YAY! by Rachel LustbaderArts Editor _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freshman year, college was a vague notion tucked away in the back of my mind. Now, two years later, it seems as if my life is consumed by SAT tutors, practice tests, and nights spent on collegeboard.com. However, over spring break I was finally able to partake in the most interesting part of the college selection process: campus visits. While the majority of my past spring breaks have been spent in Florida, this year I spent my time in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The idea of spending my spring break at multiple colleges—where it would no doubt be colder than home—did seem unappealing at first, but in hindsight I am grateful for the experience. Seeing several colleges in a short amount of time solidified my aspirations for future schools and opened my mind to the many options that are available. Before the trip, I was completely convinced that my college needed to have an urban campus. When my parents announced that we would stop at the University of Connecticut in the small town of Storrs, I was obviously less than thrilled with the idea. Although Storrs, Connecticut, is the complete opposite of a bustling city, my visit to UConn presented the appeal of going to college in a calm, secluded area. The campus is beautiful, and I can see why it would be enjoyable to spend four years of schooling there. Storrs may be a bit too rural for my taste, but visiting UConn made me consider schools with less crowded settings. After completing other campus tours throughout New England, I realized how narrow-minded I had been during the college process. For a while I had been set on the idea of going to school in Boston; any other options that my parents suggested I immediately rejected for no legitimate reason. But after seeing towns like Amherst, Massachusetts and visiting New York City, I discovered that there are many places where I would be content to attend college and that it is a bad idea for me to only focus on one school. I strongly recommend going on a college road trip as part of the college selection process. It may not sound like the most exciting way to spend a break or a weekend, but it is a great learning experience and will help you decide what you want from a school. If I had not gone on these campus tours, I would have missed out on a large number of colleges that are potentially very good matches for me. It is important to survey all possible options so that you can truly figure out what you want from a college, not just what is expected. Tours are a crucial part of the college selection process in which every rising senior should participate. NAY! by Jamie Shelnitz Arts Editor _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It is unavoidable; towards the end of their junior year, high school students will take trips around the country in order to find their colleges of best fit. While some may visit one or two schools and immediately have no trouble agreeing with their parents, most are not so lucky. I for one could not have had a more agitating experience. Starting the day off an hour late, the road trip did not begin smoothly. I have never wanted to go anywhere but Manhattan for college, so the point of the trip was to broaden my horizons and to be able to see other options. My dad organized the Boston tours, which included Emerson, Boston University, and Northeastern. We toured Emerson first, and I was reluctant to admit that it seemed like a great fit for me. I aspire to major in acting and minor in communications, two topics that the school is widely known for. Next up was Boston University. It would be an understatement to say it did not go very well. When my tour guide handed me a packet of information, I frantically searched the areas of study list and saw that my major was absent. I was furious with my father for scheduling visits to schools without checking their major list. One comment led to another, and in the middle of the tour we became such an embarrassment to my mom that she made us leave. The tour of Northeastern went even worse. My dad, once again, did not do enough research to find out if they offered the areas of study that I am interested in. Since it was our last day in Boston I did not want to waste any time, so I casually suggested we leave the tour to shop on Newberry Street. My father did not like the idea, causing tensions to escalate even more. My one request for the road trip was to visit Marymount Manhattan, a small liberal arts college in New York City. As always, the city did not let me down. The college fit me perfectly, and I received the pleasure of saying “I told you so” to my parents all day. The only benefits I obtained from the trip were having the pleasure of touring new towns, getting out of Howard County for a week, and adding a few new additions to my wardrobe. The trip accomplished absolutely nothing and only increased the hostility in my household. Although my experience was not memorable in a good way, college road trips are a crucial part of deciding where to apply. Most of the schools I visited were not suited for me, but by visiting a variety of universities, I was able to get a better sense of what I’m looking for so that I could narrow down my choices. Everyone can benefit from college visits as long as thorough research is done beforehand. |