occidental college tours

• Oxy Stories
• Los Angeles
• Equity & Justice
• Sustainability
• Community Engagement
• College Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Transfer Students
• International Students
• Costs & Financial Aid
• College Viewbook

Visit & Explore Campus

• Learn About Oxy
• Student Voices Blog
• Connect With Us
• Areas of Study
• Dean of the College
• Core Program
• Senior Comps
• Student Research
• Global Engagement
• Anderson Center
• Student Success
• Campus Dining
• Athletics & Wellness
• Career Exploration & Planning
• Clubs & Orgs
• Leadership & Involvement
• Student Affairs
• Student Services
• Resources & Support

The Office of Admission is eager to engage with you!

As we invite you to join us on campus to learn about the Occidental experience, we also acknowledge that Occidental occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Tongva people. 

We hope you will join us at Oxy in-person for a campus visit! If you want to explore on your own, self-guided tour routes are always available at Collins House, Office of Admission. You can begin to get a feel for the College by taking a virtual tour of campus, or joining us for a virtual information session. Scroll down for more information about each of these options.

Campus Visit

Students and families are encouraged to sign-up for an opportunity to learn about the Oxy experience directly from our admission officers and student tour guides.

Take a Virtual Tour

Enjoy an engaging 360 tour of some of our favorite spots around campus. Hear directly from our tour guides as you explore a dynamic and immersive virtual campus tour.

Virtual Information Session

This live session will be conducted by an admission officer who is joined by two current students for Q&A. There is also a pre-recorded information session that you can watch anytime. Prospective students, along with school and CBO counselors, are encouraged to attend!

Group Visit

We invite groups of 10 to 50 students from high schools and community-based organizations to Occidental for student-led campus tours. 

Self-Guided Tour

If you are unable to join us for a student-led campus tour, we encourage you to enjoy campus at your leisure with a self-guided visit. Once you register, you will receive an online guide that highlights our academic and residential resources on campus and provides instructions for an audio tour. Para descargar la autoguiada en español,  oprima aquí .

Learn About Occidental

Other ways to engage.

1600 Campus Road Los Angeles, CA 90041

Popular Searches

Jump to navigation

• Parents & Family
• Oxy Stories
• Los Angeles
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Sustainability
• Community Engagement
• College Leadership
• Strategic Plan
• Transfer Students
• International Students
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Visit Campus
• Connect With Us
• Oxy Near You
• Student Voices Blog
• Obama Scholars Program
• Areas of Study
• Dean of the College
• Core Program
• Senior Comps
• Global Engagement
• Student Research
• Academic Support
• Athletics & Wellness
• Career Exploration & Planning
• Clubs & Organizations
• Leadership & Involvement
• Student Affairs
• Student Services
• Resources & Support
• Marketplace Menu
• Student Employment
• Career Services
• College Catalog
• Academic Calendar
• Course Counts
• Financial Aid
• Student Handbook
• Sexual Respect & Title IX
• Campus Safety
• Campus Directory
• Offices & Services
• Faculty Index
• Maps & Directions

Search form

Group Visits at Occidental College

• While we do our best to accommodate all requests, appointments are based upon demand and student and staff availability.
• Group tours are offered Wednesdays through Fridays only.  
• Requests must be made at least 2 weeks in advance.
• Student groups must be of high school age (no middle school or elementary groups can be accommodated) .
• Groups may be no more than 50 students.
• Groups must include an appropriate number of chaperones and supervisory staff.  We recommend a 10:1 ratio.
• Upon arrival to campus, every attendee must have their own mask to wear anytime the tour goes indoors.

© Copyright 2024 . Occidental College. All Rights Reserved.

Occidental College

About Our College

• Enter email... *
• Name * First Last
• Title * I am a... Student Parent College Professional Other
• Hidden utm_source
• Hidden utm_campaign
• Hidden utm_content
• Hidden utm_medium

Occidental College

4 year • Los Angeles, CA

Occidental College is a private institution that was founded in 1887. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,942 (fall 2022), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 120 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Occidental College's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #35. Its tuition and fees are $63,446.

The Occidental campus is located in the suburban neighborhood of Eagle Rock, 8 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Downtown LA is brimming with opportunities for college students: internships, dining, nightlife and more. Freshmen must live on campus, and they are allowed to have cars. That’s a good thing, because the campus is within an hour's drive of big-time attractions like Venice Beach, Disneyland and Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Parking on campus is free with a permit, and about two-thirds of students bring cars. Students can choose from more than 100 clubs and organizations to get involved in on campus. Occidental has a handful of social sororities and fraternities, a gender neutral organization and a multicultural sorority. Even more students compete on the school’s sports teams, the orange and black Tigers, which are members of the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Occidental students can also take classes at CalTech and Art Center College of Design , and can earn joint degrees at CalTech, Columbia University  and the University of Southern California's Keck Graduate Institute.

This liberal arts college is notable for its diverse undergraduate student body; about 50% of students are Caucasian, about 15% are Asian and another 15% are Hispanic, and about 5% are Black. Women make up more than half of the student population.

Occidental’s picturesque campus has been featured in many motion pictures, including "Clueless," "Orange County," "Jurassic Park III" and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock." Notable alumni of the small school include Marsha Evans, former president and CEO of the American Red Cross; Andrea Elliott, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times; and Robert Richter, a documentary producer whose work has been featured on major stations like PBS and the Discovery Channel. Former President Barack Obama attended Occidental for two years before transferring to Columbia University.

+ Show More

At-a-Glance

Tuition & Fees

Undergraduate Enrollment

Acceptance Rate

From the School

Situated on an idyllic 120-acre residential campus in the city of Los Angeles, Occidental College offers a liberal arts and sciences-based education that prioritizes immersive learning in one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the world.

Academic Excellence With An L.A. Twist

With 45 areas of study , Occidental sets the foundation for a compelling intellectual adventure. Undergraduate research , local and global learning opportunities , and close mentoring by our demanding yet supportive faculty epitomize the academic experience. Our faculty understand that learning comes from doing, and they seek ways for students to apply their new knowledge to real-world projects with community partners in the Los Angeles area and beyond. With this approach, students develop into critical thinkers who draw from multiple disciplines to help solve complex problems in the world around them.

Student Experience Focused On Community

Occidental is a place for creative, hard-working, and curious students to explore their passions and make an impact in the world. Outside the classroom, students can participate in more than 100 student clubs and organizations, compete on one of our 20 NCAA Division III athletic teams , or recharge amidst their supportive living community in one of 17 residence halls. Tucked into the vibrant neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Occidental's location allows students to explore Los Angeles in their free time with the campus as their home base.

An Affordable Private Education

To make this one-of-a-kind college experience affordable, Occidental College helps students fund their education through generous financial aid , including merit scholarships, need-based grants, work-study, and student loans. Occidental is one of approximately 75 institutions in the United States that agrees to meet 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need for all U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented students.

Learn more about our only-in-L.A. community >>

Sponsored Content

2024 Rankings

Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.

• #35 in National Liberal Arts Colleges  (tie)
• #68 in Best Value Schools
• #26 in Top Performers on Social Mobility  (tie)

My Fit Score

My Fit Custom College Ranking

Does this school fit your college needs? Receive a personalized ranking provided by U.S. News College Compass and find out. Try it now

High School GPA*

Admissions Website

* These are the average scores of applications admitted to this school. Ranges represent admitted applicants who fell within the 25th and 75th percentile.

Will You Get Into Occidental College ?

College admissions calculator.

Data provided by U.S. News College Compass Users.

See Upcoming Events at Occidental College .

Room & Board

$18,284 (2023-24)

Average Need-Based Aid Package

*Average cost after aid

Popular Majors

% OF GRADUATES

ALUMNI STARTING SALARY

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics

International Relations and Affairs

Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Research and Experimental Psychology, Other

Computer Science

* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.

Kahane Oxy-at-the-U.N. Program

One of Occidental College’s most distinctive programs, the Kahane Oxy-at-the-U.N. Program selects 16 students each fall to participate in high-level internships at the United Nations. The students move to New York City, and work for United Nations agencies, country missions (government offices), and related non-governmental organizations. It’s the nation’s only full-time residential internship program available at the United Nations.

Pick the Perfect Major

Discover the perfect major for you based on your innate wiring. The Innate Assessment sets you up for success by pairing you with majors, colleges and careers that fit your unique skills and abilities.

Graduate Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students

Student Diversity

Gender Distribution

Ethnic Diversity

Minority Enrollment

Two or more races

International

Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.

Campus Life

Housing and Dorms

Types of campus housing available:

• women's dorms
• sorority housing
• fraternity housing
• theme housing
• other housing options

Student Activities

Sports Teams

Fraternities

After College

Graduation Rate

Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)

Average Debt at Graduation

Reviews & Ratings

See reviews and ratings of this school from students, alumni, staff and others. These reviews are not written by U.S. News and have no impact on any of the Best Colleges rankings. Read an explanation of user ratings .

This school does not have enough reviews yet. Click here to submit your review.

Undergraduate data are based on the 2022 school year.

You can compare up to 25 schools at a time. Please remove a school before adding another.

• Meet the Team
• News & Media
• Mexican Bird Resurvey Project
• Free-flying Los Angeles Parrot Project
• oBird 3D Models
• Bear Divide Migration Monitoring
• Collections
• Object Gallery

The Moore Lab is a hub of bird-related educational and outreach events in Northeast Los Angeles and across the city, from tours to birdwatching events.

There are several ways to see the collection:

• Book a tour through Eventbrite.
• For student or group tours, inquire with Jenny Wong at [email protected] . Student tours are discussion-based and recommended for older age groups.
• Sign up for our mailing list and keep an eye on our events calendar .

Interactive Campus Map | Occidental College | The Liberal Arts College in Los Angeles

Table of contents, expanded campus tour, collins house / office of admission, feast organic garden, urban and environmental policy institute, remsen bird hillside theater, keck theater, norris residence hall (north), solar array, soccer fields, anderson field, berkus hall, pauley hall, stewart-cleland hall, sycamore glen, emmons student wellness center, haines hall, weingart gallery, erdman hall.

2023-2024 Catalog

• The College
• Civil Rights Regulations Statement
• Academic Calendar
• Class Periods

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor of Arts Degree
• Academic Policies
• Disability Services
• Academic Opportunities
• Programs of Instruction
• Course Descriptions
• Graduate Study
• Tuition, Fees, and Expenses
• Financial Aid
• Veterans Benefits
• Key Policies
• Administration
• Catalog Home
• All Catalogs

2023-2024 Catalog > Admission Requirements

Occidental is highly selective in the admission of students. The Admission Committee seeks students with strong academic preparation who demonstrate personal characteristics that would add to a residential community, including motivation, accomplishment, involvement, energy, and commitment. Rigor of coursework, grades, writing, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and optional test scores (if submitted) are all taken into consideration in selecting the members of the first-year class. Interviews are optional but recommended.

While there is no specific requirement for the high school course of study, it is recommended that applicants take five academic subjects each year, including advanced or honors courses when available. The emphasis in each academic area will vary with individual interests and goals, but a solid preparation in high school should include four years of English composition and literature, three to four years of foreign language, three to four years of mathematics (four years for students interested in science), three to four years of social studies, and three to four years of science—including one year each of biology, chemistry, and physics. Regular Decision applications for admission into the first-year class are due by January 10.

Students for whom Occidental is their first-choice college may apply under one of two binding Early Decision (ED) programs. ED I applications are due November 15, with decisions mailed within 4-5 weeks, and ED II applications are due January 1, with decisions also mailed within 4-5 weeks.

Transfer applications for the fall semester should be submitted by April 1, and for the spring semester by November 1.

International transfer applications are accepted for fall semester only.

Detailed information on the College, its curriculum and programs, and admission and financial assistance is included in published materials available from the Office of Admission and online at  www.oxy.edu/admission-aid .

First-year and transfer candidates may apply to the College using the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Prospective students are encouraged to experience Occidental by visiting the College in person or by attending a virtual information session. Although interviews are not required, they are strongly recommended; interviews should be requested 6-8 weeks in advance of application deadlines. For more information, call (323) 259-2700, email  [email protected] , or contact: Office of Admission, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041. 

Up one level

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking

Virtual college tours are considered one of the easiest, most accessible ways to learn about a school. While a more typical college tour may still be conducted in-person, the reality of that is changing. With the technological advances of the last 10-15 years, virtual tours have become a new, affordable possibility. Indeed, a virtual college tour can be an excellent way to learn about a school’s campus, programs, student life, clubs and activities, and much more.

You might be curious, how exactly do virtual college tours work? The answer depends on the school. Some virtual tours are live streams or recordings of in-person campus tours. Others are interactive maps where you can click on buildings and see what happens inside. Some will even include Q&A sessions with students. These are just some of the many ways schools show prospective students what life is like on campus. However, not all virtual college tours are created equal.

In this article, we’ll explore the world of virtual college visits, including:

• Benefits of engaging in college tours
• Similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours
• Different formats of virtual tours
• Top 25 virtual tours worth taking
• How to plan and make the most of your college visits
• What comes next after a college tour 

Without a doubt, college visits will play an integral role in your college journey. So, let’s dive into why college visits are so important to the application process. 

Why College Visits?

Before we explore virtual college tours in greater detail, let’s discuss why college visits are important to begin with. First and foremost, college tours are a way to learn about schools before you apply or even attend. Attending college is a big commitment. Therefore, taking the time to learn more about each school will allow you to feel more confident in deciding where to attend. 

Secondly, the college admissions process is a time of self-exploration. By engaging in college tours, you can learn more about yourself just as you do about colleges. Maybe you will notice you like smaller campuses that aren’t in bustling cities. Or perhaps you will realize that having a lot of cultural diversity on campus is important. By learning these facts about yourself, you will contribute to your overall personal development as well as create a holistic college list.

Lastly, college visits for juniors help to put together a strong application. Many colleges request that you write a supplemental essay about why you want to attend their school. Through a visit, you can gain knowledge about the school and be able to speak passionately and specifically about why you wish to attend in your essays. This is more critical than ever since the number of applications has skyrocketed at many schools. As such, you’ll need to make sure your application demonstrates why you are a clear fit.

College visits and the admissions process

As you may have already gathered, there are two times when you might find it most valuable to visit colleges:

Before applying

Virtual college tours and in-person campus tours can help you narrow down your college list. In doing so, you will only spend money and time applying to colleges that you would really love to attend. College visits for juniors can also help them write stronger essays.

After admission to make a final matriculation decision

If you are admitted to multiple schools, a campus visit can help you feel more confident in your final decision. As a senior, you also might have more specific questions about certain activities or campus life. Getting to know the campus more can also help ease the transition into your first year. Since you’ll already know where important buildings and resources are located, your first day may not be as overwhelming!

Now that you understand the importance of college visits, let’s explore what goes into planning a college visit.

Planning your college visit

As we shared, college visits are an important part of the admissions process. However, planning in-person campus tours can be time-consuming and expensive. To begin, you and your family will need to explore what times of year are best to travel. Some common times to visit schools are during school breaks or summer vacations. However, if you hope to see more activity on campus, then try to plan your visit when classes are in session. 

Next, we recommend setting up a visit with the admissions office. While you can, in most cases, visit a campus without an appointment, the appointment helps you gain access to a tour. It may even allow you to speak with an admissions officer. Ideally, you will book this appointment a few months before the visit. If you find yourself running short on time, you can also show up on campus and take a self-guided tour. Occidental College , Haverford College , and Claremont McKenna College all offer self-guided tours, whether using a printed map or a downloadable app. 

The cost of college visits

Regardless of whether you pre-schedule your visit, you will need to pay for your travel including transportation, hotels, and meals. Many students try to see multiple schools in one visit to save money and time.

For some students, setting up in-person visits is difficult. Beyond the expensive nature of travel, parents or guardians may not be able to take off work or find childcare. Some high schools organize college visits for juniors, or even sophomores, where adult chaperones take large groups of students to visit schools. However, this may not be an option at your school.

If the cost and logistics required to attend in-person college tours is prohibitive, don’t worry! In the next sections, we’ll discuss the many similarities, as well as the unique benefits, of virtual college tours.

COVID-19’s Impact on College Visits

While virtual tours existed pre-pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic made them a necessity as college campus tours were canceled. Since then, virtual tours have become more advanced and more widely available. In some cases, college virtual tours can offer as much, or more, than an in-person campus visit.

While many students still prefer in-person visits, virtual tours can be used as a tool to explore colleges earlier in the application journey. Virtual tours can also be useful to prepare for an in-person visit. If a student can spend 15 minutes taking a virtual tour and noting what buildings or parts of campus interest them most, then they can focus their in-person tour on those aspects. 

Overall, virtual tours are an excellent way to visit schools that are completely inaccessible, such as ones that are too far away. Many international students use virtual college tours to explore campuses they wish to attend. Indeed, the fact that virtual tours exploded during the pandemic has raised several questions about accessibility, including the need to make more tours available in multiple languages or geared towards low-income families.

Coming up, we will explore more about the similarities and differences between in-person and virtual college tours. 

In-person vs Virtual College Tours

Luckily, visiting colleges today does not require you to go to a campus. Indeed, the number and quality of virtual campus tours for students have skyrocketed in recent years. Undoubtedly, there are similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college tours.

Similarities between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

• They provide a layout of the campus.
• They allow students to get a sense of the campus architecture, including the inside of academic buildings and dorms. For example, UT San Antonio offers special housing tours for students to see where they might be living.
• Students can learn about specific academic programs. For instance, Harvard offers a specialized in-person tour for engineering and applied sciences students in addition to the Harvard virtual tour.
• They offer insight into student life on campus. Emerson College , for example, offers videos of students talking about their transition to life in Boston and co-curricular activities.
• Tours allow students to explore the available clubs and activities on campus.
• They are opportunities to hear directly from actual students about their experiences. Colgate , Princeton , and Barnard all offer virtual conversations with students.
• Students can get some of their doubts answered. Many tours offer a live Q&A with current students. Pomona ’s live virtual sessions include this offering.

Differences between In-Person College Campus Tours and Virtual College Tours

Note that depending on the school, you may or may not receive information about that school’s admissions process during a tour, whether in-person or virtual. Several schools, like Spelman , encourage students to schedule separate webinars to learn more about the admissions process, as this is not a topic covered in their campus tours. 

Now that we have explored the similarities and differences between in-person college campus tours and virtual college visits, let’s look more deeply into when and how to use virtual college tours.

Understanding Virtual College Tours

When first hearing about virtual college visits, many students and families are skeptical about how useful they can be. However, college virtual tours have advanced so much in recent years that many offer a similar, if not enhanced, experience to an in-person visit. 

As we discussed, there are several obvious reasons why college virtual tours are easier than in-person, including the fact that they are free and require little to no planning. In the following sections, we will discover more of the benefits and uses of virtual college tours. We will also discuss how they work and explore some of the best virtual college tours that exist today.

Are Virtual College Tours Worth It?

Yes—college virtual tours are absolutely worth your time! Indeed, virtual college tours can be a very good investment of time depending on where you are in your college admissions process. Let’s explore some ways that you can use virtual college visits to aid you in your college decision-making process:

Initial exploration of schools

As a freshman or sophomore in high school, you might not know how to prepare for the college process. Using virtual college tours, you can begin to explore schools and learn about what you like and don’t like in a college. This process can help you stay motivated to work hard as you will visualize your goals with greater clarity. You will also begin to learn what types of schools you are drawn to, which can help you build a college list faster in your junior year.

Exploring more and different schools

In the past, many students were limited to only visiting schools they could travel to. In some cases, leaving their state or country was impossible. Virtual college tours offer much more accessibility for students who cannot travel large distances. Also, since they can be completed in much less time than in-person college campus tours, virtual college visits may allow you to explore schools you had never considered. Perhaps you were only considering applying to big public schools. With virtual college visits, you can branch out and easily explore small, liberal arts colleges as well.

Narrowing down the list of schools you might want to visit in person

You might have a long college list. Ideally, you’ll want to cut it down when considering which schools to visit. This is where virtual college visits offer a unique opportunity to make the most of your time and resources. Before you get on the road, you can do a virtual tour to see if you like the campus enough to visit. Or perhaps the virtual tour helps you see which parts of campus you want to explore further, or which buildings you want to enter.

Alternatively, maybe your virtual college visits give you the confidence to know you like the school enough that you don’t need to spend lots of money on a flight in your junior year. Perhaps you will wait and see if you are admitted and visit the school afterward to decide if you want to attend.

Certainly, we can agree there are many benefits to virtual college visits. However, some virtual college tours are more interactive, engaging, and informative than others. Later, we will explore some of the virtual college tours that are worth taking.

While the quality of the tour may depend on the schools you’re interested in, how much you get out of them ultimately depends on you. We will explore how to make the most of your college virtual tours later. 

What Are Virtual College Tours Like?

Now that we have convinced you that college virtual tours are beneficial, let’s look at what you can expect from them. Most virtual college tours for students have some combination of the following offerings:

Guided tour of campus

This can include a combination of interactive maps and pictures, embedded videos, informational text, and voiceovers describing what you are seeing. Some college virtual tours offer 360-degree views that allow you to click around and move through campus as if you were there, such as the University of Tampa ’s tour. Even more advanced tours offer immersive virtual reality (VR) technology which allows you to put on a headset and bring the campus to life in front of your eyes. However, VR campus tours typically require you to have your own equipment at home.

Campus highlights

Most virtual college tours for students will highlight important buildings or landmarks. These can include academic buildings, monuments, libraries, dining halls, residence halls, and the student union. By showing you these buildings, schools hope to give you a sense of what your day-to-day life may look like as a student there.

Student testimonials

Another helpful part of college virtual tours is student testimonials. Sometimes, this looks like students leading a campus tour while sharing their own experiences. Other times, schools will offer webinars for prospective students to ask questions of others. More common these days is the use of social media to share student experiences. Some schools will allow students to “take over” their social media accounts and post about their day so that prospective students can see what a day on campus is like. Consider following schools of interest on social media so you can get an insider’s perspective.

Now that you know what you can generally expect from college virtual tours, let’s explore the differences between college campus tours across schools.

How Do Virtual College Tours Work?

As the name suggests, virtual tours happen via a computer, phone, or other piece of technology. However, that can look very different depending on the school you are investigating. As we shared above, many virtual college tours for students include some kind of guided tour of campus, a list of highlights, and student testimonials. However, these items can come in very different formats.

Here are some of the formats you can expect:

Pre-recorded videos.

These can look like videos of a student giving a tour or a video of activities happening around campus. Since these are the simplest version of virtual college tours for students, they are the most common. Schools like Dartmouth , CalPoly , and Vassar all offer pre-recorded tours. 

Interactive videos

Some videos let you click on buildings or landmarks as you watch to learn more. In some cases, you can even enter buildings. For example, the Harvard virtual tour lets you click through photos of the athletic center, dorms, libraries, labs, and quads. The Harvard virtual tour also includes a voiceover that provides additional information as you scroll through images. 

Interactive map s

Here you’ll have a map of campus, whether flat or 360 degrees, that lets you click on landmarks to gather more information. Cornell , Bucknell , Wesleyan , and Pace all have online maps you can explore.

Live streams

This is a video that is being filmed at the same time you are watching it. Live streams sometimes offer a chance for Q&A with the student hosting. To take advantage of this, you will need to be present at the exact time the live stream is being shared. In some cases, you may need to register ahead of time to receive the link. An example of a live tour is at the University of Pennsylvania , where students register ahead of time for a one-hour, live, student-led virtual campus tour.

Live Virtual Tour vs. Pre-Recorded Tour

Take special note of the distinction between live virtual tours and pre-recorded virtual tours. Live virtual tours are being streamed as you watch them, which means you will get a better sense of what is happening right then and there on campus. Sometimes, live virtual tours include a Q&A section where you can ask questions. Meanwhile, pre-recorded virtual tours are less interactive but offer the flexibility of watching them whenever you can.

A common platform for many of these virtual college tours is YouVisit . YouVisit specializes in making virtual experiences as interactive as possible. For that reason, you may notice that many of the online virtual college tours you discover are similar in format. YouVisit’s tours tend to include interactive 360-degree maps, voiceovers, videos, and photos.

As you can tell, there are many formats and options for virtual tours. Indeed, the menu of options has exploded in recent years, in part due to the necessity created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we will look more closely at when to take a virtual tour and explore some of the most helpful virtual tours worth taking.

When is the right time to take a Virtual Tour?

Virtual college tours can be useful at any stage, whether you’re already working on applications or just starting to build your college list.  No matter where you are in the college admissions process, remember: it’s never too early to take a virtual tour! However, before you start exploring virtually, it’s useful to know how virtual college tours can benefit you.

Tours for sophomores, juniors, and seniors

Virtual college tours will look different for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a sophomore, a virtual tour might be a way to dip your toes into the world of college admissions. Since you can take virtual college tours from the comfort of your own home, this is a low-stakes way to get a feel for which colleges you’re interested in applying to. 

College visits for juniors are a bit more meaningful. You may be starting to create a college list, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the different parts of the virtual tour. Consider taking notes as you go, so that when you start applying to schools you have observations from your virtual tour to look back on. 

If you’re a senior, there’s another important aspect of virtual college tours to keep in mind: demonstrated interest. When colleges read your application, they often look for “demonstrated interest,” which is a way that you demonstrate that you care about the school. Colleges want to admit students who will ultimately choose that college, and one way to show that you care about a school is to attend a tour. 

What Colleges Offer Virtual Tours?

In general, virtual college tours make tours accessible for people who can’t travel to the school for whatever reason. Most schools understand that not all students can visit in person and will offer some type of virtual tour—whether it’s a recorded tour, a video of the campus, or another interactive option. 

So, how do you decide which ones to take? Up next, you’ll find our list of the best virtual college tours that we think are worth your time.

25 Virtual College Tours Worth Taking!

As we’ve discussed, virtual tours are a great way to get a feel for a school’s campus without having to make the trip to visit. You can take a virtual tour at almost any time—you can even take one more than once!

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 25 great virtual college tours that you can embark on in lieu of a traditional college visit. 

Top 25 Virtual College Tours

1. princeton university.

First on our list of virtual college tours worth taking is Princeton University. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton is ranked #1 in National Universities. Princeton’s virtual tour consists of a live-streamed Zoom webinar, where one of their tour guides will take you along with them on their campus tour. You can even ask your guide questions in the Zoom chat!

2. Harvard University

Next on our list of best virtual college tours is Harvard University, located in Cambridge, MA. The Harvard virtual tour is self-guided, meaning that you can click around the Harvard virtual tour to see panoramic views of Harvard’s classic New England campus at your own pace. Plus, if you’re interested in Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, there’s a separate Harvard virtual tour that goes into even more detail on that school’s offerings.

3. University of Pennsylvania

If you’re interested in UPenn but can’t make it out to Philadelphia, you can explore UPenn’s campus with virtual college visits. You have to sign up online to take one of Upenn’s virtual college tours since they’re led live by Penn’s student tour guides. With these live tours, every tour is different. Since different students give them each time, if you decide to take the tour more than once, you’ll likely learn something new! 

4. Cornell University

The virtual college tours at Cornell are self-guided. This means that you can take yourself around Cornell’s beautiful campus in Ithaca, NY, at your own pace. At each location, Cornell supplies fun facts and details about the campus that can help you get to know the school better. 

5. Dartmouth College

With Dartmouth’s virtual college tours, you can get the best of both worlds: a live-streamed campus tour and a self-guided tour. If you’re just beginning to think about Dartmouth as an option, watch their video of a pre-recorded tour to get a feel. If Dartmouth is your dream school, get to know their campus in bucolic Hanover, NH, by taking a live virtual tour led by a student—that way, you can ask all of your questions and feel more like you’re really there!

6. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) – San Luis Obispo

If you want to know more about Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, they provide a wealth of virtual college tours that you can take. Not only does Cal Poly offer the classic student-led virtual tours and prerecorded tours. They also have virtual tours of their housing and of each academic college. Even if you can’t make it out to this coastal California city, you’ll have a great feel for the Cal Poly campus. 

7. Barnard College

Curious about college in the Big Apple? Take one of Barnard’s virtual college tours. Once you register for Barnard’s virtual tour, you gain access to spaces in Barnard that aren’t even available on the in-person tour. Barnard also offers an audio tour, where you can listen along to a live tour guide.

8. Pomona College

At Pomona, a college located in Pomona, California, you can explore in a multitude of ways. Pomona offers a pre-recorded virtual tour, as well as info sessions and webinars that you can attend from home. 

9. University of Texas – San Antonio

Located in San Antonio, TX, the University of Texas campus at San Antonio offers a self-guided virtual tour. At each location on the virtual tour, UT offers a video accompanied by written information to help you get to know the campus better.

10. Wesleyan University

If you’re looking for an idyllic New England campus, you’ll find one with Wesleyan’s virtual college tours. Wesleyan is a small liberal arts school located in Middletown, Connecticut, and you can follow along with a current student as they “walk” you through different locations on campus. 

11. Colgate University

Located in Hamilton, ME, Colgate’s beautiful campus is just a few clicks away. Colgate’s college virtual tours let students make their way through the campus on their own time, and you can supplement your virtual college visit with webinars and online info sessions. 

12. Washington State University

Though Pullman, Washington would be beautiful to see in person, WSU’s college virtual tours will make you feel like you’re right there without ever leaving your house. WSU offers a personal tour, where you can direct yourself around the Washington State campus. 

13. Bucknell University

At Bucknell University, you can take college virtual tours by navigating through their virtual campus map. Though you might not get a feel of Bucknell’s location in Lewisburg, PA, you’ll come away with a great understanding of their campus—they even have a specialized map for prospective engineering students. 

14. Vassar College

Next on the list of college virtual tours worth doing is Vassar. Vassar is located in scenic upstate New York, but if you don’t want to make the trip, you can easily get a feeling for the campus with their many options for college virtual tours. Vassar offers an interactive campus tour, a 30-minute preview video of the campus, and even sample classes and recordings of past events. 

15. Claremont McKenna College

The second of the Claremont Colleges after Pomona, Claremont McKenna offers recorded video tours and self-guided college virtual tours. Claremont McKenna is also located in Pomona, CA. So, if you’re virtually touring Pomona, you might as well give Claremont McKenna a look as well!

16. Haverford College

If you’re interested in living in Pennsylvania, you can give this lovely campus located just outside of Philly a look. Haverford offers live virtual tours where two students will take you on a “stroll” across campus, giving you advice and answering questions along the way. 

17. Harvey Mudd College

If you love Pomona, CA, but Claremont McKenna and Pomona weren’t your vibe, give Harvey Mudd a try. Harvey Mudd’s college virtual tours consist of separate videos for each stop along the tour that take you through all of the most important buildings on Harvey Mudd’s campus. 

18. Middlebury College

For your Middlebury College virtual tours, you get all the benefits of variety. Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, VT, has a wealth of options for students who don’t choose to do college campus tours in person. This includes virtual tours in English and Spanish, self-guided interactive maps, recorded information sessions, and more. 

19. Pace University

If you want to get to know Pace University, the college offers interactive maps for both of its campuses—one in NYC and one in Westchester, NY. Using Pace’s maps, you can make the most of New York City college campus tours without ever having to navigate the subway. 

20. Occidental College

Next on our list of virtual college campus tours worth taking is Occidental College. Located in sunny Los Angeles, CA, Occidental offers a self-guided virtual tour, where you can click through 360 views of the campus and hear from Occidental’s student tour guides along the way. 

21. Furman University

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Furman University also offers stellar options for their virtual college campus tours. Furman gives you the option to explore individual campus buildings with interactive and immersive technology, which includes videos from their tour guides to give you insider knowledge about each location. 

22. Spelman College

If you want to tour Spelman, you don’t have to go all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. You can take one of their virtual college campus tours, where you can take your time looking at each of their buildings. Spelman’s virtual map lets you see inside and outside of many different campus locations, and get a better feel for the vibe of the campus as a whole.

23. Emerson College

Located in Boston, MA, Emerson offers lots of options for students who want to take college virtual tours. Using an interactive map , prospective students can make their way around Emerson’s campus to explore different buildings and facilities. The Emerson campus map also includes some city landmarks, like Boston Common, that are close to campus and part of the Emerson experience.

24. University of Tampa

At the University of Tampa, students can take college virtual tours to get a feel for the beautiful Tampa, FL campus. The University of Tampa offers tour videos, 360 interactive campus tours, as well as virtual visits. If you register for a virtual visit, you’ll also be able to attend a 30-minute info session hosted by an admissions counselor. 

25. Texas State University

For the last school on our list of college virtual tours worth taking, we visit (or more accurately, don’t visit) Texas State. Texas State offers a virtual interactive map, a video tour led by student tour guides, and also provides a presentation where you can learn more about the academics and admissions policies at the school. You can tour both of Texas State’s locations, one in San Marcos and one just north of Austin.

As you can see, not all virtual college visits follow the exact same format. However, there are certainly many opportunities to “visit” a school without ever stepping foot on campus. Next, let’s talk about scheduling and making the most of your college visits.

How To Schedule Virtual College Visits

Now that we’ve gone over some of the best virtual college tours that you can take, let’s talk about some logistics. 

For most virtual college tours, you can take them whenever you want—that’s part of why they’re so great! Whatever your schedule is, you can slide in a college visit on your own time. You could even do a bit of a virtual college visit, take a break, and come back and finish later. It’s totally up to you. 

Schools may ask you for your name and email when you click on their virtual college visits. This is totally fine, and also can work to your advantage. Remember demonstrated interest? You want the college to know that you’ve taken their college campus tours, whether it’s a virtual college visit or in-person. This is especially meaningful in college visits for juniors or seniors.

Even though many virtual college visits can be done on your own schedule, some schools offer live virtual tours. If you want to take one of these college campus tours, you’ll need to sign up in advance. Even though these virtual college tours for students require a little bit more planning, it can be helpful to be in a Zoom with other prospective students and tour guides so that you can ask questions in real time. 

Making the Most of a Virtual College Visit

Even though you might be taking your virtual college tours from your bed, it’s important to still make the most of it. While a virtual tour might not feel the same as in-person college campus tours, there are some things you can do to make the most of the experience. 

Block out dedicated time

At first, virtual college tours for students might not seem very outwardly engaging. However, you should try and make the most of your experience. Don’t multitask, or do college campus tours while you’re watching TV. This is still a college visit, and you want to treat it as such. Immerse yourself in your virtual college visit—you want to get as close as you can to experiencing it in person! 

Consider your priorities

Virtual college visits can serve different purposes for different students. Some students have no idea what they’re looking for from their college campus, and others are already set on what they want their college experience to look like. On the virtual tour, make sure to look at the school’s housing, academic facilities, recreational facilities, and transportation. If there’s a must on your list—for example, if you want a school with a main quad, or a school that’s integrated into a city—see if the school has it! 

Ask questions

If you’re taking a tour on your own, think about the questions you’d have for a tour guide if there was one present. What can you learn from virtual college tours for students, and what do you still have questions about? These are the kinds of things you could ask in an information session or research after your tour.

Next Steps after your Virtual Tour

Once you’ve finished your virtual tour, there are some next steps you can take to make the most of it. 

If you’re just starting to build out your college list, think about what stood out most from your campus tours. Write down some big takeaways from the school, or a list of pros and cons, so you can start comparing schools that you want to put on your college list. These can be informal—something like “huge library,” or “weird vibe” is totally fine—just make sure you write down enough to remember how you felt about the school so you don’t have to take the virtual tour a second time.

If you’re ready to apply, reach out to admissions with any questions you have after the virtual college tours. Explore the application requirements at the schools you’re most excited about. See if the school has any supplemental essays that ask you why you’re interested in the school—these virtual tours can give you great talking points about the school that you might want to include in an essay.

Sometimes after a virtual tour, you might still not know how you feel about a school—that’s okay! Virtual tours are just one way to get to know a college. You can keep doing research, and take advantage of other virtual resources offered by the school. 

Even More Virtual Opportunities

So what are the other ways to learn more about a school from the comfort of your own home?

Along with the virtual campus tour, many schools also offer virtual information sessions. These are Zoom calls with admissions officers who are there to provide information on the school and answer applicants’ questions. Attending information sessions can also be a way to show demonstrated interest to a school that you want to attend. 

Some schools also have student testimonials, or other videos with students who can answer questions about the school. These are a great way to see what actual students think about attending the school. Many colleges also provide a way to reach students at the school with questions—email the admissions office and ask if there are students you can talk to about their experience. 

Virtual College Tours – Final Takeaway

College visits for juniors, seniors, and sophomores are an important part of the college admissions process. Since the pandemic, you can go on amazing virtual college visits from the comfort of your own home. On a virtual college tour, you can get to know the campus, and see what kinds of resources the school has to offer.

There are a few different types of virtual college tours for students. Some are interactive maps, where you can click on different buildings and explore. Others provide a 360 view of various parts of campus. Some are live Zoom meetings led by student tour guides, and some schools provide pre-recorded videos that you can watch. All of these virtual tours are great options to learn more about the school, and if a school provides more than one, they’re all worth doing!

When you’re taking a virtual college tour, make sure to make the most of it. Set aside some time to really focus on the tour, keep your priorities in mind, and take notes on things that stick out to you and questions you have during the tour. 

If at the end of your virtual tour, you’re sure that you’ve found your dream school, don’t hesitate to reach out to CollegeAdvisor for application guidance. Our team of experts is always here to support students in navigating the admissions process. Happy (virtual) exploring!

This article was written by senior advisor Courtney Ng and advisor Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Breaking News

Can Rory McIlroy finally win the Masters to complete his elusive career grand slam?

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Rory McIlroy is a green jacket away from a career grand slam, something only five players have done in the history of golf. But each year, the Masters has eluded him. He has seven top-10 finishes in the tournament, including second in 2022, yet each year has been denied.

Maybe he’s trying too hard.

“This golf course gets you to chase things a little more than other golf courses if you make a bogey or get yourself out of position,” said McIlroy, 34, among the favorites in the 2024 Masters, which begins Thursday. “Because it always tempts you to do something you think you can do.”

It’s important to remember, he said this week, that the Masters is a 72-hole golf tournament and you cannot win it from the first tee shot.

Tiger Woods and the Masters, forever linked: ‘It has meant a lot to my family’

Tiger Woods, now 48 years old, is set to take part in the Masters for the 29th time in his career and five years since his last victory at Augusta National.

April 9, 2024

“I’m pretty confident in my golf game,” McIlroy said. “I think I can do most things, but sometimes you just have to take the conservative route and be a little more disciplined and patient.”

McIlroy is second in the World Golf Rankings behind Scottie Scheffler, although that metric is skewed because it doesn’t factor in LIV Golf events — and that competing tour has a significant footprint on this year’s Masters.

This year’s 13-member LIV contingent includes defending Masters champion Jon Rahm ; Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson , who tied for second; and Patrick Reed, who finished fourth.

Rahm is looking to become the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, joining Jack Nicklaus, who repeated in 1966, Nick Faldo (1990) and Tiger Woods (2002).

Rahm has played in five LIV events this year and has yet to win. But neither Nicklaus nor Faldo had won anywhere coming into the Masters the years they repeated, and Woods had won once. So coming to Augusta on a hot or cold streak is not an especially reliable predictor of how someone is going to do.

Jon Rahm fulfills his Panda Express prophecy to win his first Masters title

Jon Rahm becomes the first European player to win the U.S. Open and the Masters after a methodical and impressive final round at Augusta National.

April 9, 2023

“I feel physically better than I did last year,” Rahm said. “But then once the competition starts, it doesn’t really matter. Once the gun goes off, whatever you feel is out the window; you’ve got to go out there and post a score.

“So it wouldn’t be the first time. It wouldn’t be the first time we hear somebody not feeling their best and winning.”

This also marks the fifth anniversary of Woods’ historic victory in 2019, when he overcame all odds to win his fifth Masters title.

Woods, 48, has a chance to set another Masters record by making the cut for a 24th consecutive time. But winning a sixth green jacket is almost inconceivable, especially considering he has played in only three full-field events since 2023, and finished just one: last year’s Genesis Invitational at Riviera. He withdrew from the Masters last year seven holes into the third round after aggravating a foot injury.

Where are the Masters green jackets stored? Exclusive vault opened for first time

In the Augusta National pro shop is a door that leads to a room filled by the storied green jackets unseen by non-members until the L.A. Times was given exclusive access.

April 7, 2023

Then again, people have counted him out before.

Can Woods win?

“I still think I can,” he said.

Everyone figures to be battling the weather. At midday Wednesday, the forecast for Thursday was brutal, calling for thunderstorms in the early morning followed by a stronger band of heavy rain and thunderstorms from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The wind is expected to be whipping, with gusts of 40-45 mph, giving way to scattered showers in the afternoon and evening. The windy conditions could continue until Friday morning with eventual sunny skies Friday afternoon and through the weekend.

NBC analyst Brandel Chamblee said the player who will have the most pressure piled on his shoulders this week is McIlroy.

“You go back and look and there’s a pattern,” Chamblee said. “Every time, he seems to play his worst golf when it means the most — in other words, in the first round when he’s got to get off to a good start.”

Chamblee noted that in his last five Masters, McIlroy has an average score of 73.8 in the opening round.

The special ingredient of those brilliant white sand traps at the Masters

It looks like sand from a tropical beach, but the material gleaming from the bunkers at Augusta National actually comes from the mountains of North Carolina.

Nov. 11, 2020

“That speaks to not being in the right place mentally,” Chamblee said.

Woods said he’s confident McIlroy will eventually join him as the sixth career grand slam winner. Along with Woods, the others to win all four major championships were Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

“No question he’ll do it at some point,” Woods said of McIlroy. “Rory’s too talented, too good. He’s going to be playing this event for a very long time. He’ll get it done. It’s just a matter of when.”

McIlroy was happy to hear that, but acknowledged there’s a difference between words and deeds.

“Yeah, it’s flattering,” he said. “It’s nice to hear, in my opinion, the best player ever to play the game say something like that. So, yeah, I mean, does that mean that it’s going to happen? Obviously not. But he’s been around the game long enough to know that I at least have the potential to do it. I know I’ve got the potential to do it too. It’s not as if I haven’t been a pretty good player for the last couple of decades.”

Finally, he conceded: “It’s nice to hear it when it comes out of his mouth.”

More to Read

Five surprising things you should know about the Masters

April 11, 2024

‘I still love competing.’ Tiger Woods chases elusive win at Genesis Invitational

Feb. 14, 2024

Masters champion Jon Rahm joining LIV Golf in a stunning blow to the PGA Tour

Dec. 7, 2023

Get our high school sports newsletter

Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his “long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football,” Sam Farmer has covered the NFL for 25 seasons. A graduate of Occidental College, he’s a two-time winner of California Sportswriter of the Year and first place for beat writing by Associated Press Sports Editors.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Akshay Bhatia’s ‘fairytale’ ascent to the Masters eclipses all expectations

April 8, 2024

LPGA: Jiyai Shin takes unlikely share of lead at Palos Verdes

March 23, 2024

LPGA: Former USC player Malia Nam leads at Palos Verdes after two rounds

March 22, 2024

Golfers sue city of L.A., calling out failure to stop black market in tee times