenient and accessible alternative. (Double emphasis on convenience!)
• Time and cost savings: Virtual tours eliminate the need for travel expenses, hotel costs and the time it takes to visit multiple colleges. If you live in New York and your child is considering a college in California, for example, or overseas, a virtual college tour might offer a great alternative to an in-person visit. Few things in life are free, but free virtual college tours save you money.
• Tool for narrowing down decisions: Virtual tours can be revisited multiple times, allowing you to review and compare different aspects of various campuses. This is especially helpful when making decisions or narrowing down your choices.
• Supplement research: A virtual tour can complement other research methods, including brochures, information sessions and online forums. It provides a visual and interactive element to enhance your child’s view of an institution and might go beyond what you see in a brochure or website.
• Flexibility: You can access a tour at any time, day or night, at your own pace — it’s a great option if you have to leave for a soccer tournament, have a birthday party to go to or another important event.
• Pre-visit exploration: A virtual campus tour can offer an initial step in exploring a college. Before committing to an in-person visit, it allows your child to familiarize themselves with the campus layout, facilities and overall atmosphere.
• Access to more areas: Some virtual tours give access to areas that may be restricted during in-person visits. For example, your child may get to see laboratories, research facilities, or other spaces your family may not see on tour.
• No rain or snow: College virtual tours are always sunny! You don’t have to worry about rain, snow or hail; better yet, you don’t have to drive in bad weather conditions.

Limitations of Virtual Campus Tours

As you likely know, you’ll encounter a few downsides of a virtual tour, and the most obvious is that you don’t have feet on campus to see everything with your own eyes. A few other potential drawbacks include the following:

• Difficulties assessing campus culture: It’s difficult to assess the campus culture when you don’t “feel out” a campus yourself. Therefore, you won’t get a general sense of the values, traditions, behaviors and social norms that characterize the atmosphere and community life on a college or university campus. 
• Fewer people to talk to: Virtual tours don’t allow you to talk to people because it’s all online. Therefore, you can’t grill the tour guide, talk with an admission counselor, a financial aid professional, coaches or other individuals. Your questions might not get answered.
• Only shows the “good” side: Virtual tours only show the best a campus offers. (Do you think they’ll show you a dungeon-like residence hall?) No way! Keep an open mind because they’ll only show you the pristine parts of campus.
• Tough to get perspective: You can’t see the giant ceilings in the chapel or hear the echoey reverb in a huge lecture hall. You also won’t feel the chill in the air or the leaves crunch underfoot.
• Won’t see many students: Most virtual tours exclude crowds of students. Virtual tours clear everyone out, so the tour guide is center stage. Students won’t hurry to class or sit in the lounge areas.

Ideally, a virtual tour will show a real tour guide giving an actual campus tour. 

How to Do Virtual Tours Well

How do you do virtual tours besides clicking on the “take a virtual tour for students” on the admission webpage? That’s exactly what your student can do, and they can navigate different parts of the campus by clicking different areas. 

Navigate through campus maps, view dorms, classrooms and facilities. Watch videos showcasing campus life and listen to student testimonials. Attend online information sessions and webinars — whatever piques your student’s interests.

Personalization and Customization in Virtual Tours

Did you know that colleges can work with you to customize and personalize virtual tours? You might have to go the extra step to ask for personalized tour guides and live interactions. College websites explain how you can take a virtual visit, but you might have to call and arrange other, more personalized engagements through Zoom, Google Meet or hop on the phone. Check out a list of other individuals you may want to consider meeting with.

Meet with Admission Counselors

For example, you may want to meet with an admission counselor on Zoom, who gives out trade secrets, the dirt — everything you want to know about a college. 

Your virtual tour may not coincide with a counselor talk. You and your child may take the virtual tour on Monday, then talk with an admission counselor on Thursday. Scheduling it later gives you a chance to think of great questions you have after watching the tour. 

You can find your child’s admission counselor online, under the admission tab on the college’s website. 

Meet with Financial Aid Professionals

Consider scheduling a visit with a financial aid professional as well. Don’t let a generic video from a virtual visit be your only guide to financial aid from a particular school. You and your child deserve better than that! 

If financial aid is part of a larger online visit, watch it. Then call the college or university to explore how the financial aid process works for your situation. You can get a lot accomplished during one financial aid phone call. You get to ask questions that pertain directly to your situation.

Talk with Current Students

As part of the virtual tour, many colleges include videos of students talking about themselves, their majors and extracurricular activities. Listen to these online videos. Then remember it’s all a marketing ploy. 

I know that’s a cynical attitude, but remember that colleges usually pick their most accomplished, affable students to video. This isn’t always a great representation of the student body. 

Do you know someone who already attends the college your child’s considering? Encourage your child to set up a coffee or Zoom meeting with the student. It’s the best way to get the most candid analysis — students will likely blurt out the pros and cons without prompting. 

Remind your child that information from one person is just that — one person’s experience. If your child can talk to more than one person at the college, that’s great! The more feedback from a large number of students your high schooler can get, the better.

Just because one student’s having an awesome or crummy experience doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone else.

You want to get as snoopy as possible when you’re looking at colleges, so here are some other ways to do it.

Follow Colleges’ Social Channels

Follow schools your child’s interested in on Instagram, X and YouTube to get brief updates on activities on campus. Try to find social channels not connected to the admission or marketing offices! 

Check out the College’s Online Events Calendar

Colleges often host various events, from musical artists and comedians to free movies and game nights. Seeing a calendar of events can give you a better understanding of the fun activities available to students. 

Research the Surrounding Town

Have you ever heard of a phenomenon called the “campus bubble?” I referred to it sometimes when talking to students. It’s when students become insulated from the town and never leave campus because everything they need is there. The town kind of vanishes and the campus becomes their town.

Still, your child might have to venture to Target every once in a while. So, what’s the town or city like? Do some online research and learn about the benefits outside The Bubble.

Tips for Maximizing the Virtual College Tour Experience

Here’s how to make the most of virtual tours:

• Interact with as many people as possible. From tour guides to students, there are opportunities for interaction beyond college tours videos. Some virtual tours may offer that, and again, you may have to set those up independent of college or university virtual tours on a website.
• Give feedback. For virtual tours colleges want to be able to offer the most comprehensive experience possible. Consider giving feedback on how colleges can refine virtual tours based on your experience.
• Balance virtual and in-person college exploration. Combine virtual college visits with traditional in-person visits. A hybrid approach can provide a comprehensive understanding of a college. Experiencing campus life virtually and physically can give you “Aha” moments once you get on campus.

Also consider combining virtual college tours with informational interviews, online forums and other research methods. While not a full substitute for physical visits, virtual tours can play a pivotal role in providing semi-authentic glimpses into campus life for prospective students.

Yes — kick your feet up, coffee cup in hand, messy bun proudly displayed while you take a campus tour. “Ooo” and “Ahh” over beautiful residence halls, cool science labs and more. 

Just remember, nothing replaces a true college tour. If your child thinks he can choose a college based on virtual college tours, remind him that: 

• People make a great college experience, not beautiful buildings.
• Campuses show all their best stuff in a video. The junior/senior apartments might be beautiful (they’ll show these on video) but the freshman residence hall could be a pit. 
• Talking to as many people as possible is important — get comfy with Zoom!

Don’t forget to visit in person for the full immersive experience. 

The Ultimate Guide to College Visits: What You Need to Know

by Melissa Brock | Nov 29, 2023 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

As a parent, college visits can seem like the most complex undertaking in your child’s high school experience to date. What schools should you visit? What questions should you ask? What do you make of all those dollar signs on the financial aid guide? (Oh yeah, that’s a biggie.)

College visits vary so much, and that’s the cool thing about each. You can get a real sense of what a particular college or university “feels like,” which is pretty intangible. Even so, it can make or break the college tour experience.

We’ll shed light on all this while focusing on effective planning, what to do on campus tours, the questions to ask, what school to tour next — everything. We’re going to go beyond the standard advice so you get the most comprehensive practical tips ever.  

Why Are College Visits Important? 

I spent 12 years working in college admission, and I can tell you the most important reason to visit colleges: It gives you and your child (both of you — that’s important!) a chance to understand the campus culture. Getting physically on campus allows you to immerse yourself in the community so you can: 

• Learn about student life.
• “Feel” the atmosphere.
• Gain authentic insights into the community. 

Imagine visiting a college on a Friday and watching everyone pack up to go home for the weekend — that sure tells you a lot about a campus, huh? Or, what if you and your student notice a palpable energy on campus preceding the weekend? That can tell you so much about student priorities. 

Two totally different experiences can give you and your child an idea of what to expect, and the only way you can learn is to get your feet on campus. Even if you’ve gotten the glossy literature in the mail or noticed the gorgeous academic facilities online, it’s time to see if it all matches up. 

You might be tempted to do virtual college tours and check that college off the list, but resist that impulse. There’s nothing like getting boots on campus to really understand what a campus looks like and feels like, which your child can’t get from gluing themselves to a computer screen. 

Types of College Visits

Did you know that there are different types of college visits? 

• Personal campus visits: Whether you visit a liberal arts college or a community college, personal campus visits offer the most individualized visit opportunity. Your student will most likely get to do everything they want to do while on campus because when you schedule it, you tailor it to your students’ interests.
• Group campus visits: Group campus visits, just like they sound, offer an opportunity for students to visit campus and be part of a group. While they don’t offer the personalization that a personal campus visit does, you might be able to score a few separate individual appointments at the end of the day.
  • Academic visit days: If your child knows they want to major in a particular academic area, you can attend an academic visit day, giving your child general knowledge about academics. You’ll likely get to do a group tour.
  • Athletic visit days: Some colleges offer athlete preview days, where athletes converge on campus and visit with other prospective athletes and coaches.
  • Individual interest visit days: Music visit days, theater visit days, etc. — the list goes on. Colleges try to offer showcases of different programs to attract students to visit.

What Happens During College Visits?

Before you even set foot on campuses, you must schedule college visits — learn how to get an official visit to a college. I’ve detailed exactly how to do that in the linked post. There are two main ways to schedule visits — by calling the admission office or visiting the college online and clicking “schedule a visit” under the admission tab. There’s more to think about than simply filling out a form, so check out the post on how to plan college visits.

Once you schedule your college visit, the next logical steps include getting there, parking on campus, finding the admission office, and then getting your visit underway.

First, you have to get to campus. Make your travel arrangements in advance so you can be sure everything aligns. Check with area hotels about discounts for students visiting — some will offer those. Getting to colleges might be as simple as driving two hours from home, while others require a flight and rental car.

Sometimes, colleges will offer vouchers to reimburse travel. For example, as an admission employee, I was authorized to reimburse a portion of a visitor’s travel expenses, such as a plane ticket or gas receipts. You may also qualify for a free college visit if you’re a low-income household. Ask the admission office for more information.

Parking on Campus

Your scheduling information should contain information about parking on campus. Whether you receive information via snail mail, text or email (or all of these!), it should give you explicit instructions about where to park. 

Colleges and universities notoriously have terrible, crowded parking, but the admission office should have spots ready for you. They might even put your name on a spot if they’re on their A-game! That was one of the most popular things our admission office did for families. Talk about rolling out the red carpet!

Learn more: Are College Tours Free? 

Finding the Admission Office

You should receive a map in your confirmation materials., which may come via email, snail mail, text message and more.

Once you find the admission office, you should see a reception area or desk. Have your student check in right away — they should be expecting you. They may ask if you want coffee or water and direct you to the restrooms. They may invite you to sit in the office to wait for your first appointment, especially if you arrive early. Check out the comfy couches and take a look around!

As the admission office is the college’s front door, this is a great time to start evaluating the college. Ask yourself:

• Is the staff friendly and accommodating?
• Did someone greet you right away?
• If you had to wait, did other people greet you, stop, smile and sit down to chat?
• Did you meet your child’s admission counselor right away? (Remember that they may be on the road and unable to meet with you.)
• Did someone go over your child’s schedule with you immediately?

Sitting in the admission office can give you a sense of the place right off the bat — you’ve heard the expression that it’s hard to overcome a first impression and hold them to it.

Connecting with Admission Counselors or Representatives

Your child has an admission counselor at every single school. Here’s how it works: Admission offices divide the country into different areas, meaning that one counselor takes care of a territory. These professionals have “their” group of students that they usher through the admission process. 

Ensure that you meet with an admission or admissions counselor at a college or university, even if you don’t meet with your child’s admissions counselor. Though we do so much online these days, it’s important to maintain face-to-face communication with your child’s admission counselor. It can even alleviate your child’s nervousness to see a familiar face, particularly if your child has already met this individual, such as at a college fair or high school.

Try to meet with an admission counselor individually during your visit. When you meet with admission counselors, you’ll learn about the application process, scholarship opportunities and information about your child’s chosen program. Getting to know this person can set you apart from other candidates — face it, an edge means everything in this competitive admission process!

A quick note on meeting with admission counselors: No question is dumb, and encourage your student to have questions in mind. Students often clam up because they don’t know what to ask. Admissions counselors don’t know everything, but they should find it out for you — that’s their job. They’re like shepherds, rounding up your questions and delivering results.

Read more: 202 Powerful Questions to Ask on a College Tour 

Going on a Campus Tour

Folks, this is the shining, blazing star of the college visit experience. You get to walk around and see the campus with your own eyes. Watching students on campus tours is fun because you can see them light up when they see particular parts of the campus that speak to them.

How long are college tours? Campus tours usually last one hour from start to finish but can last up to 90 minutes. You can’t choose your tour guide, which is too bad because a bad tour guide can seal the fate of the college. Try to talk them through that beforehand because they might not click with the tour guide.

You may not start your visit with a campus tour — it depends on your schedule or the visit day schedule.

The campus visit coordinator will organize tours differently on different campuses but should hit these areas.

Student Lounge Areas

Checking out student lounge areas can give you a great idea of how students interact socially. Do they sit around, chatting and drinking coffee? How do they decompress after a long day of studying? Is it vibrant and inviting?

Hopefully, you’ll see:

• Comfortable seating options to provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere for students
• Tables and workspaces to study and collaborate on group projects
• Technology and equipment, such as TVs, gaming consoles and other entertainment
• Residence hall social spaces might contain board games, pool tables and other recreational activities.
• Bulletin boards or information centers where students can find announcements, event details and other important information
• Designated quiet zones or study corners for students who prefer a quieter atmosphere for focused studying or reading.

Finally, hopefully, these areas are easily accessible. Student lounge areas are usually centrally located on campus so students can stop between classes. Student lounge areas vary considerably from school to school, so they’re one possibly overlooked area to check out on college campuses.

Cafeterias

Where do students eat? What’s the food like? Eating in the main dining area can give you and your student a good sense of how students utilize the cafeterias and, most importantly, how the food tastes. For some students, the cafeteria is one of the most important parts of the college experience — at least at first, on college visits. If the food isn’t good, don’t be surprised if your student writes off that college!

Cafeterias should be an open book, with diverse food options (particularly for specific dietary needs and healthy options), various meal plan options (which allow students to access the cafeteria for a certain number of meals per week), a range of food and specialty stations, social spaces, themed events, sustainability initiatives, late-night dining options and coffee shops or snack bars.

Residence Halls

Finding a campus with the right residence hall, or dorm, is tricky. The options available often depend on the size and resources of the colleges you visit. 

Traditional residence halls typically have multiple floors with rooms arranged in a hallway for communal living and communal bathrooms. You’ll often find common areas for socializing and studying. However, you can find residence halls peppered with dozens of different options. 

• Suite-style halls: Community-style rooms connected by a shared common area and bathroom. 
• Apartment-style halls: Individual apartments or suites with a kitchen, living area and private bathrooms, typically for upperclassmen.
• Special-interest housing: Sometimes called themed housing, you might see special-interest housing favor honors students, language immersion living, or wellness communities. This might appeal to your student if they have specific interests.
• First-year student halls: These cater to students to foster community and collaboration among students in their first year of college.
• Family housing: If your student needs accommodations because they have a family of their own, family housing could be a good fit. Look into these units, which might consist of apartments or townhouses.

Other housing types might be available, even quiet or substance-free halls for students who prefer a more low-key living environment, or coed residence halls, which means that all genders coexist, likely with separate common areas. Your child can tap into so many different options — it’s amazing!

Athletic Facilities

Your tour may or may not go through sports complexes, gyms and stadiums to emphasize the importance of physical fitness and recreational activities. If your child is an athlete, meeting with a coach may be an important part of their college visit, so you may not need an in-depth tour of this space, because the coach will take care of that.

Administrative Buildings

A tour guide may walk you through offices for admissions, financial aid (to learn about the FAFSA) and other administrative services to help students understand the support available to them, including academic support services. 

You likely won’t spend much time in these areas because hitting the most relevant day-to-day spaces is important: academic buildings, residence halls, common areas and cafeterias. However, some campuses have unique or historic buildings that symbolize the institution.

Academic Buildings

Tour guides should show you several academic buildings, such as classrooms, laboratories, research centers and specialized facilities, to highlight the institution’s commitment to developing successful graduates.

They may also show you buildings that house computer labs, innovation centers, or technology-focused facilities to showcase a campus’s technological resources.

Academic facilities can give you a sense of what it’s like to attend classes at that college. If you can, consider setting aside some time to visit with a faculty member or sitting in on a class. Watching how the professors or teaching assistants interact with the students can give you a great idea of the experience you’ll get as a student.

You can ask questions about the facilities, learn whether the technology is up to date, learn about the accessibility of faculty members, office hours, and any restrictions on faculty access or building access. You want your child’s best possible academic environment, and you can only find out by checking it out.

Some students think these are the most important buildings on a tour, and I half agree. You and your student must ensure you’re choosing the best educational atmosphere possible. However, remember that you can’t make friends with a building or spend time socializing with an academic program — remember the social aspect of campus life.

Evaluate the condition and accessibility of academic buildings. Are the facilities well-maintained, and do they meet your standards? Consider how easily you can navigate the campus and access the needed resources.

Visit specialized facilities related to your field of study, such as labs, studios or performance spaces. Pay attention to the condition of classrooms and lecture halls, noting factors like technology integration, seating arrangements and overall comfort.

Libraries

The campus tour should always feature at least one library. If it doesn’t, seriously question the integrity of the university. Even if your child doesn’t think they’ll use the library, they will! Look for shelves lined with a diverse tapestry of books and resources, the soft glow of study lamps and students huddling in cozy nooks or at communal tables, tapping away at laptops. 

The library should be calm, with a subtle rustle of turning pages and the faint hum of intellectual curiosity, creating a serene sanctuary for individual and collaborative learning.

Auditoriums and performing arts spaces may not appeal to all students (can you hear your student now?: “I’m not in the band or choir. Why do we have to look at this?”). Remember that all students will likely go to events on campus, and they may go here to watch.

The tour guide may also include beautiful spaces like parks, gardens, or other outdoor areas to show off the campus’s natural beauty and recreational spaces.

A few tips: 

• Wear comfortable walking shoes! You will not want to wear high heels — you will walk on campus for an hour, sometimes over craggy sidewalks and up flights of stairs. Check your kids’ shoes, too.
• Consider the weather. Bring a coat if it’s going to rain or be cold. Sometimes, students would show up in sweatshirts for their 20-degree-weather tour. Our campus visit coordinator often scrambled to find coats for these silly kids.
• Check your physical fitness. Some family members struggle to keep up with the pace of a college kid on a tour. If you’re not sure you can make it, send your child on the tour on their own and view the campus on your own at a leisurely pace.
• Walk near the front of the tour group. Campus tour groups may be huge, so park yourself near the front of the group so you can hear everything. The people in the back miss a lot.
• Be prepared to stop a lot. Whether to ensure lagging people catch up or to stop to hear about a particular campus feature, you’re going to stop on the tour.
• Don’t forget to go to the bathroom before your tour. Most student tour guides have a prescribed hour to fit in the whole tour, and making everyone else wait could mean the student might be late for class.
• Ask questions. Everywhere you go!
• Ask if you can go into buildings not on the tour. If you see a building and your tour guide does not plan to go in, ask if you can. They might say yes or suggest you swing back at the end of the tour or later during your visit.
• Ask for a smaller tour group if yours is large: It’s worth trying to get a small tour if you can see a huge group of people forming to leave for a tour. Consider sidling up to the desk and asking discreetly for a smaller tour. It’s not always possible, but could be worth it to get a more personalized experience.

Experiencing the Academic Side

Besides touring academic buildings on campus, your student may also elect to meet with a professor. I highly recommend meeting with professors face-to-face to understand how professors work and interact with students. 

Are they serious? Jokey? Care about their students? Naturally, some of that varies from professor to professor, but should be ingrained in the college’s aims and goals. Ask about the accessibility of professors outside of class. Are they available for one-on-one meetings, and do they actively engage with students in academic and extracurricular settings? 

Understanding the level of interaction your child can have with faculty members is crucial for a well-rounded educational experience.

If meeting with a professor gives your kid the heebie-jeebies, sitting in on a class can help alleviate some of that pressure. Your child will get a feel for the class while you duck out and order your favorite coffee from the student cafe.

Your student will hopefully feel immediately at ease in that professor’s classroom. Some professors even involve the student in the lesson! Fun (and a little scary)!

If you visit during a group visit day, you may only be able to hear an academic presentation by a professor or admission counselor. If that’s the case, that will give you a great rundown of the academic major your child is interested in, and as an added benefit, you may also hear questions others ask about the program or major that you hadn’t thought to ask.

Meeting with Others on Campus

Finally, who else can you think of to meet while on campus? All of this will be prescheduled before you get to campus, but you may also consider meeting with:

• Academic support individuals, particularly if your student has dyslexia or other learning differences.
• Coaches, if your child knows they want to play a sport in college. 
• Financial aid, particularly if you want to get an in-depth idea of what it will cost to attend the college or university.

Did you have a brainwave during your visit but didn’t make an appointment to meet with a particular group or individual on campus? Ask the admissions team or campus visit coordinator if you can squeeze it in later or make an appointment to talk with someone over the phone or Zoom in the coming weeks.

Other Factors to Consider During College Visits

There are a million other things to consider when you’re on campuses. However, we’ll bring a few to the forefront: student-to-faculty ratio, extracurricular activities, diversity and student support services. Let’s hatch these eggs.

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Class size can significantly impact your learning experience. Smaller class sizes often allow for more personalized attention and meaningful interactions with professors. During your visit, inquire about the student-to-faculty ratio and how it might vary across different departments.

Extracurricular Opportunities

Beyond academics, a well-rounded college experience includes participation in extracurricular activities. Explore the clubs, sports teams and cultural organizations available on campus. Consider how these opportunities align with your child’s interests and passions.

If you’re lucky, maybe a club fair will be going on, or maybe your student can talk to someone about an organization. Inquire about the level of student involvement, leadership opportunities and the overall impact of extracurricular activities on the campus community. A vibrant extracurricular scene can enhance your child’s college experience and contribute to personal and professional growth.

Campus Diversity

Diversity enhances the learning environment by exposing students to a variety of perspectives. Take note of the student body’s demographic makeup and the college’s efforts to promote inclusivity. A diverse campus fosters a rich and dynamic community. 

Speak with students from various backgrounds to gain insights into their experiences on campus. Additionally, inquire about the support services for underrepresented groups and the overall campus climate regarding diversity and inclusion. Remember, diversity means many things, including where people are from and their interests.

Support Services

College life can be demanding. Ask about counseling services, academic support and career guidance. If resources like this are readily available, your student may feel more secure as they navigate the academic journey. Learn about mental health resources available on campus to ensure a well-rounded support system throughout your child’s college experience.

Career Services

Ask about internship and job placement and the percentages. Alarm bells should ring if you hear “30 percent of our students found jobs after graduation last year.” That’s low. Ask about time management and study skill seminars offered by academic support services. 

Finally, let’s put the chocolate syrup on the ice cream on your campus tour. These tips will put the finishing touches on your visits.

Engage with Current Students

Current students are the MIPs — the most insightful people — during college visits. They can offer candid information about daily life on campus, the rigor of academic programs and the overall student experience. Don’t hesitate to discuss with students you encounter during your tour, and consider arranging meetings with student ambassadors or participating in campus events.

Prepare a list of questions to ask current students. Inquire about their favorite aspects of the college, any challenges they’ve faced and how supportive the campus community is. Ask about opportunities for involvement in clubs, sports or other extracurricular activities. Current students’ perspectives can provide a realistic and nuanced view of what being a part of the college community is like.

Explore Surrounding Areas

A college education extends beyond the campus boundaries. Take time to explore the surrounding areas to gauge the off-campus lifestyle. Consider factors such as housing options, local amenities and job opportunities for internships or part-time work. A college’s location can significantly influence your overall experience, so ensure it aligns with your preferences.

Beyond the immediate vicinity, consider the broader city or town. Is it a thriving urban center with diverse cultural offerings or a quieter town with a strong sense of community? Assess whether the surrounding area complements your lifestyle and preferences.

Document Your Impressions

With multiple college visits, details can start to blur. Create a system for documenting your impressions through a travel journal, photos, or a dedicated app. Include notes on the campus atmosphere, academic facilities and any standout features. Use our college visit checklist, the College Money Tips College Visit Spreadsheet, to document your impressions. You can copy and paste it onto your own Google spreadsheet. 

Organize your documentation by college, making it easy to compare your experiences. Include positive and negative observations and any feelings or intuitions you had during the visit. This documentation will be a valuable reference when making your final decision, helping you recall the nuances of each campus and how well they align with your expectations. Don’t forget to do this right away because it’s easy to forget the details once you do several college visits!

Does Visiting a College Help You Get In?

Do college visits help admissions? 

Visiting colleges doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get in. You still have to meet the entrance requirements for the college or university. Your admission counselor will go over the requirements when you meet with them. If you don’t think you’ll meet the requirements, ask the admission office about what you can do to boost your chances of getting in. It may involve taking the ACT or SAT again or auditioning for an oboe solo — ask the admission office.

Make Your College Visits Exceptional

In the intricate process of choosing the right college, official campus visits stand out as a pivotal step. By immersing yourself in the environment, engaging with current students and carefully considering various factors, you can make the right decisions that align with your academic and personal goals. College visits go beyond the brochures and websites. They let you envision your future on campus and find the perfect home.

Also, remember that the weather can influence your perception of a campus. A beautiful, sunny day might cast the campus in a positive light, while a rainy or overcast day could impact the visit. Consider visiting multiple times, if possible, to experience the campus in different seasons and weather conditions.

Finally, consider visiting colleges when schools are in session because you can view the college when students are on campus. Visiting college during spring break or fall break requires a specific approach, possibly visiting again when students are on campus.

Learn more: How to End the College Search

What is Deferred in College Admission?

by Melissa Brock | Dec 9, 2022 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

What is deferred in college admission? 

“Deferred” means that a college or university hasn’t finished reviewing your child’s admission and will decide on your child’s admission status at a later date. 

Deferred admission usually happens in two different ways: When an early decision applicant goes into the regular applicant pool and when a regular applicant must submit more records or materials in order for the college or university to make a final decision about the applicant’s credentials. 

In this article, we’ll discuss “What does deferred mean in college?” and what to do if your child gets deferred from college.

What is a Deferred Admission College Decision?

What does deferred admission mean, in more detail? 

The National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) defines a “deferral” like this: a student retains eligibility in the regular admission pool but is not admitted.

When a college or university defers admission, application deferred meaning simply means that the admission committee at that particular school wants to review your child’s application against the Regular Decision pool of applicants. Regular Decision refers to an admission round where students submit their application non-binding (which means they don’t have to attend if accepted) typically by January and receive an admission decision by late March or early April. They have until May 1 to accept or decline the offer of acceptance. 

Students who end up with a deferred admission start out applying for admission in a few ways — Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA) or Restrictive Early Action (REA). Let’s take a quick look at the definitions and learn more about the various admission types: 

• Early Decision (ED): If your child applies ED, the decision is binding. Your student must attend that particular college and withdraw applications to any and all other schools. Students can apply ED to just one other college.
• Early Action (EA): EA, which is not binding, means your child can apply to other colleges and does not have to attend if accepted.
• Restrictive Early Action (REA): The not-binding REA allows students to take until May 1 to make a decision but cannot apply early to any other college — including ED, EA or REA.

Your student may feel disappointed about not getting an outright acceptance, but it’s important to stay focused on the positives — most importantly, that the college still wants to continue “getting to know” your student. Your child is still in the running! In fact, you should think of it this way: Schools often don’t know what the level of competitiveness of their applicant pool will look like in the Regular Decision round, so they want to hold back applications in order to compare them.

Some early applicants go into the regular applicant pool. The admission committee will give them a second chance with a new look at them. That way, they can look at strong applicants in the context of the regular application pool. This is a good thing because the regular applicant pool usually isn’t as weighty (aka competitive) as the early applicant pools.

Here’s another perk: Your child can submit updates, such as final semester grades, leadership accomplishments and others that they couldn’t submit before because it was too early in the application process.

Why Do Colleges Defer Students?

Colleges defer students for several reasons, including the fact that they are not ready to make a final decision about your students’ applications. They may have also had a huge surge of early applications and need to defer a large group of applicants who are “on the bubble” — those who are not automatic shoo-ins but still admissible and viable as candidates. Admission offices might also expect a surge of applications for Regular Decision and want to keep spots open for the right candidates. 

Now, to make things seem more confusing, you may have also heard of “deferred enrollment.” Note that this means that a student decides to defer admission on their own after acceptance into an academic program. For example, a student may choose to defer admission in order to take a gap year. 

Is a Deferral a Rejection? 

No, a college deferral is not a rejection. It also does not mean that anything at all is wrong with your child’s application. However, your child might think of it as similar to a rejection, and it’s important to help them understand that a deferral offers them an opportunity to continue to prove their worth to the college or university that issued the deferral. 

Harvard says the following about “What does deferred mean?” within its frequently asked questions, “It is impossible to predict individual admission decisions. Past students whose applications were deferred have been admitted at various rates, often approximating the rate for Regular Decision candidates. Over the next few months, your application will be reviewed again, supplying another opportunity for eventual admission.”

Let’s take a look at a few steps to handle a deferral if your child gets one. 

Step 1: Learn what the college needs to know.

Some colleges share that they would like to learn more information about your student, such as asking for an updated transcript, newer test scores or an update on extracurricular activities. 

A college might also firmly state that deferred students should not submit additional application materials. If that’s the case, your child should not submit anything else — not following directions can ruin their chances of gaining admission.

If the college allows you to send additional materials, here’s what you can do next:

Your child will have to gather all the requested materials, just like they did the first time around. However, everything will need to go up a notch. Don’t submit test scores if they are worse than previous scores, and work to get incredible letters of recommendation that are absolutely fantastic. Do whatever you can to encourage your child to go all out after the deferral — not lose momentum. It can be easy to lose enthusiasm after a deferral, but don’t.

If you or your child have specific questions about the materials to submit, call your child’s admission counselor (you can find territory assignments on the college’s website) and have a candid conversation about the materials. The admission counselor will not be able to give you or your child any guarantees regarding admission but will advise you about what to include and maybe even some tips on how to present it. They have your student’s best interests at heart. 

Step 2: Have your student draft a letter.

Your student may already feel as if they’ve done a lot regarding admission to that particular institution. However, it’s time to write a professional letter to the director or dean of admission as well as to the admissions counselor.

Consider sending both an email and a hard copy of the letter in the mail. In the letter, one of the most important things your child should do involves explaining why you want to enroll in college. Above all else, colleges want to make sure you fit their school academically, but they also want to hear the magic words — “I want to attend your school because of these reasons…” 

It may sound something like this:

My first-choice major at XYZ University is biochemistry, which combines my favorite science classes, biology and chemistry. I knew that I wanted my senior year schedule to follow a strong biochemistry program. After numerous conversations with alumni and my admissions counselor, Jackie Smith, I decided that I wanted to attend XYZ University. I believe that XYZ’s biochemistry program offers me the best opportunity to pursue my goals of becoming a pharmacist. I also plan to pursue the Science Club and undergraduate research opportunities through Professor Mei’s annual attendance at the molecular biology symposium. 

I’m excited about all the possibilities available to me at XYZ — the college remains my first choice. If admitted in the regular decision round, I intend to enroll at XYZ. 

Since I applied Early Decision, I have become president of the biochemistry club at my high school and began volunteering at our local hospital.

For students juggling multiple applications and deadlines, some may choose to pay for essays to alleviate the stress of academic workload during this process. Show that your child will enroll at the school. Restate why the college makes academic and social sense and reference various opportunities your child will get involved in. Let the admissions committee know about those achievements.

Step 3: Ask for letters of recommendation. 

As you already know, it’s important to pull out all the stops, so when your child needs additional scholarship recommendations, you should carefully consider just who will do it. You want this person to be able to talk up your student’s character, leadership skills and other qualifications. Who has developed a personal relationship with your child and who can write a letter of recommendation for admission? 

Look for someone who can share your child’s character, qualities and future potential. Letter writers really do have a big job — they have to understand the gravity of the deferral recommendation letter, factors that appeal to the committee, deliver a well-written letter and more. They have to make it succinct, compelling and impossible to resist, which is why your child should choose the right person, ideally someone who knows deferred meaning college and what is at stake.

Step 4: Recheck the application. 

Your child has done a lot up to this point on the application and it may seem like a major heave to look at everything again. However, it’s worth putting in the extra effort to make sure the application checks all the boxes. 

Have your student check the grammar, change some language from active voice to passive voice, have your child read it out loud. As with everything else, it’s time to get this absolutely right.

Step 5: Get comfortable with other schools. 

Even if your child takes all the above advice, remember that they could still get rejected in the regular admission cycle. Does your child have other schools on the list? Get to know other schools. 

If your child has applied to four or five, what are the pros and cons of each of them? What types of admission do they require, such as rolling admission? You may need to go through the process of visiting other institutions if you’ve been focused on this one. Therefore, consider setting up visits through the admissions office at various schools. You may even need to take a look at other schools by visiting a second time.

Absolutely! Once you’ve deciphered the “deferred from college meaning,” it’s important not to lose heart or lose sight of the continued possibilities. Your child still has a chance with the college. 

Learn more about the length of time that admission officers read applications.

Understand How to Handle Deferrals Ahead of Time 

You likely don’t want to think negatively about your child’s acceptance and how it might turn into a deferral. However, don’t focus so much on the deferred college meaning. 

Instead, do everything you can to help your student work toward an acceptance but remember that colleges may not want students to submit additional application materials. If that’s the case, follow the college’s instructions to a T — not doing so can spell out an automatic rejection from the college.

FAQs 

Let’s take a look at a few frequently asked questions about deferrals.

Is it better to be waitlisted or deferred?

Waitlisted is different from a deferral. Waitlisting means that your child goes into a type of “holding tank,” meaning that your child may or may not get admitted. At some schools, those on the waitlist almost never get admitted. If waitlisted, your child should start making plans at other schools, which is why students always need a backup list.

Is it better to be deferred or rejected?

A deferral is not the same thing as a rejection. A rejection means that the school will not offer your child admission at this time, while a deferral means that your child’s application will go into the Regular Decision pool of applicants. They want to compare your child’s application against those applicants in the Regular Decision pool. 

It’s worth mentioning that a rejection doesn’t have to be permanent. Your child can attend another institution for a semester or a year (such as a community college) and transfer to the original school to which your student applied.

Does deferred usually mean rejected?

No, deferred doesn’t mean an automatic rejection, and it’s important to remember that. Your child still has a shot at admission. Colleges defer students because they are not ready to make a final decision, may have had a large number of early applications or may expect a large number of applications in the Regular Decision round and want to keep spots open for the right candidates. 

It does not mean an automatic rejection at all. However, prepare your student to tap into backup options.

What Does Room and Board Include in College and What Will it Cost? 

by Melissa Brock | Nov 4, 2022 | Ask the admission office | 0 comments

When you’re taking a look at the full costs of college, room and board happens to be part of the cost of attendance. But what is room and board, exactly? What does room and board include in college? How does it fit into the overall costs? 

These are great questions. Taking care of college costs may be one of the most expensive (and one of the most important!) experiences you’ve ever paid for, and in this situation, you may feel as if you have to take an X-Acto knife to your budget to pare as much as possible from it to make room and board payments. 

In this article, we’ll dive right into room and board meaning as well as answer the question, “What does room and board include in college?” We’ll also cover how to learn the cost of room and board, whether you have to pay room and board (and how to pay for it!). We’ll also walk through steps to make it less expensive. 

What is Room and Board? 

Room and board: Quite simply, it refers to the roof over a student’s head (room) in the residence hall and the food a student eats at college (board). Besides that, what are the fringe benefits? What is included in room and board?

“Room” Definition 

As you might imagine after taking visits to colleges, your child will encounter a wide variety of types of residence halls or “dorm living” — large rooms, small rooms, residence halls for solely first-year students, others that are more apartment-style living. Some schools have required residential living on campus. 

College rooms typically come furnished with beds, desks, chairs, bookshelves, dressers and closets, not to mention lounge spaces, restrooms, electricity, heat, and internet access. You may have to pay more for fancier on-campus digs, which might include flashier apartment-style living and amenities like fitness centers.

Check the differences between costs of various housing options on campus. The admission office or financial aid office should be able to help you and your child iron out those specific costs.

“Board” Definition

What is the “board” in room and board? 

“Board” refers to a meal plan, or a pre-set number of meals you can purchase prior to the start of an academic semester in college. Colleges also have a wide variety of meal plan options that are preloaded on an ID card. Many meal plans at many colleges offer meals for seven days. For example, a student might choose from a 13-meal plan, where they get 13 meals throughout the week, or a 20-meal plan, where they get 20 meals throughout the week. This is typically called a standard/basic meal plan.  

However, students may be able to choose from a much smaller meal plan, such as seven meals per week. Note that some schools do not allow students to opt out of the meal plan, particularly if schools have a residential requirement. 

Some schools even offer unlimited meals, but most function as a per meal/swipe limit or a point plan. 

• Per meal/swipe plan: The per meal/swipe plan allows your child to swipe every time to use up their allotment. For example, your may use a “swipe” for a granola bar or a huge buffet meal — they would “give up” that swipe, no matter how little or how much they eat. 
• Point plan: Purchasing meal points means that you purchase a certain number of points ahead of time and points get deducted from the “collection of points.” For example, if your child eats that granola bar for lunch, it would “cost” them fewer points than the big buffet meal. 

Most schools list room and board right on their websites, so you don’t have to guess where the “room and board” comes in among the other costs. It is embedded in the cost of attendance at most schools. 

Schools typically list the tuition, required fees and other parts of a financial aid award very clearly and in order on their websites. Some people call this the “cost of attendance” (COA), which also includes room and board. In addition to room and board, COA estimates other educational expenses such as:

• Tuition and fees
• Books
• Supplies
• Transportation
• Personal expenses

Learn more: 6 Ways to Handle a Disappointing Financial Aid Award

Do You Have to Pay Room and Board? 

Yes, you have to pay for room and board. Naturally, the total cost of room and board depends on the type of campus housing and the food plan your child chooses. The cost of living on campus, according to the most recent data (for 2020 to 2021) from the National Center for Education Statistics, was $6,897 for all institutions. On average, the board for colleges cost $5,335 for all institutions during the same timeframe. 

How do you find out your COA? You can find out the total cost of attendance on the school’s website. However, you can drill in deeper and use a net price calculator, which gives you a more accurate cost of the college aligned with what it will cost your child based on your personal financial situation. You can find a net price calculator on every college and university website — it’s required by law. 

How to Pay for Room and Board 

Let’s take a quick look at how to pay for room and board from the standpoint of truly understanding your child’s financial aid award. We’ll also help you get an idea of the different types of financial aid opportunities available to your child, including scholarships, grants, loans and work-study.

Step 1: Understand the financial aid award.

One of the most important things you can do: Understand the financial aid award from top to bottom. It’s important to have a firm grasp on how much a particular school will cost. 

Sometimes, various types of aid get lumped together. For example, it might look like your child has received a huge financial aid award, but when you peel back each layer, you may realize that a few of those “awards” are actually loans. Some schools also work-study as part of the award calculation. I’m really not a fan of this tactic because it looks like you get a guaranteed lump sum of money, but that’s not true — your child must earn work-study money by working a job on campus. 

In addition to that, some financial aid awards do not include the total cost. When financial aid awards don’t publish the total cost right on the financial aid package, you might have to do a little digging. Look carefully at a school’s costs page online, or better yet, call, to be absolutely sure that you’re considering all costs, such as lab, orientation, athletics, campus, transportation fees, etc. You may not find out about these “nasty” surprises till later.

It’s also a good idea to consider the fees and interest rates for loans. Use an interest rate calculator to get a sense of how much it will cost you for sure. Finally, remember that colleges also implement tuition increases each year but scholarships don’t always increase as tuition increases. 

Ultimately, it’s important to really understand the full figure and what to expect.

Step 2: Apply financial aid toward room and board. 

How does financial aid award actually work? You get a round COA, then apply individual situations to it. Specifically, this means that you apply scholarships, grants, work-study and loans to it. Therefore:

Cost of attendance (COA) – Financial aid = Your final costs

Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will get you started in the right direction. This means that your child will be considered for federal student loans, federal work-study and federal grants. I encourage every family to file the FAFSA no matter what, because you may be able to chip away at the costs using federal aid. Items such as work-study will not go on your child’s financial aid award if you don’t file the FAFSA. You must file the FAFSA in order to qualify.

Read more about how to get college paid for.

• Consider housing assistance grants. Some states offer housing expense grants for students, and it’s important to recognize that grants do not need to be repaid. Funding can depend on your state and your child’s school. Housing grants may require an application, including filing the FAFSA. Check with the financial aid office at schools, state department of higher education or more. 
• Search for scholarships (including throughout college). Your child does not need to pay scholarships back (just like grants), but they can help cover the cost of room and board. Students can find scholarships through a wide variety of means, including through a college or university, through your local community (through clubs, organizations, religious groups, etc.) Need-based and merit-based scholarships can help you pay for room and board. Your child can also apply for scholarships throughout those college years — they’re not limited to just scholarships they get during their senior year of high school.
• Consider loans: Loans can help your child pay for college. Federal student loans give your child the best bang for their buck because they have the lowest interest rates and give them opportunities for forgiveness as well as other flexible repayment options such as income-driven repayment. Here are a few types of federal student loans you may need to be aware of:
• Direct Subsidized loans: The government pays the fixed interest rate (which means the interest rate doesn’t change) on need-based Direct Subsidized loans when your undergraduate child stays enrolled in college at least part time. Your child will also receive a grace period before they need to repay their loans after graduation. 
• Direct Unsubsidized loans: The government does not pay the fixed interest rate on non-need-based Direct Unsubsidized loans, unlike in the case of Direct Subsidized loans. Unsubsidized loans go to undergraduate and graduate students.
• Direct PLUS loans: As a parent, you can take out a PLUS loan to pay for education costs when you need to pay for “the rest” of college costs. Graduate students can also take out PLUS loans for graduate school. However, you must have a decent credit score in order to qualify.
• Private student loans: If your child still needs more money to pay for college, they can tap into private student loans. They can have fixed or variable interest rates and various loan terms (which refers to the length of the payback period) but these rates may be higher than federal student loans. Your student also cannot access privileges related to forgiveness or other types of income-driven repayment plans with private loans.   

Step 3: Consider other options.

It’s possible to think outside the box here. In many situations, your child doesn’t have to live on campus. If you and your child pencil out the costs and you find out that it’s cheaper to live off campus, it might actually be a good idea to approach an off-campus living situation.

Your child may also want to look into becoming a resident advisor (RA) in their second year of college. An RA is the leader of a portion of a residence hall, which means that they might mentor a handful of first-year students and help them get used to residence hall living. They might play games with them, organize on-campus group meals and oversee the behavior of residents on that floor. RAs typically receive free or discounted room and board. The amount of the discount varies from school to school.

In many cases, student RAs must maintain a certain GPA and continue to make academic progress throughout any given semester.

Step 4: Pay the bill for room and board.

Finally, the last step involves paying the final bill for room and board. Most colleges send the first semester tuition bill prior to the start of the academic year, like in July. You may also consider opting for a monthly payment plan, which divides up the months of the year that your child will attend school or spreads them out over the course of 10 or 11 months.

Make sure the school’s financial aid award captures the correct scholarships and other aid (particularly outside scholarships) before you pay the bill.

Is it Less Expensive to Live On or Off Campus? 

At first glance, the cost of living off-campus may seem cheaper than room and board, but by the time you add up the additional costs, such as furniture you have to purchase, utilities, and purchasing your own groceries, you may get close to the cost of paying for room and board.

Iron out all the expenses between both with your child. It’s your child’s first foray into adulthood and it’s important to remember that some kids need the residence hall environment for a few years — some students are not yet ready for apartment living.

You likely have a little bit less maneuverability when saving on room and board in a residence hall because there aren’t dozens of ways to cut back. Your child’s only options may involve choosing a less expensive meal plan (which likely involves fewer meals) or a lower-cost dorm room. 

However, there are quite a few ways your child can reduce expenses if they choose to live off campus:

• Put together a budget to monitor daily expenses.
• Get a roommate to share expenses.
• Choose lower-cost groceries or clip coupons and limit going out to eat.
• Cancel cable and opt for lower entertainment costs.
• Save on utilities (wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat) and turn out the lights.
• Choose a lower-cost apartment with fewer amenities.
• Shop for cheaper internet.
• Use public transportation.
• Limit use of credit cards.
• Brew coffee at home.

Encourage your child to get creative about saving money — college students are notoriously creative.

It’s Possible to Save Money on Room and Board

You can save money on room and board. It’s a good idea to compare costs by considering the answer to “What are room and board expenses?” and comparing on- and off-campus options side by side.

Furthermore, encourage your child to get as many scholarships and grants as possible, money that they don’t have to pay back.

FAQs

Do college scholarships pay for room and board?

Yes, college scholarships pay for room and board. When you get a financial aid award, most money gets applied toward both tuition, room, board and fees, with the exception of certain scholarships such as full-tuition scholarships, which only apply to tuition. 

Does room and board count as tuition? 

Room and board is not the same as tuition. Tuition refers to the costs you pay for classes. Tuition varies from college to college, just as room and board varies from school to school. These costs can vary widely. For example, a liberal arts college may cost far more for tuition, room, board and fees than a community college.