Your teen will be getting ready to embark on the greatest journey of his or her young life before you know it - college! The good news for parents of juniors is that visiting colleges is one of the fun parts of the college admissions process. (At least more fun than SAT prep and financial aid forms. Trust us!).

Use this spring and summer to plan some campus tours to help your child narrow down his or her list of potential colleges. The best way to help find the perfect college fit, agree college admissions experts, is to go with your college-bounder on some campus tours. Here are some tried-and-true tour tips to help you make the most of your day.

Get the guide talking, beyond the "script." As you might imagine, campus tour guides are students, but they are trained by the admissions staff to highlight certain points and say certain things. In a sense, they are giving a sales pitch. Your goal is to help your son or daughter prepare some questions that go deeper. Some ideas:

• What is your typical day as a student like?
• What were your first impressions of this campus, and have they been met?
• Have you faced any challenges (like getting sick) or negative experiences (like being locked out of a course), and how did the university handle it?

Take a detour from the tour. Your tour guide will take you to selected spots on the tour, but that doesn't mean you can't do your own exploration. Ask about opportunities to sit in on a class, stop by the cafeteria for a quick snack (to check out the food, which of course, won't be as good as your home cooking), and really observe the vibe on campus as you stroll around. Are students friendly? Does it seem like there is a vibrant atmosphere? Is there student/professor interaction?

Be nosy. Again, you'll want to encourage your teen to be proactive in striking up a conversation with other members of the campus community. And, you as the parent should feel free to do the same. Speak with coaches, professors, staff members, or whomever you see as you make your way around. Pick up a campus newspaper to see what the issues are on campus. Take notice as to whether students are sporting their school colors, as it can indicate a sense of school spirit.

Think about parent-type concerns. There's no doubt your teen will be interested in the academics, the social elements, special programs like study abroad, and student activities. But as a parent, it's up to you to think about the practical matters. What is security like on campus? Can anyone just walk in? Can students request a security escort for late in the evening back to their dorms? Other areas to consider: The health services available on campus, whether counseling and tutoring is available, career center and job placement assistance, etc.

Make a friend. In your travels, remind your teen that it's perfectly OK to ask about the best way to follow up with more questions. Maybe there's a Facebook page for incoming students, or a friendly tour guide may offer a contact email address. There may even be opportunities to set up an overnight stay in the dorms or "shadow" a student for a day, to get an even more in-depth sneak peek at campus life. In general, schools will work out a way to accommodate all of your requests and address your concerns, but it will be up to you to ask.