How “The College Tour” and the Student Registry Serve Students

By: Joseph D’Andrea

As the executive producer and host of Amazon Prime Video’s “The College Tour,” Alex Boylan has made it his mission to provide college students — both current and prospective — with the information necessary to navigate college life.

Alex Boylan serves as the inviting host of “The College Tour.” Photo by The College Tour

In an interview arranged by Samantha Hain '04, the media strategist for “The College Tour,” Boylan said his motivation came from his niece’s own experience deciding on which college to attend. She was fortunate enough to visit a few campuses across the country but most students don’t have that luxury. This led Boylan to ask himself: “Can we bring the campus to the students?” The answer turned into a television show that now spans 15 seasons and nearly 200 episodes–including a 2021 episode at Adelphi.

The award-winning series “The College Tour” showcases different college and university campuses across the country to provide prospective students with a glimpse into institutions’ academics and social life. Photo by The College Tour

The series showcases real students telling their stories, allowing future college students to virtually explore what colleges have to offer both in terms of campus life and academics. 

“We’re a bridge,” Boylan said, helping students who might not have the means to travel still get a sense of a college from the comfort of their couch. 

“The College Tour” is all about authenticity. “Ninety-nine percent of our episodes feature real students,” Boylan said. “We want high schoolers to see themselves in these stories.” 

While the primary focus remains producing the series, the show is also open to engaging with students at participating colleges, with Boylan saying, “There’s nothing better than showing aspiring media professionals how a show is made at a high level.”

That spirit of support now extends beyond the screen with the creation of the Student Registry. Inspired by conversations with many students, the “College Tour” team realized that financial strain was one of the biggest challenges young people face, leading them to build a platform to help. 

“There are registries for weddings and babies — why not college?” Boylan said. The site allows students to create a profile, share their financial needs and invite friends, family and their wider network to contribute. Whether it's money for books, study abroad or even a simple coffee budget, it’s a way for students to receive direct support.

“We want students to go to college, stay in college, graduate and go on to live epic lives,” Boylan said. “That’s our goal.”

Hain, who is also involved in public relations for the Student Registry, said her journey in journalism and public relations began at Adelphi, where mentors and internship opportunities led her to where she is now. 

“I don’t know if I would have had the career that I had if it wasn’t for Adelphi,” she said. “The two aspects of my career — writing and public relations — were both formed and cultivated by Adelphi.” 

Early exposure allowed her to work on national news stories and now she continues to use her skills to uplift students. What excites Hain most, she said, is how the registry teaches students to plan ahead.

“The registry is going to be a very helpful tool because a lot of students don't realize there's so many extra costs involved, aside from just tuition," she explained. "Books cost money, food costs money. I was a commuter student: gas costs money. For a lot of these students, this is the first time that they might have to do some financial planning, and I really like the idea that the registry makes students think critically about what a budget should look like and what they will need to achieve that kind of standard of living. I think that that's a really important skill that most people probably learn too late.”

“The College Tour” can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi, and you can learn about the Student Registry at thestudentregistry.com.