Aug 18, 2016 11:58 AM EDT By Emily Marks, UniversityHerald Reporter

Visiting a college in person is still the best way for a student to get a feel of the experience he or she will be having in a certain institution. However, there are cases when an individual's time and money are not enough for it. Here's where a virtual college tour can help.

U.S. News noted that a virtual college tour only offers a limited view of an institution. There are three ways to enhance the experience in order to maximize this feature to one's advantage.

1. Look for other alternatives.

Students who study or graduated at the same college or university usually create their own online communities. Those who want to have a virtual college tour of a certain institution can look for Facebook groups, Instagram pictures, Snapchat stories as well as other blogs that will give a sneak peek of how life is on that campus.

Some schools also have groups on different social media platforms like Reddit. This would also be a great way to learn how students at a specific educational institution feel about their campus and its environment.

2. Look for alumni.

Pair your virtual college tour with an interview from alumni of that university. Ask them for a short interview and they may be happy to share their story with you. This can give you a deeper understanding of your future experience at a certain college or university.

If there are a lot of alumni in your area, look for someone who has the same interests as you. A former fraternity or sorority member would be the best person to reach out to if you are hoping to join a Greek organization while a former science major would definitely know a lot about the school's science programs and undergraduate research opportunities.

3. Look for other virtual college tours of the same institution.

Aside from going through an official virtual college tour of the college or university you are planning to enroll in, you can also look for other tours created by private companies. This would provide you with different viewpoints of the same institution.

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