As the end of the school year approaches the class of 2020 moves closer and closer towards graduation. As one can imagine, deciding on what school you want to go to next can be pretty nerve-racking. For one, you don’t have your parents there to make your decisions for you and, or, be your guide. This year’s junior class got the opportunity to tour 8 different universities over the course of 4 days.

We departed for Tulane on Tuesday morning for breakfast, information session, and campus tour. We then walked over to Loyola for lunch, as well as a campus tour. Lauren Liprie said, “Being able to eat meals on campus gave us a chance to interact and talk to some of the students of each university which was something I really enjoyed.” As soon as this was over, we departed for Oxford, Mississippi to eat dinner and stay at the Ole Miss Inn, right on campus! After our quick tour and information session there, we were back on the bus and headed for Rhodes.

After a long day, students had free time to spend at the Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee. Students enjoyed the aquariums, arcade games, 13-lane bowling alley, shopping, and elevator rides with a fantastic view of the city. We enjoyed dinner downtown, where we were entertained with lime scooters and bikes, along with street performers that allowed us to engage in their tricks. We headed back to the Guesthouse at Graceland for the night. Thursday entailed tours and information sessions for both Mississippi State and Samford University. Students were able to spend free time at the Summit outdoor shopping mall where we saw a movie, got to shop, and even catch up with Ascension alumni in the area. Friday morning, we saw Birmingham-Southern, which allowed students to create their own major. This, along with their small size, was something that made this school distinctive. Our last stop was the University of Alabama, the only school on our trip that had a unique application process. Alabama did not require any essays or resumes… they look strictly at test scores that were not allowed to be super-scored.

Our college counselor, Stephanie Fournet, did a great job incorporating a mixture of schools that give insight on what it was like to attend small universities as opposed to big, as well as being housed in larger cities, as opposed to small towns. Some were liberal arts schools, which focused on specific skills they wanted you to master instead of having required core classes. Each school had a remarkable campus, but I think it’s safe to say that we enjoyed the bookstores the most. Anna Grace Franques said, “I am sad that this was our last trip as a class because it was so much fun and an overall great bonding experience for our grade. I enjoyed getting to explore the different atmospheres and aspects of each school, figuring out what to look for and what questions to ask as I begin my application process.”