Roanoke among schools to offer special tours, incentives during Virginia Private College Week

Choosing the right college can be a difficult decision for many young adults, so a group of private colleges in Virginia is working to make that choice a little easier.

From July 27 to Aug. 1, private colleges across the state, including Roanoke College, are teaming up to encourage campus visits and offer incentives to prospective students during this week coined Virginia Private College Week. The week is hosted by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.

During the annual event, all 24 participating colleges will offer campus tours and information sessions about admissions, financial aid packages and academic programs.

College officials will also address some common myths about the cost of private education. In turn, students receive application fee waivers if they visit at least three of the institutions. The waivers can be used to apply to any three of the participating colleges for free.

During last year's Private College Week, 175 families from a variety of states, including Florida, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts and New York, visited Roanoke's campus.

Roanoke tours and information sessions will be held Monday-Friday at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Saturday only the 9 a.m. session will be offered. Students may register for tour sessions at Roanoke here.

"Visiting campuses in person is one of the most important steps in the college search process," stated Robert Lambeth, president of the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, in a news release. "I encourage parents to explore which college will be the best fit for their son or daughter, and I want to reassure them that a quality education at a Virginia private college is affordable and within reach."

Click here to see a full list of all the schools participating.