Despite the long and rainy four hour bus ride, 45 students were anxious to arrive at the schools and breathe in the sweet air of college life.
Touring colleges is a major part of deciding which college to attend. This year some sophomores, juniors and seniors went on a college trip to further understand how academics and campus life vary from school to school.
Guidance counselor, Mrs. Marie Pastena planned the trip this year to D.C., Baltimore and Delaware to visit American University, the University of Delaware, George Washington University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Each college has a variety of majors, a unique campus, in terms of life and environment, and different admissions requirements.
“The schools were chosen based on campus setting, admission requirements and cost of attendance. We tried to show the students a sample of different types of school,” said Mrs. Pastena.
While on the trip, students were encouraged to ask themselves several questions while touring some of the schools. Do I want to go to a big school or small school? What is the range of scores that students need to be admitted? What will my major be? How far away do I plan on going from home? Will I study abroad?
“Each school had informative sessions which helped students understand the financial process, and made kids realize that a $50,000 college may be attainable,” said Parent Coordinator Annette Lentini.
Stop number one was at George Washington University, located in the heart of Washington D.C. where the weather was gloomy. However, the spirits of the students were high, as they were eager to get started on their college tour.
George Washington University is a unique 4-year private college with an urban setting. The middle fifty percent of students accepted to GWU received a score of 590-680 on SAT Reading, 600-690 on Math , 600-690 on Writing, and a 25-30 on the ACT Composite Exam. What makes this college so unique is that its relatively close location to the capital. This is a benefit to students majoring in political fields because they have an advantage to secure internship opportunities.
“I’m going to apply for George Washington University because I love the campus and the location. It’s really convenient,” said senior Wingsum Cheung.
About three miles away from GWU is American University, stop number two. American University is also a 4-year private college, however, this college setting is suburban. Normally 53% of applicants are admitted with a 580-700 on Reading, 510-670 on Math, 580-680 on Writing, and a 25-30 on the ACT. Alumni of American University include New Orleans Inspector General Robert Cerasoli and Australian politician Tom Lewis.
“The college trip was very informative. It helped me realize that I would love to go away for college. It also helped me decide that my major for college is going to be Communication Disorders and Speech, and I would like to apply to American University. I had a lot of fun too,” said junior Breanna Pizzolo.
After a night’s rest, students began their day with Retriever Fever at The University of Maryland. Different from AU and GWU, University of Maryland is a 4-year public university. Ninety percent of the students are in state residents and the other 10% are from out of state. The middle fifty-percent of first year students receive a 520-630 on Reading, 560-670 on Math, 520-630 on Writing, and a 22-27 on the ACT.
“The trip was very informative. It gave us background information about each college, all the majors and how to apply. My favorite college had to be the University of Maryland. I am going to apply there because it seems like a great place to go to school. It also has everything I am looking for in a college,” said senior Jeribeth Fradera.
Our last stop was at the home of the Blue Hens, the University of Delaware. Although students only stayed for an information session at The University of Delaware, they were able to get a feel for the campus setting by having lunch in the college’s cafeteria.
The University of Delaware is also a 4-year public university where 56 percent of applicants are admitted. Usually, the middle 50% of students admitted receive a 550-640 on Reading, 570-660 on Math, 560-650 on Writing, and a 25-28 on the ACT Composite exam.
Although each school is different and has its own feel, they all have things in common such community service requirements and internship offereings. However, the SAT/ACT acceptance scores are looked at differently in each school along with AP courses, college level courses and weighted averages.
The overnight trip allowed students to get a feel for what most colleges look at when going through the admissions process. Each college also has Division 1 sports programs.
Visiting a college you plan to apply to is essential. Although doing research about a school is important, actually visiting the school gives you the opportunity to take notice of a lot more than just stats on a website.
So what if your friends love it? You’re the one who is going to need to focus on your studies. And you should feel comfortable with your surroundings.
For more information about each college, visit collegeboard.com.
