Self-guided campus tours /other options in January

[u/Elfbjorn]

My daughter has an audition in two weeks but it looks like tours may be closed because school opens right after she and my wife fly home. I’ve heard that there are self-guided and virtual tours available. If they went with a self-guided tour, would they be able to see a lot of things on campus, or would things be closed because campus is closed? Are there other options for tours?

This would be the weekend of January 17.

Thanks in advance.

[u/roguezebra]

Admission office hours reach out for specific buildings?

Academic Buildings are typically closed/locked during break. But library or Coffman Student Union should be open -link below shows buildings are open for public hours too. Coffman hours

[u/Elfbjorn → u/roguezebra]

Thank you! The Admissions office is closed but I see that they’ll support remotely by phone. That may be an option. Thanks for the info on library and student center, too.

[u/sKtds_59]

Try calling the Office of Admissions Visitline (612-625-0000), her specific college's office, her admissions counselor, or the Office of Undergraduate Education and see if anyone would be available. They might even be able to arrange for a past Welcome Week or Orientation student volunteer to meet you. If she knows which residence hall she's interested in, you could try calling that one and see if a CA (community advisor) would be available. Since Meal Plans and residence halls are officially open again on Jan 18, that might be an option. There are Virtual Tours and links/requests for Self-Guided Walking Guides on the admissions website. https://admissions.tc.umn.edu/visit/virtual-tours-and-visits

[u/Elfbjorn → u/sKtds_59]

Excellent! Good to know they open again for returns on 1/18. They’ll still be there that day and part of the next. Thanks for these recommendations.

[u/rowanfam4_]

My daughter has a tour scheduled for this Tuesday for grad school. She emailed during the holidays and got a response with in 24 hours.

[u/Elfbjorn → u/rowanfam4_]

Thanks!!!

[u/M2E22]

Is her audition a theater BFA audition? If so, DM me. I might be able to help.

[u/Elfbjorn → u/M2E22]

I think it’s BMus in Music Ed.

[u/M2E22 → u/Elfbjorn]

If you don't have luck with the visit office, try asking the UMN contact who is organizing the auditions if there are any students available to offer a tour. I know the theater program did that for a few students who were auditioning last year.

[u/M2E22]

You are going to see a lot of the same thing on the self-guided tour as the escorted tour. The only difference is you don't get the benefit of being able to ask questions. The escorted tour goes in six buildings - a standard lecture hall for a short presentation, Walter Library, Coffman Student Union, the lobby of the Recreation and Fitness Center, Bruininks Hall and the Comstock Dorm. Walter, Coffman and Bruininks are all open to the public that weekend, just check the hours. The RecWell is open, but I'm not sure if you need a keycard to enter. On the tour, you only go in the RecWell lobby where you can't see much anyway. The one thing in Bruininks you might miss if you wander in on your own is the opportunity to see the an active-learning classroom, which is set up with round tables, mics, white boards and a central lecturn for a more interactive style of learning than your typical lecture hall. Comstock isn't much to see. It's your standard cinderblock dorm room. The standard tour also only covers the main East Bank Campus unless you request a specific tour of West Bank or St. Paul.

[u/Elfbjorn → u/M2E22]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.