Beyond the beach

As spring break neared, many college-bound students had a different agenda than their peers. Instead of sunbathing on the beach or sleeping in, they spent their break researching and visiting potential colleges.

“Over spring break, I will decide which college I will commit to,” said senior Kayla Reed. Instead of vacationing, she intended to spend spring break choosing the college best fit for her. Prior to spring break, she visited many college campuses all across the country. Kayla has gained acceptance into universities in and outside New Jersey. 

But college is not cheap. 

“I will also spend my time searching for scholarships to reduce the cost,” said Reed.

Earning online scholarships is not easy and scholarships that thoroughly cover the costs are harder to achieve. The average high school senior is only able to obtain about $2,000 in scholarships. This is astonishing considering that an estimated $100M in scholarships go unawarded every year. But Kayla is assured to make it work.

While it may seem like a daunting way to spend spring break, taking time to research and visit colleges can help students find the right school for them. But there is plenty more research that needs to be done than searching on a computer, like being on the physical campus.

“Over spring break, I plan on going on college visits.” Said junior Malachi Castle, his Rutgers keychain swinging side to side. “I plan on visiting Rutgers, Boston University and Penn State.” His top pick is Rutgers, but he plans on playing football for any college. Hopefully earning an athletic scholarship. 

Athletic scholarships are highly competitive and only 1% of high school student-athletes receive a full-ride scholarship. That number drops lower for D1 schools. Since Castle is a varsity player on RV’s football team, he has a solid chance.

Visiting campuses is a fundamental part of the process. It is good to get a feel of the school and see if you like it. Spring break is the perfect time for this as school’s out and cross-country road trips can be made. Of course, if the campus is too far, or disrupts plans for break, a good alternative is a virtual visit.

Castle also looked forward to crafting his essay. While writing an essay seems like an anti-climatic thing to do during a holiday, a well-crafted essay can take the cake. To colleges, an essay shows who the applicant really is and their backstory. 

While many students spent their spring break relaxing, RV’s college-bound students took it as a time to focus on their futures. The college process is a lot of work, and spring break is the perfect time to prepare for it.