We've gathered the essentials to help you feel at home on campus and to help you tap into the city that never sleeps.

This summer, we called Columbia University "The Most Beautiful College Campus In New York City," sparking a firestorm as to whether the Ivy League school or Fordham had the more scenic digs. So ...

There is no singing on the tour. 7. Parents, please remove any “spirit wear” prior to the tour. Any display of school colors, logos, emblems, or mascots on your person will not be tolerated.

Web traffic has accelerated on sites like www.campusreel.org, which offers behind-the-scenes videos of campus life. Above, Yu Ishii, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara.