Contributed Photos
LEAP’s teen counselors are visiting colleges in the South during the February break. Two of them wrote in on their experiences from Day Three:
Darius Martin, 17, Highville Charter School, Junior
Day 3 saw us slated to visit Valdosta State University. Once we arrived, we were given a warm welcome by the admissions director. She gave us an inside look at what to expect when you become a member of VSU, from what the expectations are to what it means to be a Valdosta State Blazer.
We began our tour around the courtyard area, and the scene was very tranquil. I thought that it looked like a college straight out of a movie. As we continued walking, the tour guide rattled off a list of majors the school offered, ranging from education to journalism to business management, which I enjoyed a lot. We walked through their student center that offered access to anything the students would need. We concluded the tour in the library and we walked through the two levels it had to offer. It seemed like there was an endless amount of books on every shelf.
Our next tour stop was Florida A&M, aka FAM-U. We were met by a man who was able to describe to us the mindset that Florida A&M has for its students. We weren’t able to see as much due to the fact that it was raining, but we were able to see most, if not all of the campus. If I had to pick, the college I liked was FAM-U even though we didn’t get much time to tour it. They were able to offer a top-notch journalism department which I enjoyed very much. I also enjoyed their education department.
Lauren Darden, 17, Cooperative Arts High School, Junior
Today, we visited Valdosta State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. VSU had a very modern campus, which made it very appealing. The dorms were spacious and the campus was very warm. Also, VSU has a convenient out of state tuition price, approximately $16,000. Hearing this was my favorite fact about their University.
If I were to attend FAMU, I feel like I’d have a great social life. There were many activities and clubs, as well as entertainment facilities — such as, a bowling alley. However, there were not enough career opportunities there for me to thrive at the school, and once I graduate.
