My mantra for campus visits is: “It’s worth more than two hours of your time if you might spend four years of your life there.” I’m a strong advocate for visiting colleges early and often. Nothing validates a student’s research more than getting out there and visiting the campus, or “trodding the sod,” as they say in the world of college admissions.

Families need to check out the campus layout; the updated or outdated facilities, including the fitness center, dining halls and dorms; and take a peek at the surrounding neighborhood and community. Remember: The complete college experience goes well beyond the classroom and the football field.

A typical campus visit lasts roughly two hours and has two basic components: the information session and the tour.

Information sessions, led by senior admissions staff, vary from school to school, but they generally focus on the following topics:

Academics — most popular majors, new majors, distribution requirements, academic advising, research, internships, study abroad options, honors programs.

Residential life — dormitory choices, dining options, Greek life.

Career services — range of services offered, including assessments, interview prep, resume help, corporate and graduate school recruitment efforts, percentage of students employed within six months of graduation.

Undergraduate life — athletics, student organizations, number and variety of clubs and extracurricular activities available.

Application process — admissions programs (early action, early decision, regular decision); admissions statistics (percentages of students accepted, rejected, deferred, wait-listed); timelines/deadlines; admissions requirements; standardized testing requirements (SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, AP and IB exams, etc.); subjective criteria considered (essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities).

Financial aid — need-based, merit-based, institutional scholarships.

Many colleges and universities have now added entertaining videos and/or student panels where student ambassadors share information about their own college application process during high school and their current college experiences.

For campus tours, be prepared with comfortable walking shoes. Some tours are very scripted, with an overwhelming amount of dates and facts (i.e., number of books in their libraries), while others are refreshingly unscripted and often tailored to their audiences.

Student ambassadors are encouraged to be honest and personable, and many spice up their tours with college trivia and traditions.

Here are some resources that can assist your planning: www.campustours.com, www.college-visits.com, www.cetours.com.