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Natalie LaRowe

Ms. Schuetz

Service Learning

1 November 2017

Reflection on College Visits

In order to be better prepared for my life after high school, I participated in multiple

college visits to learn more about the possible schools I may be attending after graduation. The

first of the colleges that I toured was the University of California, San Diego. I toured this

campus because the school has an excellent engineering program, which is what I hope to major

in. On the tour, I gained more knowledge about the campus and community, which was

beneficial because it gave me a taste of where I may be living next year. I also learned more

about the system of six colleges that they have implemented into their university. The other

college I chose to tour was San Diego State University. I had a desire to tour this campus

because it is a smaller school, and because I wanted to explore possible backup options for

universities. On this tour, I explored potential places in which to study. I also toured the on-

campus dorm rooms, and learned that for out-of-town students, living on campus is required.

This tour was beneficial because I learned how the campus may fit my study style. After these

two experiences, I was able to make a more educated decision about where I would like to

further carry out my plans regarding post-secondary education.

During my visit to University of California, San Diego, I gained a plethora of knowledge

regarding their acceptance requirements, campus, and educational opportunities. One of the most
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important things that I learned from my visit was that they accepted roughly 35.9% of applicants.

This stood out to me because it allowed me to place myself among the applicants, based on the

average admitted SAT scores and GPAs, and learn that I have a moderately good chance of

being accepted to that school. Another important piece of knowledge that I gained from my tour

was that the school has a prestigious Civil Engineering program, which is enticing for me

because that is what I intend to major in. I also was able to learn about the six college system

they implement at the school. The colleges are not divided up by major or subject, but rather by

mission. Each of the colleges has a mission statement, mantra, or historical figure they model

their school after, and this is what builds each colleges community. Finally, by touring the

University of California, San Diego, I was able to imagine myself there, and explore the places

that I might spend time as a student. I took note of many potential study spots, such as a tree

garden and the beach nearby. I also toured the building that I would be eventually taking

engineering classes in, and was able to picture myself walking the halls to class as a student of

the university. Overall, my tour to this university gave me a surplus of knowledge to be used

when I ultimately make my decision of what University I will attend.

At the beginning of my tour of San Diego State University, I was surprised to hear that

they had an acceptance rate of 34.2%, which is slightly smaller than the rate of UCSD. This

surprised me because I expected a state school to have a much higher rate of acceptance than a

University of California. However, later on in the tour, my guide explained that fewer people

apply to the University of California, San Diego than to San Diego State University, and that is

what accounts for the similarity in acceptance rates although there is a significant difference in

average admitted SAT scores and GPAs. San Diego State University offers Civil Engineering as

a major, which excited me, although their program for engineering is not nearly as prestigious as
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a program in the University of California. During my tour I learned that students are required to

live on campus during their freshmen and sophomore years at the university. I was not opposed

to this requirement until I witnessed the dorm rooms for myself. They were much smaller than I

had anticipated, and the thought of being required to live in them disappointed me, as this would

mean I would have to live like a sardine for two years rather than being allowed to take

advantage of my extended familys generous offer to rent me their spare bedroom just fifteen

minutes from the college. One very important thing I learned from my tour was that the school

has a lot of pride and is very spirited and social, which is something that would excite me as a

student of that university. Finally, I was able to take note of a few potential study spots, such as

gardens, a large lawn, and a very inviting courtyard near the student union. Overall, my

experience at San Diego State University gave me a wealth of knowledge and allowed me to

picture myself as a student of that university.

After completing my tours, I preferred the University of California, San Diego over San

Diego State University. One of the reasons for this was the higher expectations and requirements

for admittance. This means that UCSD is more challenging to be accepted to, which appeals to

me because I would prefer to attend a more challenging school. Furthermore, at UCSD, I would

not be required to live on campus, and could therefore live with my family and reduce the cost of

attendance significantly. This is a major factor because the tuition alone is very expensive for

both colleges, and I would prefer to save as much money as I can in order to have a minimal

amount of debt after graduating from college. UCSD also offers more research opportunities for

students than SDSU, which appeals to me because I would much rather learn about Civil

Engineering through mainly research and hands-on experience than mainly lectures and exams.

Finally, the six college system at UCSD provides more opportunities for smaller communities,
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which is a personal requirement for me in order to build relationships and have a more enjoyable

time.

In conclusion, after touring both the University of California, San Diego and San Diego

State University, I chose to place the University of California, San Diego on the top of my

priority list. I plan on applying to both universities, as I still enjoyed San Diego State University.

However, I will use SDSD as a backup school, and if I am accepted to both, I will choose to

attend the University of California, San Diego.