Are your high-school seniors interested in Chicago top colleges? There are plenty of options to choose from, with excellent programs available across all areas of study. While the Chicago area offers dozens of options, we’ve chosen five of the largest and best-known universities in the city and compiled a few tips for traveling to these campuses for group tours.

Planning a group campus tour is easy with GOGO Charters. We work with school counselors, teachers, parents, and students to schedule reliable transportation to every campus on your list so you can enjoy a smooth tour from one stop to the next. With multiple bus rental options available, we’ll help you find the perfect Chicago charter bus for your group.

Read below to learn more about Chicago’s top schools. When you’re ready to book your own tour, call us at 312-546-3925 to reserve a minibus for your group!

The University of Chicago

a prominent, old building on University of Chicago's campus

Located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, the University of Chicago is known for its beautiful campus and particularly rigorous curriculum. The University is consistently ranked as a top-10 university in both national and international rankings and is the alma mater of 89 Nobel Prize winners. Student to faculty ratio sits at 5:1 to guarantee that each student receives individualized attention throughout their studies.

UChicago offers information sessions and walking tours of campus throughout the year. You’ll learn everything you need to know about student life, as your tour will be lead by a current UChicago student.

You can register for a group tour in advance for your group of 20 or more high-school students. If you’d like, the university will even let you schedule a private information session tailored to your group’s interests for a more personal experience.

Northwestern University

a view of the Northwestern University campus from across the lake

Northwestern University’s main campus sits in Evanston, just north of Chicago on Lake Michigan. Their curriculum includes a choice of over 190 areas of study, with many individual classes containing less than 20 students at a time. Many faculty members hold such honors as Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, MacArthur “genius” grants, and others.

If you’re planning a day in Chicago to tour local schools but would also like to take a trip up to Northwestern’s main campus, we’ve got you covered. Let us know when you would like to arrive for your Northwestern tour, and your driver will make sure you arrive with plenty of time to spare. When the tour is finished, you can travel back to Chicago on your time.

The University requires groups of 10 or more high-school students to arrange their visit in advance to ensure that they are accommodated. Groups can enjoy a private tour and information session outside of regular tour hours, plus a meal in one of the campus’s dining halls.

University of Illinois at Chicago

Located right in the heart of the city, the University of Illinois at Chicago offers 15 colleges, with fields of study including health sciences, architecture, dentistry, engineering, and liberal arts, as well as several graduate programs. Undergraduates may enroll in the UIC Undergraduate Research Experience, which pairs students with faculty mentors to create a research project in one academic area.

Reserve your group tour at UIC at least three weeks in advance to ensure availability. Tours are given Monday-Friday almost year-round, excluding University holidays and some breaks.

If you’d like, you may even be able to schedule a tour at a specific college for your students– colleges offering separate tours are the College of Architecture, Design, & the Arts; the College of Business Administration; the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; and the College of Urban Planning & Public Affairs.

Loyola University Chicago

a prominent building and sign at Loyola University Chicago

Image Source: Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Loyola Chicago is one of the largest Jesuit universities in the nation, with a total undergraduate enrollment of just over 11,000. Graduate programs include a business school, a medical school, and a law school that is particularly known for its health care law concentration. Though it maintains a Roman Catholic affiliation, Loyola accepts students of all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

With 5 separate campus areas in and around Chicago, you’ll be glad you have a minibus to see all that Loyola has to offer. Whether you prefer to stay in Chicago for the main Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences campus or venture out to the Retreat and Ecology Center or Cuneo Mansion and Gardens, your driver will make sure that you make it to every stop with ease. Between stops, you can explore the city and take in each campus from the comfort of your personal bus.

At the Lake Shore Campus, visitors start with an admission presentation to introduce the University, followed by a student-led tour of campus. Opportunities for classroom visits and shadowing a student for half a day are available to visitors as well. After their tour, prospective students can meet with an admission counselor for the opportunity to ask questions one-on-one and learn about how Loyola can help them achieve their personal goals.

At the Water Tower Campus, visitors can enjoy a tour of the local academic facilities.

DePaul University

the student center at DePaul University

Image Source: Kris Gallagher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

DePaul University aims to educate students through experiential learning, taking advantage of Chicago’s endless opportunities to learn new things and meet new people. With its urban setting, students are able to access multiple internship and employment opportunities during and after their time at the University. Three hundred degree programs are available for each student’s choosing.

Like Loyola, DePaul University is spread among five campuses in the Chicago area. Your driver will make sure that you get to visit as many or as few locations as you’re interested in, always traveling on your time so that your group can fully enjoy each stop.

Groups of 15-50 must submit a group visit request at least two weeks in advance. Visits will take place on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus. If you’d like to also visit the Loop Campus, about 4 miles south of Lincoln Park, your driver will make sure you have the opportunity to explore every bit of campus and the city itself along the way.

Tour Your Dream School with GOGO Charters

GOGO Charters offers minibus rentals of a variety of sizes, able to accommodate groups of 18, 25, 35, and more. While you travel, you can enjoy amenities such as air conditioning, WiFi for entertainment, and overhead storage to keep all carry-on items and campus souvenirs safe.

Hop in your bus and travel through Chicago with ease with personalized transportation and a driver who will follow your schedule exactly as you’ve laid it out! Whether you’re traveling with fellow students or just a few close friends, we’ll find the perfect accommodations for you. Call our reservation specialists today at 312-546-3925 to get started!