As the incoming freshman class of 2016 begins to make final decisions about which college suits them, the admissions department starts working in overload. An integral part of that is the campus tour program.

“It’s always really busy,” said Brian Crescenzo, admissions counselor and campus tour coordinator. “But it definitely picks up this time of year and back in the fall when kids are applying to schools.”

Grace Durant, a sophomore applied communications major who has been a tour guide for about six months, remembers how stressful college searching was. Her favorite part of being a tour guide is helping high school students make the biggest decision of their lives.

Campus tours at Kent State cover a majority of the campus. Much of central campus is seen on these excursions that can range from “one family to sometimes twenty.” Guides place emphasis on the Student Center, the Library and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

However, there are some things excluded from the tours.

“Generally, unless there’s something the families really want to see there, we don’t show them the front campus,” Crescenzo said. “It’s only an hour and a half walking tour, and it’s just easier to leave it out.”

Sometimes the guides have to answer some strange questions.

Kyle Buttermore, a senior communication studies major, who has been a guide for seven semesters, said he once had a girl ask, if she found a dead squirrel, if she would be allowed to take it, get it stuffed and mounted.

Crescenzo said the focus of the tours is giving an accurate depiction of Kent State life.

“Most of the tour is about showing kids what student life is like here at Kent [State],” he said. “We want them to know what their first year would be like.”

The admissions department expects tour guides to be fairly knowledgeable about the campus and not afraid of public speaking. Before they even start working, they sit down with about two or three other tour guides to make sure they are personable.

“If [the families] have other questions, the guides generally direct them to the Schwartz Center after the tour, but they can answer about 95 percent of the questions,” said Crescenzo.

Contact Katie Nix at [email protected].