It’s college acceptance time.  Seniors are feeling the pressure to make a college choice as the school year ends.  To help make a decision, students often visit colleges on campus to see first hand the campus layout, classrooms, dorms, athletic fields, and campus perks such as restaurants, coffee shops, study areas, and parking.

On March 18, the Avid Club hosted a field trip for students to visit both West Hills College in Firebaugh and Fresno State University. 

Some benefits of going on campus visits include getting an up close and personal view of the campus, learning fun facts about the college, and asking questions that are not answered in any of the college’s resources. Students are also able to speak to current students about their experiences and participate in activities on campus and learn about campus life more in depth.

Bobby Roque (12), who attended the trip said, “It was definitely a fun time. I enjoyed the environment and the student life going on while I was there. Some beneficial aspects I can take from the trip is knowing the campus and really seeing what I’m getting into, as well as what the campus looks like and how it runs throughout the day will give me some perspective if I choose to go there.”

Jonathan Camarillo (12), another student who attended the field trip said, “I feel as if it helps us to get a little feel for what the college experience might be like. It also helps me to see what it would be like to attend a specific school I’m visiting so I can see if it’s good for me. It also benefits me greatly so I have a general idea where everything is located, in case I did plan to attend the school. Overall, I think taking the campus tour is very helpful because it allows me to see if that is where I want to continue my academics and if it would be a good place for me to do so,” when asked if he thought the campus tours of the colleges helped improve his view on what it would be like if he attended those schools.

Students should always be sure to keep an open mind when choosing what colleges to attend after their high school years. Campus tours and visits are a very important factor in choosing where students want to continue their education so they should always try to visit a campus before fully committing to it so that they can see if it’s the right fit for them.