With many students beginning to plan for their senior year, one of the most important aspects to that year is beginning your college search. Many students after high school will continue on to higher education at various different levels.

That is why college counselor Michelle Gerringer decided to host a college campus bus tour field trip. On April 30, close to 40 students from Liberty attended this field trip. 

Students would first meet in the front office at 7:20 a.m. so Gerringer could account for every student participating. After heading onto the bus the students would begin their field trip to three different colleges: Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE), St. Charles Community College (SCC), and lastly Maryville University. There were three different colleges that offer different things academically, one being a public, one a community, and the last a private one. Students were able to view the differences of the three colleges completely free of charge, having lunch and snacks being provided as well as transportation to the colleges. 

When planning for college, there are so many different options you can choose from. Not knowing what these colleges are like or what they offer can cause a big problem when it comes to choosing which college you want to attend. 

Making sure a college fits what you are looking for is a key part of the many obstacles college searching holds.

“The tour guides mentioned all the different benefits they have for college, disability, and for people of different races and orientations,” junior Mackenzie Reddick said.

Having important opportunities at these colleges that you may be looking for is what could set apart one college from the next.

“Find things that you do and don’t like about schools and kind of find places where you can actually see yourself walking around,” sophomore Amanda Yoder, a current Maryville nursing major and Liberty alumni said. “There are some similarities to every college, but every single one is going to have something that makes it unique.”

Going on this tour has brought Reddick more insight on a wide range of college difficulties and how to better themself when it comes to these difficulties. Being able to view so many different colleges allows students to be able to see what actually suits them best. Even though Reddick already has a college in mind, they decided to come on this trip to see what the other colleges might offer. This allowed them to have a broader and larger perspective of college as a whole. Branching out of your comfort zone and joining clubs or activities in college will allow you to be part of a larger community.

“I’ve already gotten involved with so much so it’s like a great community to be around,” Ariana Crey, freshman psychology Major/Tour Guide at SIUE said.