New Web site provides easy access to college tours

September 9, 2008

Go no farther than your computer screen for tours of colleges across the United States, thanks to Ron Reis.

When Reis saw that his high-school-aged nephew in New Jersey was interested in applying to the University of Florida but was unable to travel for a school tour, he took the problem into his own hands. Reis co-founded a new company, YOUniversity TV, which uses online technology to create video tours that offer many of the aspects of traditional campus walking tours.

“As they say, necessity is the mother of invention,” Reis said.

The company works with college communication offices to create unique videos. Some 600 tours are expected to be included when the site officially launches on Sept. 25.

Christos Traikos, UF senior, said that an independent company like YOUniversity TV could create an unbiased view of the college’s campus. He added that an online tour would have made it easier and more effective for him to choose a college, since he is from Brazil.

And high school counselors are likely to value the Web site’s usefulness — “Especially for out-of-state students that may not have an opportunity to visit the far away colleges,” said Diane Villars, career specialist at Westfield High School in Virginia.

Reis believes that when the Web site launches on Sept. 25 at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, it will “take the entire Internet world by storm.” He said the self-funded site currently receives one million monthly hits and he expects the number to rise after the official launch.

Future site enhancements are planned. Users will be able to upload their own videos, view scholarship opportunities and network with college students and alumni, Reis said.

To view the Web site, visit
www.YOUniversitytv.com. A link also is available on the UF Admissions Web page, www.ufl.edu/admissions/.