Tour Frequently Asked Questions

Family & Saturday Tours

About Family/Saturday Tours

• What is a "Family" tour?
  Almost all visitors will fall into this category. This is a tour for families or individuals who are bringing 8 or fewer prospective students and guests. A separate tour reservation should be filled out for each prospective student. Schedule this kind of tour by clicking the link on the left.
• When are the tours?
  The tours leave from The Quad Center
  Monday - Friday at 8:30 am, 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. All times are Central Time.
• Are weekend tours offered?
  We have tours on select Saturdays of home football games and select Saturdays in the Spring. These tours begin at 8:30 AM and  9:30 AM Central Standard Time. Shuttle service from the Jule Collins Smith Museum does NOT operate on these game day Saturdays. For additional information on Saturday tours, please click here.
• How long do the tours last?
  The tour will last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Is the tour a walking tour?
  Yes, all campus tours are walking tours.
• Who gives the tour?
  The tour is given by trained current students (called Student Recruiters ) who are able to give the history and current uses of university buildings, inform visitors of university traditions, and provide their own views and perspectives of the Auburn student experience.
• Is there a fee for the tour?
  No, there is not a fee for a campus tour.
• Do we have to make a reservation for the tour?
  We request that you make a reservation for a campus tour online at www.auburn.edu/visit. This will help the Office of Admissions & Recruitment estimate how many people will be on each tour. We try to limit the number of people so we can offer you the best campus tour experience possible. This also gives the student and their family more time to spend on campus and more opportunities to ask their student recruiter questions.
• Can anyone come along on the tour with the student?
  Absolutely! We especially encourage the parents and siblings to come along on the tour with the prospective student.
• What are the busiest times for tours?
  The fall semester (August - December) is always the busiest season for tours. In the spring, March is usually the busiest month. In the summer, tours are offered Monday-Friday just as in the fall or spring. July is usually the busiest month in the summer. Monday and Friday are generally the busiest days of the week because of the proximity to the weekend. Typically, the 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM tours have the most participants. Please remember, many high schools all over the country often take the same holidays. These days are a great time to visit our campus, however, they can fill up quickly. To ensure your spot on a tour, make areservation today to visit Auburn!
• Are there advising sessions?
  Yes, we offer information sessions at 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30PM and 2:30 PM.  These information sessions are given during the first 30 minutes of your tour and are included as a part of your reserved tour time. In addition, we offer the opportunity for you to visit one-on-one with an admissions advisor.

Scheduling Your Tour

• How can I schedule a campus tour?
  You can schedule a tour online by clicking the "Schedule Family Tour" link at the top left of this page.
• How will my tour reservation be confirmed?
  You will receive a confirmation e-mail if you provide a valid e-mail address to us when scheduling your tour. This e-mail contains very important information about your visit. Please print this e-mail for your records. It contains your tour identification number and parking instructions.
• Where can I find a list of hotels in the area?
  Visit www.aotourism.com.

Changing your tour

• I've scheduled a tour online. What if I need to change my day/time or cancel my reservation?
  Since this action cannot be performed online, you should call our office at (334) 844-6425 to see if your reservation can be moved to another day or time that is not already full. We can also cancel your tour reservation if you are not able to come. Cancelling your tour allows your space(s) to open up to other visitors. Please DO NOT submit another tour request to cancel a tour; doing so makes a duplicate tour reservation. Please have your tour identification number, available in your confirmation e-mail, on hand when you call our office.

Before you arrive

• What if it is raining / planning to rain for my tour?
  If the rain is light to moderate, you tour will most likely still go out. If severe weather conditions occur, we cannot permit a walking tour to go outside for the safety reasons. In this case, your student recruiter will offer a "virtual tour of campus" in our media room. If your tour is unable to go out, you may still speak with an admissions advisor in our office. You can view the weather for Auburn University here.
• What should I wear for the tour?
  Dress for the tour is casual. Remember, the tour is a walking tour, so wear comfortable shoes! For tours during the summer months, you may want to bring a hat, sunglasses, or sunscreen or a combination of all three. If rain is in the forecast, don't forget an umbrella or poncho! You can view the weather for Auburn University here.
• Can we get a campus map and directions?
  Your confirmation e-mail will have website links with driving directions and parking instructions, or you can click here. For an online campus map (with a printable PDF format) click here.
• Where do I park?
  Due to limited parking on campus, the Office of Undergraduate Recruitment offers the Tiger Transit to and from the Jule Collins Smith Museum located at 901 South College Street, Auburn, AL, 36830. There is ample parking at this location, and the shuttle will drop you off at the Quad Center.We strongly recommend that you park at the museum.
  
  When planning your visit, allow at least 30 minutes to park and ride to campus.
  
  If you would like to learn more about campus parking information for our tours, click here.
• Can you give me a general run-down of what the tour includes, or what we'll see?

  The tour basically hits the "hotspots" of campus:

  1. The Upper Quad, where several residence halls are located
  2. Ralph Brown Draughon Library
  3. Mary Martin Hall
  4. Samford Hall
  5. Langdon Hall
  6. Centennial Gardens
  7. Foy Union, which includes one of our major Food Courts
  8. The Concourse / Thach Pedestrian Corridor
  9. Haley Center, the tallest building on campus as well as the location of most freshman classes
  10. Student Center, our new center of student life on campus

  The tour begins and ends at the Quad Center.

• Can we talk to someone one-on-one in your office?
  Yes. When you arrive at our office for your tour, you may request a meeting with an admissions advisor while you are checking in at our front desk. You may decide to meet before or after the information session/campus tour. This is a one-on-one session between the advisor and the prospective student's family. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have about the university.
• What about meeting with someone in a department in which we are interested?
  Meetings with academic advisors are available, without an appointment, in the College of Business, College of Education, and the College of Liberal Arts. Meetings with advisors in all other colleges require an appointment. If you know that you would like to meet with someone in an academic area, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment with that specific college BEFORE you arrive to campus.
  
  Advisors are generally available during the hours of:  8:00 AM - 11:00 AM and 12:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Group Tours

About Large Group Tours

• What is a "Group" tour?
  This tour is for large groups of high school or college-aged students who are visiting campus together. Large groups range from 9 to 100 prospective students, although groups of 50 or less will have a better campus tour experience. Group tours can also be arranged to include an information session with an admissions advisor.
• When are the group tours?
  Group tours leave from The Quad Center, Tuesday - Thursday at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. All times are Central Time.
• Do you do group tours on the weekend?
  No. A tour during the week when classes are in session will provide prospective students with a much better perspective on life as an Auburn student.
• Are group tours offered on Fridays or Mondays?
  Because Mondays and Fridays are our busiest individual days, group tours cannot be accommodated on these days.
• What grade levels can take a group tour?
  High school grades 10 - 12 or groups of college transfer students can be accommodated. Our office can sometimes accommodate elementary or middle school students, but please first contact our office at grouptours@auburn.edu for information. We would also encourage you to visit www.aotourism.com for suggestions of things to do while in Auburn.
• What if I want to bring a group of non-students to visit campus?
  You should email grouptours@auburn.edu to see if your group can be accommodated.
• How long do the tours last?
  Our group walking tours last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Who gives the tour?
  The tour is given by trained current students (called Student Recruiters ) who are able to give the history and current uses of university buildings, inform visitors of university traditions, and provide their own views and perspectives of the Auburn student experience.
• Is there a fee for the tour?
  No, there is no fee for the tour.
• Do we have to make a reservation for the tour?
  Yes. Group tour reservations are mandatory.
• What are the best times for tours?
  The best months for group tours are February, June, and September. Our 9 am and 11 am tour times are the most popular.
• Can an advising session be included?
  Yes. The group has the opportunity to meet with an admissions advisor before or after their tour. It is mandatory to let our office know if you would like an advising session. An advising room must be reserved in advance and information must be put together for your group. The advising session lasts about 30 minutes.

Scheduling your tour

• How can I schedule a campus tour?
  You may contact our office at grouptours@auburn.edu.
• How will my tour reservation be confirmed?
  You will receive a confirmation email if you provide a valid email address to us when scheduling your tour. Please schedule your group tour at least 2 weeks in advance of your requested tour date. This email contains very important information about your visit. You will also receive a second e-mail closer to your tour date to request a final confirmation from your group.

Changing your tour

• Can I change the day or time of a Group Tour?
  We will try to accommodate your request depending on availability. Please email grouptours@auburn.edu to see if your request can be honored.

Before you arrive

• What if it is raining / planning to rain for my tour?
  Walking tours will still proceed if the rain is light to moderate. Walking tours will not go out in severe weather or if there is a chance for severe weather in the near future.
• What should I wear for the tour?
  Visitors on walking tours should wear casual clothes and comfortable walking shoes are suggested. If rain is in the forecast, don't forget an umbrella or poncho! You can view the weather for Auburn University here.
• Can we get a campus map and directions?
  Booking your group tour at least two weeks in advance will allow us to send you a confirmation  e-mail that includes  driving directions and parking instructions. For an online campus map (with a printable PDF format) click here.
• What about parking?
  Parking varies depending on the type of group and how many people are in the group. You should consult your confirmation email for directions concerning parking.
• As a group leader, what should I bring?
  You should bring a copy of your confirmation email and the information we mailed to you so you know where to park and when to arrive.
• Where can I find a list of hotels in the area?
  Visit www.aotourism.com.