Visiting college campuses—whether in person or virtually—is one of the best ways to determine if a school is the right fit for you. While brochures and websites provide useful information, nothing compares to walking the campus, sitting in on a class, or talking to current students.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the importance of college visits, how to schedule them, and how to make the most of your time on campus. Plus, I’m sharing two helpful resources: a College Visit Checklist to keep track of your impressions and a College Visit Planner with sample tours to help you plan your route.