Kaci Turpin knows that questions vary when students and their families are trying to decide on which college might be right for them. What one person is looking for, in terms of programs or campus features they are seeking, may be different from someone else.

Turpin, director of new student programs at Cal State Monterey Bay, said that’s why her office has gone to offering a variety of campus tours, rather than the one-size-fits-all tradition where every interested student gets the same tour as the last. 

Individual tours, as opposed to group tours for middle and high school students, can have up to 20 students and typically begin and end at the Otter Student Union. 

“We see academic spaces,” Turpin said. “We go through the library, the (College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) building, the Business Information and Technology building, main campus housing and the dining hall.”

However, she added, “When people reach out to us, we do our best to connect them with resources they’re looking for.”

For instance, she said, if a student lets her staff know ahead of time that they are interested in marine science, the staff will do its best to get someone in the Marine Science department to speak to them as part of their tour. 

“We can add on and make the tour specific to the group’s needs,” she said. 

Some students want to spend more time at student housing, she said, wanting to know what the rooms look like and how much they cost. Many have questions regarding gender fluidity and how that is addressed in the residence halls, she said. 

Recently, the department began a pilot program offering tours in Spanish on Fridays. She said it’s a way of making the campus more welcoming to the families of immigrant and first-generation American students, who make up a sizable portion of the local demographic and CSUMB’s student population. 

Currently, weekday tours are offered at various times. Prospective students and their families can sign up online. 

Tours will also be a big part of the upcoming Admitted Otter Day, April 6.

Turpin said with tailored tours, students and their families can explore the campus on their own terms, gaining a deeper understanding of what sets the university apart. As application season nears its end, she said, CSUMB continues to welcome prospective students with open arms, inviting them to embark on a journey of discovery and opportunity.