Believe it or not colleges want to know you are interested in attending. This interest will have an effect on their offers of admission. If they give you a coveted “accepted” slot, it only makes sense that those slots will go to the students who demonstrate interest. They are selling a service and they want interested customers, not casual shoppers.

Even if you can’t visit campus due to travel restraints, don’t despair. There are other ways you can demonstrate interest in a college.

Scheduled High School Visits

Colleges visit high schools. The ones in your area or state will be more likely to visit and connect with students and if you’re interested, this is an excellent place to meet the college representatives. It’s the old “put a face to a name” philosophy that works to your advantage when they are sifting through application packets.

College Fairs

Most cities have college fairs where colleges send their representatives to connect with students. Don’t just walk by the tables and collect their brochures and booklets. Speak with someone and fill out a card with your information. They see thousands of students during this fair and this face to face opportunity should not be neglected.

If you don’t have a college fair close by, consider attending CollegeWeekLive’s college fairs. These fairs are conducted entirely online and attended by college representatives. You can connect using your computer’s webcam and ask any questions you might have. It’s the next best thing to a local college fair.

Campus Visits

There is no better place to connect than during a campus visit. Make it official by signing up for a tour on the college’s website. Once you’re there, schedule an interview with an admissions officer and a financial aid officer. Talk to them about your interest in their college and ask any questions you might have at the time.

Social Media

Social media makes it easier than ever to connect with colleges and their representatives. You can follow them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, connect with them on LinkedIn, and follow their Pinterest and Instagram accounts. Demonstrate genuine interest and contribute to the conversations; but don’t flood their accounts with replies and questions. In this case, less is more.

When application decision time rolls around you should have established yourself as an interested candidate. College admissions officers should be able to look at their records and see that you demonstrated interest. Some will remember your face, look back on your interview and be able to recall any conversations they had with you during the  admissions process. You will trump anyone who hasn’t expressed interest and was simply a casual shopper.

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentscountdowntocollegecoach and vice versa.

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Autumn leaves signal the beginning of fall (for those lucky enough to live in a state where the leaves change color) and the beginning of college visits. For juniors it’s time to start the process. For seniors, it’s time to visit again and narrow down the college list. What better way to kick off the season than to give some “past parent” experiential advice and draw from the stories I’ve heard from others. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee and exhale. You’re in for a wild ride.

You’re going on a nice visit to some colleges. You’ve done your homework and you’ve planned several within driving distance of each other. You’re proud of yourself and you know that your kid is going to fall in love with at least one of them. You’re all decked out for the college tours (dressed to not get noticed or embarrass him) and you’re ready to listen and let your kid ask the questions. Sounds like a perfect trip–adventure and information gathering all at the same time.

But your kid forgot to read the notes. He’s nonchalant about the whole thing and acts disinterested in the car as you are driving towards the first college. What happens after this disrupts your mojo and you begin to wonder if an alien isn’t inhabiting your kid’s body.

The skeptic

Before you even get out 0f the car your kid announces that he’s just not feeling it. Don’t even attempt to decipher what that means because it’s impossible to understand. You’ve driven (or flown) to go to a college he had on a list and now he’s just not feeling it. Bench your anger, take a deep breath and get out of the car. You’ve come all this way and you’re going to visit the college. In the best of worlds he will get out with you. In the worst of worlds he’ll stay in the car. There’s not much you can do with an obstinate teenager; it’s best to move on.

The architect

And yet another alien appears. You’re walking around campus and your kid announces that he doesn’t like how it looks. Never mind that he’s not going to college for the buildings or the landscaping. He’s going for the academics. But for some reason his blinders aren’t allowing him to see anything but the buildings and no amount of pointing out the pluses is going to change his mind.

The critic

You’re walking around campus and your kid announces that the students don’t seem friendly. Mind you he’s probably not even spoken to any of them and it’s a good bet he didn’t like the tour guide. Don’t try to convince him otherwise because the more you say, the less likely he’ll come around. Just wait until a cute girl approaches him. He’ll change his tune quickly.

The panic-stricken

You get back into the car after your last visit and he announces, “I’m not sure I want to go to college”. Don’t panic. He’s just realized the whole thing is real and he’s terrified. Give him some time to think it through and tomorrow he’ll most likely change his mind again. The worst thing you can do is draw a hard line in the sand now because his feelings are likely to go up and down like a roller coaster over the next few months (or years).

What’s a parent to do?

Even though your kid wants you to treat him as an adult, he’s still a teenager. His emotions are all over the place and this next step in his life is frightening. Remember that college is largely an emotional decision and you should expect that emotions will play into that decision. When the dust settles and the emotions clear, he will make a decision based on all the factors, including his campus visits. After all, you don’t want him to attend a college he just isn’t feeling and you don’t want him to make a decision and leave out the emotional factor. He’s going to spend the next four years of his life at this school. It will become his second home and it’s important that he likes where he is.

Before the college visits start resolve to be flexible. Your lives will be less stressful and the college application experience will be more exciting. And in the end, your kid will move on to the next phase in his life–college.

For another look at college visits, check out Wendy’s blog: Collegecation.

Families often use summer vacations to start the college visit process, take a quick walking tour, and begin to formulate a college list. If you’re a parent of a college-bound teen and visited a college campus, you have undoubtedly heard these words: “it just doesn’t feel right”. Before you say, “that’s ridiculous”, take a deep breath and think about their response. What are they really saying?

They are scared

College, for most students, is scary. They will be leaving home for the first time, on their own, and entering an unfamiliar environment. Driving onto a campus makes it real. Anxiety is a reasonable response.

They feel like they won’t fit in

College is just another environment with other kids and the possibility of not fitting in with other students weighs heavy on their mind. However, one of the important facets of the college visit is to hang out with other students and learn about the campus culture. Be sensitive to this concern.

The campus is not what they envisioned

Most students envision beautiful buildings, lavish student union spaces and gorgeous dorms. If the college you are visiting is not what they envisioned, help your student look past the external and remind them academics should be at the top of the list. But remember that first impressions weigh heavy on their decision and even though they might say, “ok”, they may be crossing it off their list.

The cold hard truth is that those “feelings” are sometimes justified, often irrational, and perfectly normal. Nancy Berk, in her book College Bound and Gagged, sums it up:

So what’s the solution [to their anxiety]? The easiest one is to respect the illogical teen refusal. After all, some claim if he is miserable at first sight, he will be miserable for four years if you force the issue. Do I agree? No, but have you ever tried to pull a 6 foot tall 17-year old out of a parked car and make him follow you around campus? This is when gentle threats, reasonable bribes, and guilt (“Do something for me for a change!”) come in handy.

Preparing for those moments of vocal, outward resistance will help you deal with this type of behavior. And when all else fails, give them some time to ponder their decision and help them see that multiple visits, even if they aren’t “feeling” it, will help them make the final college decision. Or, as Nancy says, resort to bribery.

P.S. For more parent tips about the college admissions process, check out Zinch’s High School Blog, and click on the For Parents tab at the top of the page.

Here’s a current comprehensive list of my picks for college info websites. Do you have any additional suggestions?

COLLEGE BLOGS

1. ParentsCountdowntoCollegeCoach.com–You will find the MOST information here on our blog: college guidance, college planning, college coaching, and college news. Come here first to find the latest and best tools to help you navigate the college maze.

2. TheCollegeSolutionBlog.com–An excellent resource for college-bound teens and their parents: admissions, testing, and financial aid.

3. UniversityLanguage.com/blog–Great blog articles about everything related to college admissions geared toward students.

4. NYTimes-TheChoiceBlog–Demystifying college admissions and financial aid by providing articles and Q&A by experts in the field.

5. GreatCollegeAdvice.com/blog–An excellent resource about the college admissions process providing expert advice helping students map their college journey.

6. USNews.com/Education–The education channel of U.S. News and World Reports providing the latest news and information related to college.

7. CollegeBasics.com–An excellent resource for information about college essays, college applications and high school resumes.

8. InsideHigherEd.com/blogs–Several different blogs related to higher education.

9. TheRealCollegeGuide.com–Four blogs about college life: the dorm, lifestyle, academics and heath and fitness.

13. UniversityParent.com–A site where parents can ask questions, gather information, and download and view college guides and campus newsletters.

14. CollegeParentCentral.com–A blog created to give parents useful information about college and the college admissions process.

15. YourCollegeKid.com–A site with parent forums and other college prep tools.

FINANCIAL AID

16. FindTuition.com–Help finding money to pay for college, along with articles related to college financing.

24. Zinch.com–A free service for students and parents where students can showcase themselves, connect with colleges, and search for scholarships.

25. MeritAid.com–The place to go to find merit scholarships and academic scholarships from colleges across the country.

26. Scholarships.com–An extensive scholarship search engine that helps you search and schedule alerts for deadlines.

27. How2winscholarships.com–A guide for parents and students on how to effectively apply to and win scholarships.

COLLEGE VISITS

28. SmartCollegeVisit.com–Created to provide information about college visits, help parents and students plan, and view personal accounts from both parents and students.

29. CollegeWeekLive.com–A virtual college fair that sponsors free LIVE events with archived presentations, student chats, and college booths.

COLLEGE PLANNING

32. EntrepreneurEdu.org–This is an excellent resource for students who are interested in colleges who offer entrepreneurial programs.

33. BetterGrads.org–A network of college student peer advisers and a resource filled website presenting honest accounts of the college experience geared toward high school students.

34. MyCollegeCalendar.org–Interactive college admissions counseling program designed for both high school students and their parents.

43 BigFuture.collegeboard.org–A planning tool to help parents and students get ready for college.

TEST PREP / TUTORING

44. TutorsForTestPrep.com–An SAT expert and coach offering tips to help your college-bound teen improve their SAT/ACT scores.

45. FairTest.org–The site for the National Center for fair and open testing providing information about colleges who do not use the SAT/ACT for admissions decisions.

46. Number2.com–Free online test prep (SAT/ACT) with vocabulary exercises and help.

47. Word-nerd.com–An PSAT/SAT vocabulary prep tool.

48. QuincyTutoring.com–A resource to find a tutor and schedule a tutoring session.

49. SATprepforADHD.com–Tutoring to help students with learning disabilities and ADHD.

Update: I was just reminded of this GREAT additional SAT resource:

DirectHitsPublishing.com–Books to help you study KEY vocabulary words for standardized tests.

TEXTBOOKS

50. Bookrenter.com–Rent college textbooks and save up to 75% over purchasing them new.

51. ECampus.com–Find textbooks, sell textbooks, search for college supplies and college apparel all on this one site.

52. Chegg.com–A hub for students to compare textbook prices, study for exams, and choose the right courses.

53. CollegeBookRenter.com–An online resource for Renting or Selling Text books online.

RECRUITING

54. NCSASports.org–The college recruiting site for athletes.

55. BeRecruited.com–If you have a teen that’s a student athlete, they can create an online profile here and help colleges and coaches find them and be recruited.

DORM ESSENTIALS

56. DesignYourDorm.com–A free online, interactive resource for designing and organizing your college-bound teen’s dorm room.

Moving into the dorm as a college student is exciting— so exciting that germs and bacteria are the last worry on a freshman’s mind. The come-and-go sense of independence, co-ed hallways, late-night weekend hangouts— by sharing such close communal spaces though from the dorm room to the bathroom, immunity from germs and sickness is impossible.

Teach your kid these dorm tips to keep your future college student happy and healthy.

Communicate About Cleanliness

Mix laziness, zero communication, assumptions and passive aggressiveness and you have an ongoing unclean room shared between two people. Encourage your kid to be upfront and communicate with the new roommate by discussing who cleans what and when. Open the doors for discussion and explain that holding in irritations will only worsen the living situation and energy exchanged. Also, your own college student may be the dirty culprit himself. Remind him that a those nasty food plates will bring in bugs and a dirty room will make him sick. Gross!

Stock Up on Sanitizing Wipes

Regularly wiping down the doorknob, microwave oven, computer keyboard and mouse, and other areas that are highly touched eliminates germs and bacteria from growing. Shop for sanitizing wipes in bulk and your college student can just easily take an antibacterial wipe to anything for a quick clean. Whether you prefer Clorox or Lysol, these wipes are an easy cleaning solution for a college student who struggles with maintaining a spotless space.

Use Hand Sanitizer

Public surfaces like the dormitory bathroom door handles and classroom stairway railings are hotspots for germs. Sanitizing these surfaces before using them is a faux pas, okay — and who has time for that anyway? Do the next best thing. Tell your kid to keep a small bottle of liquid hand sanitizer with her. She can discreetly spritz hands after touching something in a public area, especially during cold and flu season.

Keep Multiple Sets of Sheets

Buy several sets of sheets so it’s always easy to put fresh and clean ones on dorm bedroom mattresses. The desire to be clean is likely to be trumped by the desire to not do laundry, or at least frequently. By having plenty of spare sheets, trips to the laundromat are kept to a minimum and the bed stays clean for healthy nights of sleep.

Take Vitamins

College kids live on pizza and chips? Unfortunately, dining hall food choices, dorm room snacks and alcohol aren’t the most nutritious. Make sure your college student keeps his immune system strong by taking a multivitamin daily. Although vitamins can generally be expensive, there are less costly options. Try Vitacost’s Synergy Once Daily Multi-Vitamin for a supplement that is high-quality, reasonably priced and easy to take between classes.

Work It Out

The value of exercise isn’t groundbreaking news, yet emphasize to your kid how staying active improves the immune system. Walking for 30 minutes a day can prevent colds, for instance. Nobody wants to wake up with a sore throat and sit in the germ-infested waiting room at the on-campus clinic. Between cramming for exams and hanging out with friends, the gym can be a place of neglect. During that weekly phone call with your son or daughter, remind them that an active body is a healthy body!

Let’s face it though–rarely do students listen to us or take the time to follow these healthy habits. I know my kids didn’t, in spite of my constant insistence. The best we can hope for is that they grasp onto just a few of these tips. And it’s our right to “remind” them every chance we get!

Campus visits are an important part of the college selection process for any student. Higher education is a significant investment of both time and money, and you and your teen should both be proactive about finding the perfect school. When you visit colleges for campus tours, don’t simply follow along silently. Remember these important tips for making the most out of every one of your campus tours.

1. Give Yourselves Plenty of Time
   Rushing yourselves through a campus tour will defeat the entire purpose of visiting at all. You won’t be able to see everything, and you’ll be so frazzled by the stress of rushing about that you won’t remember anything either. Plan ahead to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy every campus tour at a leisurely pace. Set aside a whole day for excursions to local colleges, and consider planning an entire weekend around your trips out of town.
2. Explore the Whole Town
   If you’re visiting a college campus in an unfamiliar area, take some time after the tour to explore the whole town outside of campus. Surrounding areas can play a major role in the college selection process. Some schools are tucked away in rural areas with little city life to speak of, while others are situated in the middle of dense, exciting metropolitan neighborhoods. Take your campus tour beyond the campus itself, and explore the surrounding areas to get a sense of where you are and where your teen will be living.
3. Ask Lots of Questions
   The campus tour is your greatest opportunity to have your burning questions answered. Veteran students and faculty members typically conduct these tours, and they can give you the insider information that can’t be found in web pages and pamphlets. Ask lots of questions during campus tours, and encourage your teen to do so as well. Inquire about anything that springs to mind; computer centers, extra-curricular activities, academic advising or whatever piques your interest. You won’t get another opportunity like this, so let the questions fly.
4. Request to See Dorm Rooms
   Your campus tour may or may not feature a tour of dormitories and student living spaces or it may be a “model room”. Some colleges encourage prospective students and parents to explore these spaces, while others do not. Whatever the situation may be at your campus tour, request to make a visit to the dorms. If your teen is going to be living on campus, rather than attending an online university like UC CJ online, the dormitory accommodations will be a very important deciding factor in the college selection process. A college may have several different options for dorm living, so try to see as much as you can during your visit.
5. Bring Home Lots of Literature
   Start a catalog of college literature from your campus visits, and bring home as much as you can from each school. Obtain pamphlets and brochures on everything from major programs to financial aid, from international study to career placement. School literature will help you and your teen to remember the details of every campus you visit, making each tour educational and worthwhile in the college selection process.

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Why Visit?

Choosing which college to attend can be a life-changing decision. Take the time to pursue a campus visit and ensure that you are making the best decision for you. By picking the college that will best fit your needs, you will position yourself to excel in your academic career. Take a look at these students’ testimonials of how college visits shaped their decision about what school to attend.

Planning Ahead

Be proactive and remember to use your resources. Your school counselors can help you plan your college visit and answer any preliminary questions. Also, all colleges have an admissions office that can help you plan your trip, whether you want an official campus tour or to create your own informal visit. You can even check out these 10 Ways to Learn About Colleges Online to see how to effectively research various colleges online. Utilizing these resources beforehand will help prepare you with the information necessary to make the most of your college visit. Watch the video below to hear Jonathan talk about how he maximized his college visit by creating his own campus tour.

It’s important to go on a college visit, even if it’s not the school you want to attend. Tours give you the opportunity to learn more about the common places on a college campus and what resources are available, regardless of which school you attend. Visit the Location Matters to Me link to search for a college near you.

Determine When to Visit

The success of a college visit may vary depending on the time of year, even the time of day, can have a large impact. It is common for most students to wait until spring of their junior year in high school or early autumn of their senior year for their visits. Check the school’s academic calendar to be aware of any potential dates the school is closed. The beginning steps to planning a successful visit also include planning ahead and deciding what’s most important to you during your college visit. Opportunities available for touring students include informational sessions and dorm tours, and it’s even possible to sit in on class lectures. The timing of your campus visit may vary from other students if you’re considering various opportunities before your first year, including participation in summer programs, taking summer classes, or planning to participate in collegiate athletics. Click the link for more tips on When to Visit college campuses.

Create a Checklist

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all of the things to do, information to gather, and people to talk to while on a college visit. Create Checklist and be sure to prioritize the items that are most important to you. Informational sessions are important, but exploring the college to get a better feel for its campus environment is also critical. Be sure to think about some of the worries you may have about going to college and write them down. Then, look for opportunities to speak with students or staff who may have shared your same concerns before beginning college. They can help you understand how their college meets your specific needs. Make note of any buildings you want to see. Student unions, recreational facilities, dorms and libraries are some of the most common buildings on college campuses, which are important to consider when making your college decision. This Campus Visit Checklist will give you more ideas for your college visits.

Follow-Up

Planning for college should be an enjoyable experience and you don’t have to do it alone.  Don’t be afraid to ask for the contact information of any students or staff you speak with. That way if you have any additional questions, you will already have a personal contact at the school. If you plan your own informal visit, stop by the admissions office to get connected with a school representative so they too can help.

Still confused on what to do and where to go to plan your college visit? Take a look at the 6 Steps to Get the Most Out of a Campus Visit. For more information about planning campus visits, admissions, financial aid and college life, check out bigfuture.org.

Something that many families fail to realize is that not only do the schools need to decide if the student is a right fit for the institution (based on application, test scores, etc.), but the student needs to determine if the school is right for him / her.
Websites, such as CollegeBoard.com offer plenty of good information that will help in the college selection process. You can see which schools are right for your child based on admissions requirements, areas of study and even location. College websites also offer a wealth of knowledge that will generally answer many commonly asked questions, such as cost, academic offering, test requirements for admissions and financial aid options. Many college and university websites also offer virtual tours where you can see the campus, the classrooms and common areas; some may offer a glimpse into what dorm life looks like.

Once you’ve narrowed your search based on the information available online and you have a list of schools that will be a good fit on paper, then it’s time to plan your visit. Pictures will show what the campus looks like, but only with a visit will you know how it feels.

Most colleges and universities will offer an information session for prospective students and their parents, very often followed by a tour.

During the information session, many of the same details that you read on the school’s website will be discussed, but don’t forget that these sessions are an opportunity to dive deeper. Usually, it will be an admissions director leading the session, discussing things like program offerings, campus life and the admissions process. They may even discuss financial aid or have a representative from the school’s financial office there to answer questions.

The campus tour is where you’ll get a lot of great information not usually available online. Most campus tours are lead by current students who are well versed in everything the school has to offer. They’ll show you the highlights of the school’s campus, as well as give you an idea about academic routines and social life.

During the information session and tour, there are some key questions you should encourage your student to ask, questions like:

1. What key factors do you consider when making your acceptance decisions? Some schools cut off applications solely based on test scores; others equally weigh everything, such as test scores, transcripts, essay and interview. Knowing this will help you better prepare for the actual application process and better establish your expectations. You can easily get the data related to this question online, but knowing the key factors that colleges consider will be a plus.
2. What are some of the academic offerings outside of the classroom? Your son or daughter may know what field of study he or she wants to pursue, but even if they don’t, it’s good to know what the school can do for him / her beyond the lecture hall. Are there research opportunities or study-abroad programs? These things make for excellent educational opportunities and can help a student build up his / her resume.
3. Is financial aid need-based or merit-based? This may not be an important question for everyone, but some schools offer only need-based financial aid, whereas others may offer both need- and merit-based financial aid. Merit-based financial aid may change as your student’s grades fluctuate throughout their college career, and it’s important for both you and your child to know how academics may affect his or her tuition.
4. What is campus life really like? Do students stay on campus over the weekends? Is there easy transportation to the nearest town or urban center? Are there clubs and sports available based on your son’s / daughter’s interests? Is there Greek life on campus? Is it necessary or even possible to have a car on campus? The college experience is more than just lectures and studying. The social aspect is just as important and enriching to your child’s education, so it’s wise to find out as much as you can about it.
5. Are academic advisers and faculty easily accessible and supportive? Your child won’t have you around to answer all of their questions and help them along the way, and being independent from parents in an important step in the process of maturing. But support is still needed. You’ll want the confidence of knowing that there’s a system in place to aid your child, helping them select courses, guiding them through their program of study and working with them to resolve any issues that may arise during their time at a school. Some colleges have a more hands-on approach, while others are a little less involved. Knowing your child and his / her needs will help you to determine the type of support he / she need to make it through school, and may be a big factor is the school selection process.

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Today’s guest post was written by Sarah Fudin. Sarah currently works in community relations for the University of Southern California’s Master of Arts in Teaching program, which provides aspiring teachers the opportunity to earn a Masters degree in Teaching and Masters in TESOL. Outside of work Sarah enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt.

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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.

Prospective students, their families, friends, returning alumni, and anyone visiting Virginia Tech’s 2600-acre Blacksburg campus can now have an electronic map, driving directions, a walking tour, admissions information, restaurant and hotel information, historical sights, and more available literally at their fingertips via the “Visit Virginia Tech” mobile app.

“The campus visit is very important in higher education marketing,” acknowledged Melissa Richards, director of marketing and publications at Virginia Tech. “Virginia Tech works very hard to make every visitor’s experience the best it can be. We seek innovative and interactive ways to forge personal connections with our audiences. A mobile app is a smart way to engage visitors before, during, and even after they come to campus.”

Published by Smart College Visit, Inc., this navigational and travel planning guide to campus features the university’s admission requirements, campus tour and information session schedules, on-campus and off-campus dining directories, and area accommodations as well as turn-by-turn directions to nearly every building on campus, parking lots, athletic facilities, and residence halls.

A self-guided walking tour and Virginia Tech wallpaper backgrounds are just two of the app’s features designed to connect the visitor with the university.

“Visit Virginia Tech” is published by Smart College Visit, Inc. in partnership with Virginia Tech and is available free on iTunes–search for “visit virginia tech.”