3 Reasons High School Students Should Tour Colleges
High School seniors everywhere are counting down the days until graduation. In less than two months, they’ll be saying goodbye to the last four years they endured and hello to the next four years of higher education. With the clock ticking, the pressure is on to decide what college they will be attending, if they haven’t already. Instead of making multiple pros and cons lists something that can ease the dread of decision making is touring a college or colleges. Here are 3 reasons why high school students should tour colleges.
1. Campus Atmosphere
It’s all about the vibes. For the next four years, the college you attend becomes your second home. It’s important to feel safe, secure, and comfortable when you’re walking to and from your class or dorm. Visiting a prospective college will answer so many questions, ones you might not have thought to ask. How’s the food? Is there transportation, do I need my own vehicle, or can I walk? What is there to do for fun? What are they known for? Getting familiar with places like the dining hall, gym, classrooms, library, science labs, etc. can help you make an informed decision. Pictures, videos, and brochures can only do so much, visiting can help you understand a college on a deeper level.
2. Residence Halls
Residence Halls, often the make or break of a prospective college. Trying to calculate square space from an image can be difficult. Touring a college ensures that you see your potential living quarters realistically, instead of through a staged photo. Most colleges offer overnight stays to really get a feel for the resident experience, allowing you to determine just how well you might be sleeping in that twin mattress bed. By visiting you’ll be able to see how much furniture you’ll have, what appliances are provided, and how much closet space there is. What condition is the furniture in? Are the bathrooms private or communal? How many roommates will you have? These are all important questions that can be difficult to get a complete picture of over the phone or online. Touring a college better prepares you for the highs and potential lows of your living conditions.
3. Firsthand Sources
While college recruiters and staff work to impress you, college students are a different story. The pride and love they feel for their school will not hinder them from being honest. Having a one on one with a student from your choice of college can be really insightful. Whether it’s their first year or their last, they can give you a firsthand account of what your experience might be like. Additionally, they can provide information on the classes, professors, dining experience, residence halls and more. Seasoned college students have all the pro tips and strategies for a successful four years, no matter what college you decide to go to.
Graduation is just right around the corner and if you haven’t decided on a college The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia and Tacala Companies have an amazing opportunity for you!
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia’s 2022 Tacala summer college tours will offer deserving teens (Grade 9th-12th) a memorable experience that will last a lifetime. This exclusive week-long (6 days) road-trip will provide teens an opportunity for them to enhance their leadership skills, civic engagement, and personal development. The tour will bring together teens and staff from Boys & Girls Clubs across Central Georgia to visit historical black colleges and universities (HBCU) campuses as they work toward high school graduation and prepare for post-secondary education and career success. Participants will venture outside of college campuses during the trip to participate in local community service projects and cultural educational tours.
Tour A: Alabama and Georgia
June 13, 2022 – June 18, 2022
- Tuskegee University & George Washington Carver Museum – Tuskegee, Alabama
- Alabama State University & Rosa Parks Museum – Montgomery, Alabama
- Voting Rights Museum & Edmund Pettus Bridge
- Miles College & Birmingham Civil Rights Inst. and 16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
- Alabama A&M University & US Space & Rocket Center – Huntsville, Alabama
- Clark Atlanta University/Morehouse College/Spellman College & MLK Center – Atlanta, Georgia
- End of Tour Outing at Six Flags Over Georgia – Atlanta, Georgia
Tour B: Georgia and Florida
June 27, 2022 – July 1, 2022
- Savannah State University – Savannah, Georgia
- Edward Waters University & Ritz Theatre & Museum – Jacksonville, Florida
- Bethune-Cookman University & TBD community service project – Daytona Beach, Florida
- Mid-Tour Outing at Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park – Orlando, Florida
- Florida A&M Universities & TBD community service project – Tallahassee, Florida
- Albany State University & Albany Civil Rights Institute – Albany, Georgia
- Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia
The tours are limited and are first come, first serve. Click on this link to register now and reserve your place.