college visit app

Appalachian State University

Visit App State

Our locations in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and their foothills profoundly shape how our community lives, works and learns together.

Campus Visits

Explore our campuses in Boone and Hickory. Meet with the people who make up this dynamic community and learn more about what life is like at App State.

Campus Tours

Tour App State – with a guide, on your own or both. While here, you can speak with admissions counselors, become a student for a day or spend some time in the library for a taste of campus life.

More ways to visit App State

• First-year Info Sessions
• Transfer Info Sessions
• App State Online Info Sessions
• Graduate Info Sessions
• Meet with an Admission Counselor
• Group Tours
• Self-Guided Walking Tour

Directions and Parking

• Get directions to the  Office of Admissions, John E. Thomas Hall, 287 Rivers St, Boone, NC 28607 .
• Visitor parking is available for campus tours. 

Open House is your opportunity to learn more about App State. Meet faculty and students, tour campus, and learn more about financial aid, scholarships, the admissions process, and what student life at App State is really like.

Events at App State

Keep up-to-date with what's happening on campus.

Upcoming Events

There are events and programs at App State almost every day of the year.

Arts and Entertainment

Mountaineer Sports

Explore boone.

Boone is a safe and friendly college town — where the outdoors is the perfect environment to live and learn. You’ll find a vibrant downtown scene just a block from campus. The surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains attract outdoor enthusiasts year-round for hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and cycling, skiing, snowboarding, golf, fishing and agritourism.

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Juniors, Now’s the Time to Schedule Your College Visits

Juniors, it’s time for you to get started on college visits.

Whether you’re thinking about knocking out one or two or hitting a series of colleges, here is your go-to guide for setting up a college visit. 

We’ll walk you through a steps to take before, during and after visits to help you find your perfect fit.

And if COVID-19 protocols are still underway, don’t miss our article about what to do when you can’t tour colleges in person .

What Can Juniors Do Right Now? 

Juniors can do a lot right now, including developing a checklist and other things you can put on the family calendar.

Step 1: Start talking.

That’s right. Sit down and have a conversation with your family.

What are you thinking you want to do for college? Do you think you want to go to a large school? A small school? What fits your personality and preferences?

Start talking with adults you trust about schools that make sense for your needs.

Step 2: Brainstorm.

Have no idea where to start? Start a brainstorming session where you write down your visions about what you think your college experience might be like.

Rather than throwing a dart at a map and jumping in the car, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few questions: 

• Do you see yourself going to a large or small school?
• Do you want a lot of personalized attention? 
• Are you looking for a more selective institution? 
• How far away from home do you want to live?
• When you envision college, what do you think of?

In other words, think broadly about your college visit choices, then think more narrowly about the colleges you’d like to visit. 

Put a premium on relationships when you make this list.

What kind of people do you want to meet? What type of individuals do you want to learn from?

Remember, college is about way more than pretty residence halls, beautiful buildings and other aesthetic things. It’s about the people who influence you along the way.

Step 3: Research at least one college.

Choose at least one college and do as much research as you can. Learn more about that particular school’s:

• Admission criteria
• Results — how many students go to graduate school, get a job after graduation, etc.
• School profile 
• Academics and selectivity: Are you looking for a serious academic environment? Would you rather go to a school that focuses on undergraduate teaching — or research? 
• Potential majors
• Housing information
• Extracurricular activities
• Athletics opportunities

After you narrow down some of the “big” things, like distance from home and general experience, then you can start thinking about things like major, requirements and more.

Does this college college or university you’ve researched fit the bill? If not, look for another one. If that one makes sense, move toward school as your first visit.

Step 4: Check the calendar.

Once you’ve honed in on your first college to visit, figure out what visit day fits into your schedule. Check your calendar and your family members’ calendars too. Remember, mom and dad likely have to drive you to your visit or coordinate flights. You need to plan the visit with your parents, and you might need to make sure your brothers’ and sisters’ schedules are open too. 

How to Set Up a College Visits

First of all, make sure you (the student!) call the schools where you’re interested in setting up a visit.

Your mom or dad should not make the call. It’s time to put some of those adulting skills into practice.

Step 1: Think through what you want to do on your visit. 

Who are the must-see people on your radar—the soccer coach, tutoring center, a financial aid advisor? It’s OK if you’re not sure. You can work through some of these questions when you make your phone call to the admissions office.

Step 2: Call the college or university’s admissions office. 

Don’t set up a visit online. Talk to an actual person.

Or, if you do set up a visit online, call and make sure the admissions office received your scheduled visit—and that it didn’t get lost in cyberspace.

Have a detailed conversation about what you’d like to do when you’re on the visit.

Step 3: Ask for a personal campus visit. 

Try to steer clear of group visit days. 

Naturally, you’re an individual and have specific interests and needs.

When you’re stuck on a group visit, no one student will have the same interests as you. You could get stuck touring the gym for 25 minutes of your hour-long tour (even if you’re not an athlete or hate the thought of a treadmill). Who wants that?

A personal campus visit ensures your visit is all about you and nobody else.

Step 5: Get ready! 

You don’t want to start a college visit without doing some preparation. You want to know as much as possible about the college you’re visiting before you visit. 

Simple. You don’t want to waste time learning stuff you already know. If you already know the basics, like the size of the college, majors available and costs, why spend time relearning stuff you already know? 

Plus, it brings camaraderie with the admission staff or chemistry professors when you say, “Yeah! And that biochemistry secondary major—that sounds cool.”

You’ll never believe how much people’s eyes light up when you know something about the college or university already.

What to Do During/After Visits

When you arrive at the admissions office, go to the campus visit coordinator’s desk and introduce yourself. That individual will help you get your day started in the right direction. 

While you’re on your visit, do your best to ask great questions. You want to think of questions before you visit and ask everyone questions. Get each person talking about the college or university you’re visiting. It’s best to get candid thoughts from each individual you talk to.

This may sound like a pain, but it’s a good idea to get all your thoughts together and take a minute or two to jot down all your initial reactions to the college you’ve just visited. Grab your phone and type in some notes on the card or plane ride home.

Believe it or not, it’s difficult to remember each individual school after your 10th college visit.

Now’s the Time!

Juniors, we’ve offered everything you need to know about how to schedule a college visit .

It’s a matter of sitting down with your family members or other trusted adults, pouring over Niche’s 2021 college rankings and making lists of what matters to you.  

It’s going to be a great time, so have fun with the process. 

Ready to Find Your Niche? Create an Account

Author: Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock is the founder of College Money Tips and Money editor at Benzinga. She loves helping families navigate their finances and the college search process. Check out her essential timeline and checklist for the college search!

More Articles By Niche

While many current college students tout the importance of being able to actually step foot onto the campus you might go to, sometimes the circumstances just do not work out.

At Niche, we know a college is more than its stats or buildings. We also know it can be hard to figure out a college’s vibe or how students feel about it from its website alone. Using our comprehensive college profiles and social media accounts, you can get a sense of what life at a college is really like. Here are three simple ways to do that.

In case you haven’t heard yet, Niche has an amazing new opportunity for high school seniors. Niche Direct Admissions is a program that allows participating colleges to accept students and offer scholarships based on their Niche Profile. That’s right — no application needed.

COLLEGE ADMISSION NAVIGATION

COLLEGE VISIT APP

College Admission Navigation has created an App to help you get the most out of your college visits.  Using your iPhone, we invite you to download our free app in the Apple App Store — just search "collegeadmissionnavigation" to find us.  

We think that visiting a college — learning about the campus culture, exploring research opportunities, meeting with the admissions office, and even meeting potential teammates — is an important element of your college search.  If you are unable to afford to make visits, many colleges offer "fly-ins" for students who qualify and apply; almost all colleges and universities offer remote visits.  

Use our free App to take notes and compare schools.  There are no in-app purchases.  This is a service we offer at no cost and without collecting any of your data.

The app does not save any data online, nor share any data with third parties.

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Introducing the visit harvard mobile app.

By Amy Kamosa

The Harvard Visitor's Center has launched a new Visit Harvard mobile app that will provide free, self-guided, self-paced themed walking tours of the University. The first tour released on the app is a historic walking tour of the Cambridge Campus. It incorporates 14 locations throughout campus that highlight some of the most important buildings and events of the University's nearly 400-year history.

In 2019, approximately 8 million people visited Harvard Square, and more than 35,000 visitors took part in public and private tours of the Harvard Campus. When the campus shut down in early 2020 due to the pandemic, Robin Parker, Associate Director of Harvard's Visitor Center, worked with colleagues and a small team of undergraduate tour guides led by Fari Mbaye '22 and Madi Fabber '22, to create a series of live, student-led online virtual tours as an option for would-be visitors who were no longer able to come to the Square.

The mobile app tour builds on the content developed for those virtual offerings, but provides a more accessible option that visitors can use to guide themselves while they visit campus in-person, or from the comfort of their own couch anywhere in the world.

"Our student tour guides really led the charge on the creation of these tours. Some of the images they've included have never been seen before, and the content weaves a really compelling story through Harvard's history," said Parker.

It was that storytelling aspect of the mobile tour that Mbaye said was the most challenging and important aspect of translating the live tour content to the app. "When we, as tour guides, give live tours, we're really just working off bullet points and we weave our own details and jokes in as we go. With the app, we had to turn the content into a complete story that people would want to read and listen to," she explained.

If app users choose to visit the campus, they can follow the geo-location tags on the app to travel point-to-point. The total distance of the tour is approximately one mile and should take approximately one hour to complete—including travel between stops, but the self-guided nature of the app means that users can complete this circuit at their own pace.

According to Visitor Center Manager Maggie Dawson, the ease of use and simplicity of design was an intentional choice to ensure that the app was as accessible as possible. Additional features like geo-location tagging, audio tracks with transcript, and image alternative text for visually-impaired users, all enable a large range of users to interact with the app in their own way, and according to Dawson, inclusion will continue to be a priority as more content is added. "Our hope is to tell many parts of the Harvard story to as many audiences as possible. Not only are additional tours in development, including a Black History Tour, and Arts Walk, and a Women's History tour, but we are expanding the tour languages as well," she explained.

The Visit Harvard App is available for download through the Apple Store and Google Play . There is also a desktop version of the app you can access here .

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EXPERIENCE DUKE

The best way to enjoy Duke’s warm and welcoming spirit is to meet the people who create it: our students, faculty, and alumni. When you meet us, you’ll feel the connection, collaboration, and creativity that are the hallmark of the Duke experience. Join us virtually, in person, or both — whatever works best for you. There’s no preference in the admissions process for students who have been to campus.

See It for Yourself

Visit in person.

Duke’s campus is considered one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country. But it’s not just the physical campus that makes Duke unlike anywhere else. It’s the warmth and welcoming spirit you feel from everyone who makes up our special community.

GUIDED WALKING TOUR

Led by a student tour guide, our outdoor walking tours give you a chance to see campus highlights, ask questions, and hear why we love our vibrant community. In the event of severe weather or campus closures, tours could be canceled or delayed.

90 minutes; Reservations required

REGISTER HERE

If you plan to visit campus on your own, download the Duke Admissions Tour app, which is now available for iPhone and Android users. You may also stop by the Undergraduate Admissions Office to pick up a campus map from our outside information box.

Admissions staff are not available for in-person meetings, nor are we able to accommodate walk-in visitors for student-led tours or special requests of any kind.

Duke University is not associated with any organizations that promote for-profit campus tours. All official Duke University campus tours are conducted free of charge. Furthermore, the services provided by the Admissions Ambassadors, such as the campus tours and Blue Devil Student Chats are provided free of charge. Duke University is not associated with any organizations that promote for-profit college search and recruitment, and students are not permitted to participate in the admissions ambassador program while working for these for-profit organizations.

INFORMATION SESSION + GUIDED WALKING TOUR

This two-part event introduces you to the Duke experience. Led by an admissions officer, our 30-minute information session includes an overview of our academic opportunities and student life. You’ll also have a chance to ask questions and hear why we love our vibrant community. A 90-minute, student-led campus walking tour will follow.

2 hours; Registration required

DIRECTIONS TO CAMPUS

Duke is located in Durham, North Carolina. The closest airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which is a 20-minute drive to Duke. An Amtrak train station and Greyhound bus station are located in downtown Durham, a 7-minute drive from the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Complimentary visitor parking for Undergraduate Admissions programs is available in the gravel lot on Duke University Road, directly across from the Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center, which is located at 2080 Duke University Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 .

Duke Undergraduate Admissions is located at 2138 Campus Drive, Durham, North Carolina, 27706 .

Tours originate from McClendon Commons in the Duke Undergraduate Admissions Office or the Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center. Please check tour confirmation messages for details.

Most major hotel chains are located in the Raleigh-Durham area. You may find a list of hotels closest to Duke at the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau here .

VISITING CAMPUS

Duke University Office of Undergraduate Admissions is offering a limited number of group tours .

Please review the Group Tour Policy below before requesting a visit. These are set in place to ensure the best possible visit for you and your students.  

• Group visits are only available to High Schools, Community Based Organizations, and Educational Non-Profits working with current high school students. 
• All group visits must include the supervision of an adult chaperone/teacher at all times. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner and not demonstrate disruptive behavior during the presentation. 
• Requests for group tours are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and may be restricted during peak visitation seasons. 
• During the 2024-2025 academic year, Group Tours are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays only. Available tour times are 10:00 a.m. and 12 Noon. We do not offer visits on the weekend or on University/Federal Holidays.  
• Group tours are not available during semester finals, winter recess, or the months of August 2024, March, April, May, and August 2025.
• To request a Group Tour, please fill out the Group Tour Request form . 
• If you have any questions, please call our office at 919-684-3214 or email [email protected]  

After we receive your request, we will confirm whether or not we are able to accommodate your request.   Please note that w e cannot guarantee we will be able to accommodate all group requests. Y our tour is not confirmed until you receive an email that includes the tour date, time, location, and directions. If confirmed, p lease plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your confirmed event.

We do not offer meetings with admissions officers at this time. However, we invite you to register for our live virtual events, which include information sessions led by admissions officers, student chats, and more.

If you plan to visit campus on your own, download the  Duke Admissions Tour  app which is now available for IPHONE and ANDROID  users. You may also stop by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to pick up a campus map from our outside information box.  

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING

We welcome those we would have previously organized a group visit to campus to sign up for our virtual programming. If you are a community-based organization or college access program with questions about separate programming, please reach out to  [email protected] .

DISCOVER DUKE

Discover Duke events are typically 60-minute admissions information sessions, followed by time for questions. Duke admissions officers will provide an overview of the various academic and signature opportunities available to our undergraduates and will share information about our application and financial aid processes.

Events will be scheduled in September and October. Stay tuned for more information.

EXPLORING COLLEGE OPTIONS

If you are unable to attend a Discover Duke program, you may also join us for  Exploring College Options  with Georgetown University, Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Representatives from each university will present information about their institution, discuss the application process, and answer questions on how to put together a strong and reflective application. Each program will end with breakout sessions where representatives will answer questions about their specific school and the application process. We are offering both in-person and virtual programs, with each program featuring the same content.

Dates and locations will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more information.

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Admissions officers from Duke and other universities will host joint public information sessions, open to all prospective undergraduates and families interested in attending. Programs will include brief presentations about the institutions’ undergraduate programs and will provide an overview of admissions and financial aid policies and procedures. Admissions officers will be available to answer specific questions at the end of each program.

Admissions officers from Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities will host events in East and Southeast Asia. The event will cover information about undergraduate programs. All students must pre-register in order to attend. The online registration is hosted by Northwestern; registrant information will be shared with all five universities.

Hong Kong Thursday, September 12, 2024 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Hanoi, Vietnam Saturday, September 14, 2024 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Singapore Monday, September 16, 2024 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Admissions officers from Brown, Duke, Georgetown, and the University of Pennsylvania will host events in Central America. The event will cover information about undergraduate programs. All students must pre-register in order to attend.

Panama City, Panama Tuesday, October 1, 2024 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

San Jose, Costa Rica Thursday, October 3, 2024 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Admissions officers from Brown, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania will host events in Mexico. The event will cover information about undergraduate programs. All students must pre-register in order to attend.

Monterrey, Mexico Monday, October 7, 2024 6:00 PM p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Mexico City (Ben Franklin Library), Mexico Tuesday, October 8, 2024 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Mexico City (ASF), Mexico Wednesday, October 9, 2024 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

PRATT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Explore Pratt’s newest facilities and get information on various opportunities available to engineering students. Reservations required.

CONNECT WITH FACULTY

If you would like to speak with a faculty member in a particular department or program, we encourage you to reach out directly to the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department(s) or program(s) of interest to you.

For majors/programs in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, click here .

For the Pratt School of Engineering, click here .

DUKE CAMPUS FARM

Located 15 minutes away from Duke’s campus, the Duke Campus Farm is a one-acre working produce farm that focuses on education and research. Email [email protected] to schedule a weekday tour.

DUKE MARINE LAB

Tours of the Duke University Marine Laboratory , located about 180 miles east of Duke’s main campus, are available to high school or college-aged students who are interested in enrolling. To schedule a tour, please complete this Tour Request Survey  and a staff member will connect with you to schedule via email. Prospective Tours are generally available Monday – Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC)

Duke provides Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs for interested students, all of which offer the possibility of financial aid. Representatives from each division are available to answer specific questions.

Air Force (AFROTC) Recruiting Officer: Prof. Ryan Allen 919-660-1869

Army (AROTC) Recruiting Officer: Jeff Daye 919-660-3091

Navy/Marine Corps (NROTC) Recruiting Officer: LT Webb Pierson 919-660-3708

OTHER TOURS

The following options are available when Duke’s campus is open to visitors:

Duke Kunshan University

Did you know Duke has launched a joint-venture university in China, where you could earn a Duke degree while studying internationally ? Request an add-on visit to the DKU Admissions House while at Duke or attend one of our weekly information sessions to learn more about DKU.

Cameron Indoor Stadium

Discover the Duke Basketball Museum & Duke Athletics Hall of Fame, located adjacent to Cameron in the Schwartz-Butters Athletic Center.

Duke Campus History

Learn more about Duke’s history right from your fingertips. Divided into three separate tours – West Campus, East Campus, and Athletics – this app includes a total of 22 stops featuring milestones, buildings, and statues. Each stop on the tour provides a brief description, audio narration, photos, and links to learn more. Search for “Duke Explore” in the App Store, then click on Duke Campus History Tour!

Duke Chapel

A new 360-degree virtual tour presents the sights and sounds of Duke Chapel with highlights and anecdotes from the building’s history.

The Lemur Center

Visit Duke’s internationally acclaimed Lemur Center to acquaint yourself with more than 200 animals across 14 species housed at the noninvasive research facility.

Nasher Museum of Art

Check out the collection’s rotating exhibitions and permanent installations. Plan your visit with the self-guided tour map.

JOIN US IN DURHAM, NC!

Make duke yours, visit virtually.

Not seeing Duke in person doesn’t mean you can’t experience everything that makes Duke an amazing place to learn, explore, live, and connect. We hope you’ll join us for some or all of our virtual programs.

For help deciding what options are best for you, click below or check out our guide here .

VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION

Hosted by a Duke admissions officer, information sessions introduce you to Duke University. Learn about our academic choices, signature programs, and community experience.

45 minutes; Live; Year-round; Registration Required

REGISTER NOW

If you’re unable to join us live, view a recorded session with admissions officer Milan Hamilton ’20 here:

ADMISSION & FINANCIAL AID AT DUKE

Want to hear more about applying, how Duke admissions officers evaluate applications, and what we look for when reviewing applications? Join us to get all the details!

45 minutes; Live; Year-round; Registration required

DUKE FINANCIAL AID 101

College is a significant expense, but we’re committed to making a Duke education affordable for as many students as possible. Join Duke Financial Support Officers to learn about our financial aid policies and how to apply.

If you aren’t able to join us live, you can view a recorded session with Nicole Knight from Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support here:

VIRTUAL CAMPUS TOUR

Virtual tours offer an opportunity to visit campus from the comfort of your own home. Current student ambassadors guide you through popular spots on campus.

60 minutes; Live; Year-round; Registration required

If you aren’t able to join us live,  VIEW ONE OF OUR RECORDED TOURS .

VIRTUAL PRATT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING TOUR

Interested in engineering? Join current students to explore Pratt’s newest facilities and get information on various opportunities available to engineering students.

60 minutes; Live; Registration required

BLUE DEVIL CHATS

These hour-long programs provide the opportunity to hear from current students about what it’s like to be a Blue Devil and engage with live Q&A. Blue Devil Chats serve as a casual way to connect with Duke students from a variety of backgrounds and interests to help you gain insight into the Duke experience.

More information to come.

COMMUNITY PANELS

Moderated by our admissions staff, Duke Community Panels are 75-minutes long and bring together current students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff from across the Duke community to share their personal experiences, stories, and connections to Duke. This is your opportunity to learn more about why Duke is such an extraordinary place.

Information Session (English)

Hosted by a Duke admissions officer, our information session introduces you to Duke University. Learn about our academic choices, signature programs, and community experience.

30 minutes; Recorded; View anytime

Sesión de Información en Español

Presentado por un oficial de admisiones de Duke, nuestra sesión informativa le presenta Duke University.

18 minutos; Ver en cualquier momento

Financial Aid 101

60 minutes; Recorded; View anytime

West Campus Tour

Duke’s Gothic West Campus is central to the Duke experience. It’s home to many academic departments, residential quads for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, Duke’s professional schools, Duke Chapel, our main library, and major athletic facilities.

5 minutes; Recorded; View anytime

East Campus Tour

At Duke, all first-year undergraduates live together on East Campus, a housing community designed to support the needs and interests of students who are new to college life. On East Campus, students quickly meet classmates from diverse backgrounds and start building life-long friendships.

Virtual Reality Campus Tour

Get a feel for the student experience through our recorded virtual reality tour. The tour explores Duke’s campus highlights as well as residence halls, libraries, and dining locations. START THE TOUR

Join Us Virtually!

When Duke was founded in 1924, the construction of its campus was the single largest Depression-era project in the United States. Today, the Georgian East Campus and neo-Gothic West Campus serve as the core of Duke’s sprawling campus. With more than 250 buildings situated on 8,600+ acres of land, 7,044 of which are forest, you will immediately feel immersed in a “Gothic Wonderland.”

BALDWIN AUDITORIUM

Built in 1927, designed by Duke’s founding architect Julian Abele and situated on East Campus, Baldwin Auditorium serves as one of the university’s core venues in which leading classical soloists and ensembles, vocal ensembles, and jazz ensembles perform.

Built in 1932 at the center of West Campus, Duke Chapel, with its 210-foot tower and a 50-bell carillon, is the architectural symbol of the university.

PERKINS LIBRARY

Perkins Library, together with Duke’s other libraries, comprises one of the nation’s top 10 private research library systems. The libraries’ services and resources include more than six million volumes, more than 20 million manuscripts, more than two million electronic resources, 100,000+ items in digital collections, and tens of thousands of films and videos.

FITZPATRICK CENTER

This 322,000-square-foot collaborative research center brings together faculty in four research initiatives: biology, photonics, materials, and integrated sensors. The $97 million facility also expands the Pratt School of Engineering’s partnership with the School of Medicine by providing laboratories for collaborative research in healthcare, genomics, and biotechnology.

CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM

The crown jewel of college basketball, Cameron Indoor boasts intimate seating arrangements for more than 9,000 fans, including bleacher-style seats alongside the court reserved for students (nicknamed the Cameron Crazies).

Baldwin Auditorium

Perkins Library

Fitzpatrick Center

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Appalachian State University

Join us for a campus visit!

To schedule your tour of Appalachian State University, begin by searching for available tour times on the calendar below. Your visit will consist of an hour long, outdoor only, walking tour of campus with a student tour guide.*

• Registration is required for all guided tours. A maximum of 2 guests is allowed per registered student. Any additional guests will be allowed to experience a self-guided tour. If you prefer a self-guided option, please visit our Self Guided Tour Page!
• Face coverings  are required in all indoor areas on campus for those who are unvaccinated. Fully vaccinated persons may choose to wear a face covering at their own discretion. 
• While all units remain open, access to many campus buildings remains limited. 
• We will not be adding walk-ins to our in-person tours. All walk-ins will be given the option to experience a self-guided campus visit.

• Visit App State

Campus Tours

Register for a tour

Explore our Boone campus with a guided campus tour by a current student. Experience our beautiful location and learn more about the App State Community. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!

Virtual Info Sessions

Register for an info session

Get a feel for campus without ever leaving home! Info sessions include live presentations with the ability to ask questions about general App State  facts and figures, the admissions process, resources and so much more. Options for first-year stdents, transfers and parents.

Take a Virtual Tour

Take a Tour

Explore campus from wherever you are. Click through an interactive presentation to discover App State through 3-D photos.

Hickory Campus Events

Register for Hickory Campus events

In the heart of the Catawba Valley, App State offers the appeal of a small college with the prestige of a premier public institution. Learn more about  App State’s Hickory campus at an upcoming Admissions event.

Self-Guided Tour

Learn more and register today!

Explore campus on your own time and at your own pace with our  self-guided walking tour ! This 1.5-mile route takes approximately 1 hour to complete and highlights some notable places.

Group Tours (up to 50)

Interested in bringing a group of students to campus? We offer group visits for students in grades 10, 11 and 12 as well as prospective transfer students. 

Search for an available date and time and schedule your visit today for up to  50 total  for a walking tour. Please request your visit at least  four weeks  in advance. 

Register for Fall Open House!

Our Fall Open House is your opportunity to experience all that App State's campuses have to offer! Meet faculty and current students, and learn more about financial aid, scholarships, the admissions process, and what student life at App State is really like.

Inside Appalachian

Our Inside Appalachian events are exclusively for high school seniors , applying for 2025  terms. This event is a full day program tailored to showcase our beautiful campus and highlight the outstanding and unique academic opportunities here at App State. Space is very limited, so sign up today !

Academic Visit Opportunities

• Reich College of Education 

Video Chat Options

Whether you have confirmed your enrollment, are still weighing your options or are just starting your college search, these chats are a great  opportunity to get all your questions answered. 

• Schedule a One-on-One with your assigned Admissions Counselor to discuss our Boone Campus. 
• Schedule a One-on-One with a counselor to discuss our Hickory Campus.
• Need help with your financial aid?  Schedule a virtual appointment  or drop-in to their live virtual lobby    Monday-Friday from 2:00pm - 4:00pm .

Visitor Parking

Visitor parking   for campus tours and events is located in the  Rivers Street Parking Deck . You will use the Park Mobile website to park on campus.  We recommend setting up your account, vehicle, and payment options prior to your visit. A promo code will be provided by Admissions for a discounted parking fee — this will be sent to the email that you used to registered for your event. .

*Note that certain events may have different parking instructions than above. Check your email prior to the event for more details. 

Accommodations

On-Campus experiences: Individuals who need accommodations on the basis of disability, should contact the Office of Disability Resources a minimum of 10 business days prior to the scheduled visit. 

It is recommended that guests with limited mobility work with a medical supply store or pharmacy for short term wheelchair or mobility device options/rentals as wheelchairs or other personal mobility devices are not provided on campus.

Pets will not be allowed to join any campus tour. Only Service Animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are permitted. Individuals contact Admissions if being accompanied by a Service Animal.

Virtual experiences:  Admissions will utilize auto-captioning for virtual experiences within applicable platforms. Individuals who need real time captioning, or other accommodations on the basis of disability, should contact the  Office of Disability Resources  a minimum of 5 business days prior to the scheduled virtual experience. 

The following admission presentation recordings are available with closed captions included: First Year Admissions Information Session ,  Transfer Admissions Information Session  and Next Steps for Admitted First Year Students.

32 Questions to Ask on a College Visit

Students should feel free to ask questions during an information session or on tour.

Questions to Ask on a College Visit

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Prospective students should conduct at least basic research to facilitate questions to ask during the information session or on tour, experts say.

Key Takeaways

• Before a campus visit, students should do basic research on the school.
• Students and their families have various opportunities to ask questions.
• No question is dumb.

College visits, whether in person or virtual, can help give prospective students a better feel of campus life.

Contrary to popular belief, however, students don’t need to have that “a-ha” moment when they eventually find the campus where they belong, says Thyra Briggs, vice president for admission and financial aid at Harvey Mudd College in California.

“I just don't think that happens for most students,” she says. “I don't want students to walk away from a visit where that didn't happen thinking, ‘Oh, this is not the place for me.’ This is a long-term relationship. It's not necessarily love at first sight. … In this age of instant gratification, I think it's an important thing to give a school a chance to affect you in a different way.”

For an in-person visit, families should prepare ahead of time by checking the weather and dressing comfortably as tours are mostly held outside.

"Leave plenty of time at an individual campus and allow yourself to enjoy the experience, be present in the moment and (don't) feel rushed because that could also skew your perception of things," says Bryan Gross, vice president for enrollment management at Hartwick College in New York.

It’s also important, experts say, to conduct at least basic research on the institution – even if it’s just looking at their social media accounts – to help facilitate questions to ask during the information session or on tour.

"We know that for some of you, this may be the first time you are going through this," Briggs says. "For others, it's a different student (going through the process) than the student you had who's older. So there’s no bad questions. ... I would hope that any college would welcome any question a student would ask.”

Here are 32 example questions, collected from college admissions and enrollment professions, that students don't always think to ask on college visits. These questions – edited for length or clarity – were provided by Briggs, Gross and Brian Lindeman, assistant vice president of admissions and financial aid at Macalester College  in Minnesota.

Questions About Admissions

• Does this school consider demonstrated interest?
• Is there an opportunity for prospective students to sit in on a class to experience a real lecture?
• Are there options to receive a lunch or dinner pass at the dining hall to try the food?

Questions About Academics

• Where do students typically study?
• How does advising work?
• What are the academic strengths of this school?
• What opportunities are there for study abroad and exchange programs?
• If available, are these global programs directly run by this school – where faculty members travel with students – or are these study abroad programs outsourced to a third-party company?
• Are these study abroad experiences built into the tuition or are there additional fees to participate?

Questions About Financial Aid

• What is this school's average financial aid package?
• What is the average net cost when students enroll?
• What is the current level of funding with endowed scholarships – how much are donors contributing to scholarships?
• Do you offer merit aid ? If so, what are you looking for in a candidate?

Questions About Campus Housing and Community

• What are the housing options?
• What are the fee structures for these different options?
• Are students required to live on campus ?
• How does your campus define diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging?

Questions to Ask Your Tour Guide to Gauge Campus Life

• What surprised you about this school? What's something you didn't expect?
• What keeps you coming back to this school each year?
• Have we seen your favorite place on campus?
• What event on campus gets the biggest turnout every year?
• If you were struggling with an issue, would you know who to turn to? Who would that be?

Questions About Work and Research Opportunities

• What are the opportunities for undergraduate research on campus?
• How do those research opportunities give students valuable hands-on experiences that enhance their resumes?
• What are some specific ways this school helps students gain hands-on experience through internships ?

Questions About Student and Career Outcomes

• What is the retention rate from freshman to sophomore year?
• What is the five-year graduation rate?
• What is the job-attainment rate of graduates within six months of graduating?
• What percent of students are going on to graduate school ?
• What percent of students are intentionally taking time off post-graduation compared to those who are not able to find jobs?
• What size is the alumni network?
• How are alumni actively engaging with recent graduates to help connect them specifically to opportunities in their fields?

Searching for a college? Get our  complete rankings  of Best Colleges.

Unique College Campus Visits

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Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an sat or act program, by submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., get the most out of your college visits.

College visits are probably the most fun part of the college application process . When it comes to researching potential schools, there’s no better substitute for figuring out if a campus will feel like home.

If possible, visit every college that you are strongly considering. No website, guidebook, or testimonial will give you a better feel for a school than you'll get by seeing it for yourself. Many students change their minds after a campus visit. This is obviously preferable to changing your mind after you enroll! Get the most out of your time on campus with our college visit checklist:

1. Mind the calendar.

Schedule your visit while school is in session. You won't get a realistic idea of student life in August (or if you attend during a special event like Spring Fling).

2. Meet the experts.

Talk to the current students—they may soon be your peers. If they have a problem or complaint, they will probably share it with you. If they love their school, they won't be shy about it either. Come prepared with some questions to ask—specific ones will get you more interesting (and helpful) answers.

3. Meet the other experts.

Stop by the admissions office and introduce yourself. Let them know what interests you about the school so they can direct you to the best place for further investigation. Collect contact information and send a brief, friendly e-mail thanking them for taking the time to talk to you.

If there is a sign–up sheet, add your name! Colleges do keep track of which applicants have demonstrated genuine interest in the school. A visit is a great way to demonstrate your interest.

Read More: 6 Quick Tips for Contacting Colleges

Some schools will let you interview with an admissions rep during your campus visit. If this opportunity is available, don't pass it up.

4. Take the campus tour…

While it's the most obvious thing to do, the official campus tour is worth your while. (Find out if you need to register to get a spot.) It gives the school a chance to show off its best features, like the newly-built theater or their rooftop planetarium. While you're walking around, check out the flyers and bulletin boards and pick up a school newspaper to get a sense of what's going on.

5. …then venture out on your own.

The official tour will probably steer you clear of the school's less attractive features, like the shoddy dining hall or the tiny gymnasium. Take your own un-official tour by wandering around campus. If there are any facilities that are important to you, find them and have a look for yourself. Make sure your destinations include the library and the first-year dorms .

6. Be a student for a day (or night).

Some schools sponsor overnight programs in which you can stay with a current student. This is a great opportunity to get a deeper sense of campus life and interact with your potential future friends and roommates.

Even if you don't stay over, most schools will allow you to sit in on lectures. Browse the course catalogue before you arrive, or ask the admissions office what classes are in session that day.

Read More: College Search Tool

7. Save the best for last.

You'll get better at visiting colleges with practice. As you compare schools, you pick up on the aspects you like and the aspects you're not so fond of. You also figure out the right questions to ask, as well as the best campus spots to gauge student life. For that reason, visit your favorite schools last, so you'll be in the best position to make comparisons to the others on your list.

8. Keep a record of every college visit.

If you visit many schools, your memories of them are bound to overlap. Use a note-taking or voice-recording app on your phone, or plain old notebook and pen, to keep track of the details you like and the stuff that you don't like. When more questions arise (as they most definitely will), you can fire off an email for an answer rather than visiting a second time.

9. Don't rush to judgment.

Try not to base your opinion of a school on bad weather or one boring class. There are bound to be sunny days and more interesting classes. Same goes for overnight visits—you might end up staying with a student who has very different interests than you do.

At the same time, trust your gut. Sometimes it's love at first sight. Other times, something feels wrong (even if you can't put your finger on it).

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Why Visit Colleges?

A key part of deciding which college to go to is finding a good fit. And a great way to get more information is to visit the colleges in person.

Virtual tours are also a great way to learn more about a campus. It can help you determine whether a college is the right place for you and prepare you for a campus visit at your convenience.

A Firsthand View

Why are college visits important? A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view of a college. A college catalog, brochure, or website can only show you so much. To really get a feel for the college , you need to walk around the quad, sit in on a class, and visit the dorms.

Get Answers to Your Questions.

A visit also lets you talk to students, faculty, financial aid staff, and admissions officers. You can get answers to important questions like these:

• What’s the campus meal plan like? How is the food? What are the options?
• What's the social scene like? What kinds of activities are available?
• Is there plenty of dorm space or a housing crunch?
• How many students are commuters? How many are campus residents?
• Is there a health center? What mental health resources are available?
• What career development resources are available? What student employment opportunities are available?

Use this checklist for a campus visit to remind yourself of everything you want to do once you reach your destination.

Your family members can also participate in the visit and any information sessions. They can help you decide which colleges to apply to and which one to attend.

Benefits of a Campus Visit.

Visiting a college is a great starting point. Pick up any official college material you see on the campus tour, such as brochures and financial aid forms.

Don't forget to get business cards, too, so you'll have a real, live contact if you have a question about admissions or financial aid. Do college visits help with admissions? Yes, these visits allow you to speak to the admissions officer handling your application.

Student newspapers and activity calendars give you a sense of what campus life is really like. Check out bulletin boards to see what bands are coming to the campus, what parties are advertised, what internships are posted, and what the day-to-day energy of the place is like.

Get Ready to Decide.

It’s your decision. Heed your intuition. Do you feel comfortable walking around campus? Do you feel at home? Do you click with the students and faculty? Is this what you imagined college to be like? Spending time on campus helps you determine whether a college is a good fit.

Adapted from  Campus Visits and College Interviews  by Zola Dincin Schneider. 

Event: For Parents: How to Plan a College Visit

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House where four University of Idaho students were killed will be demolished

The off-campus residence where  four University of Idaho students were found dead  in November will be demolished, the school said Friday.

The owner of the three-story King Street House where the  bodies of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves  were found offered it to the university.

The offer was accepted by the university. The school decided to get rid of the structure, which is located blocks away from campus, University President Scott Green said in a statement.

The slayings rocked the small community of Moscow, where investigators grappled with what the town’s police chief would later describe as a “very complex” case.

“This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed,” Green said. “Demolition also removes efforts to further sensationalize the crime scene.”

The university is also “evaluating options where students may be involved in the future development of the property.”

Scholarships in honor of three of the students have been established and a fourth is in the works, Green said. A plan to create a memorial is also being developed.

“We will never forget Xana, Ethan, Madison and Kaylee, and I will do everything in my power to protect their dignity and respect their memory,” Green said.

Three of the victims were roommates in the house, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Chapin, was staying overnight, according to investigators.

Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested  late last year in Pennsylvania and has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.

The four charges of first-degree murder carry sentences that could include life in prison to the death penalty.

He is scheduled for a five-day preliminary hearing starting June 26.

At the time of the slayings, Kohberger was a  doctoral student , studying criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, a short drive over the state line from Moscow. A WSU official has said Kohberger is no longer enrolled.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com .

Mirna Alsharif is a breaking news reporter for NBC News based in New York City.

What's in a Four Loko? A viral video about the adult beverage is causing confusion

A buzzy college-favorite drink is courting controversy once again.

On June 10, TikTok user @kylizzlec  posted  a short, 13-second clip that has since gone viral. In the video, which has more than 2.3 million views and more than 375,000 likes, the TikToker is shocked after discovering a nutritional fact about the Four Loko she’s been drinking.

“pov: we just realized there’s 300 calories in a four loko serving and almost 5 servings per can,” reads an on-screen caption.

The video shows two women with their mouths agape in shock. One holds a can of FourLoko with a straw peeking out of it. “Wait, this can’t be right,” she says.

The TikToker’s video riled people up, becoming a point of interest for many TikTok commenters, with more than 3,000 people sharing their thoughts.

“I get so scared with Alcohol calories😭,” wrote one user on the platform.

“Wait so it’s like 1,500 for one can????? 😭😭 bruh I’m never drinking a four loko again,” wrote another commenter, with someone else asking, “Why do they not have to put the calories on the can like any other food or drink ?”

Four Loko  doesn’t list the nutrition facts on its website or packaging, but does list its Alcohol By Volume content. The lowest ABV the brand sells is 12.9% in flavors like its  Strawberry Lemonade  and  Watermelon , and its highest ABV is 13.9% per 23.5 ounces in its  Jungle Juice  and  Gold  flavors.

According to its website, Four Loko is “a premium malt beverage” — which means it contains malted barley. The brand also lists “natural and artificial flavors” as  ingredients  on its site.

The FDA first began requiring nutritional labeling on food and drink in  1990 , after two decades of allowing companies to voluntarily apply them. Still, alcoholic beverages aren’t regulated by the FDA, but by a different federal agency called the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which  doesn’t require nutritional labeling .

The TTB says it considers calorie, carbohydrate, protein and other nutritional statements to be misleading unless the products list the amounts based on a single serving.

Since the calorie count isn’t made clear by Four Loko itself, curious drinkers like the TikToker have turned to other websites claiming to have the information.

“I look up ‘how many calories are in a green apple Four Loko,’” @kylizzlec said in a follow-up video viewed by TODAY.com that has since been deleted.

“The first thing that came up was it saying that there were 350 calories per serving,” she said. “Then we looked at the back of the can and the only thing under nutrition facts was that there was five ounces in a serving and that there were like almost five servings in the whole can.”

According to  grocery store product listings , the label shown is actually for alcohol facts, not nutrition facts.

Some commenters disagreed with the OP’s assessment, with some tossing out other numbers.

Representatives for Four Loko parent company Phusion Projects did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.

What’s not in Four Loko? Caffeine

In 2010, Phusion Projects  announced  it was removing caffeine and two other ingredients from its products. This announcement came after the Food and Drug Administration warned the company it would take action against brands combining alcohol with stimulants like caffeine.

Now, the  Four Loko website’s FAQ  says it no longer contains ingredients such as caffeine, guarana or taurine, calling them potential health dangers. 

“As part of a voluntary product reformulation in 2010, we removed those ingredients from the product, which is why we can confidently say Four Lokos aren’t dangerous when consumed responsibly,” the company wrote.

Phusion Projects notes that it wants customers to consume its products responsibly — “that means not chugging a Four Loko.”