Interested students can learn all about what NDSU has to offer with a visit and tour of campus.
College tours help determine what college is the perfect fit for a student. At NDSU, tours are led by students who share their own campus experiences. Every tour is personal and tailored for potential students.
Read below for some advice from two of our campus tour guides on how to make the most of your campus visit. Austin Anderson is a junior architecture major from Victoria, Minnesota, and Ally Hoekstra is a junior math education major from Forest Lake, Minnesota.
NDSU summer visit days are scheduled for Friday, July 26 and Friday, Aug. 2. Both include a morning session from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up at the NDSU Visit Days website. Click the “Summer and Special Events” tab for more information.
How to prepare
Anderson and Hoekstra’s biggest piece of advice is to come ready for questions. Some common questions are about dining and residence halls, campus life and the Fargo community. Even if you don’t have any specific questions, ask your tour guides about their personal experiences at NDSU. We encourage prospective students to bring a friend or family member so your tour can be a fun and comfortable experience.
"I love when people ask me why I chose NDSU, but if I had a preference, I love it when they get more specific. Why did you choose to join Greek Life? Why did you choose NDSU over Iowa? Because then I can give them better insight that they can relate to. That's why you ask questions so then you can relate more,” Anderson said.
What to expect
Every college tour looks at classrooms, multiple styles of first-year residence halls, the Memorial Union, the Wallman Wellness Center, lunch at a dining center, the library and the Quentin Burdick building - IT services. Getting a firsthand look at what we have to offer helps you envision your college experience at NDSU. Each tour is about an hour and 15 minutes and an additional meeting with an admissions counselor is about 30 minutes.
Tailor the tour to you
“We roll out the red carpet and treat everyone as a VIP,” said Zeb Watkins, campus visit specialist in the Office of Admission. If you have specific places, buildings or people you want to see, make sure to let us know when you register for a campus visit and we will try our best to make it happen. Be sure to ask about any clubs or activities you’re interested in. Some students may ask to see specific academic buildings or residence halls. We offer a various selection of tours throughout the year, including week day visits, group visits, virtual visits and summer events.
Explore what campus has to offer
There are a lot of on campus opportunities. NDSU offers around 280 student organizations, including Greek life, intramurals, musical theater and cultural affiliations. Ask your tour guide what they are involved in and let them know what interests you have. NDSU Memorial Union is a homebase for students between classes. It offers a variety of food options, the bookstore, multicultural programs, student help and more. Our wellness center not only has treadmills and weights, but it also has a variety of group fitness classes, swimming pools, rock climbing and more. Our culture at NDSU is very welcoming and fun. You will see people enjoying our outdoor volleyball, skating around campus or participating in events.
"There's so many opportunities that you can take advantage of,” Hoekstra said.
Learn about the local community
Check out what the Fargo-Moorhead community has to offer after your tour. We suggest you go downtown to eat, check out the coffee shops and shop at the various boutiques. Take the opportunity to learn the local Metro bus system. It’s free for students with an NDSU identification card. After going downtown, you can explore the rest of the area. We have something for anyone to enjoy, including Suiteshots golf simulation, the Red River Zoo, Thunder Road fun park, West Acres mall, the Lights Event Center in West Fargo and many restaurant options all around Fargo.
Schedule a campus visit and tour at our Campus Visit website.
