In early August, the Guidance department hosted a two-day college tour. Students visited four schools in Maryland and Pennsylvania – Goucher College, Johns Hopkins University, Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania. SEEDS alumni who attended this trip will be sharing their experiences of the trip. Today’s post will highlight Maryland’s Goucher College and Johns Hopkins University. Be sure to check back next week for information on Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Goucher College (Roselyn Korngor, Scholars ’13, Plainfield High School ’17)

When I initially stepped onto Goucher’s campus, I immediately felt at home. Goucher has a very welcoming, rustic atmosphere. This is great for anyone who would like to escape the fast-paced life of the city, yet still be within reach of it. Entertainment, small restaurants, and shopping – in the nearby city of Towson – are all within walking distance of the campus. In addition, students may use the campus shuttle, rent Zip cars, or bring their cars to campus in freshman year. Within the Goucher campus, there is also a lot of available space, specifically 287 acres, for various activities that students may participate in.

Unique to Goucher College is the Video Application, which allows students to distinguish themselves by creating a two-minute video to be watched by the admissions team. The Video Application provides admissions officers a sense of applicants’ identity as not just students but individuals – people who have different hobbies and passions. Goucher is the very first college in the United States to utilize this in the application process, and this is absolutely amazing.

My favorite part of the campus was the Athenaeum, or campus library; it was modernized, and fully equipped with Mac desktop computers. The Athenaeum had a very cozy atmosphere that resembled that of a loft or office space.

The most distinctive part of Goucher College was their requirement that every student must participate in a Study Abroad program at least once – whether it be for a few weeks or an entire semester. This shows that Goucher cares about their students and wants them to be more open-minded by exploring different cultures and exploring new places. For this reason, Goucher College is definitely a place to consider for your home away from home.

Johns Hopkins University (Jonnathan Baquero, Scholars ’12, The Pingry School ’16)

When I visited Johns Hopkins University on August 5, the first impression I had of the school was that it was very aesthetically pleasing. The combination of the red-brick architecture with the sleek, modern interior of many of the buildings was a great contrast that made me immediately like the school. On the tour, I really enjoyed seeing the wide-open areas the campus had to offer and the school’s use of them (such as for their student-run Spring Fair).

Johns Hopkins’ Public Health Studies is the school’s largest major with the most students enrolled in the program. Although Hopkins is known for its STEM programs, there really is a major here for everyone. This showed me that even if I don’t want to go into medicine or work as a doctor, I could still meet classmates with similar interest s.

Throughout the info session, I was really struck by the opportunities for students at Johns Hopkins. The students and faculty really value research, collaboration, and interdisciplinary work. Johns Hopkins uses its location in downtown Baltimore to emphasize these opportunities for its students. While the school definitely has a beautiful campus feel, it is within walking distance of a busy city. With so much happening on campus and in nearby Baltimore, I can see why JHU students love their school’s location so much.

Another point which stood out to me was how much the students are exposed to popular culture and non-academic events right on their own campus. Award-winning shows such as House Of Cards and House M.D. were filmed at the school, giving students an opportunity to be inspired to maybe get involved in the arts.

What really fascinated me was how proud their students were to be there. We heard that when the movie The Social Network was filmed on campus, and many students refused to wear Harvard apparel to be in extras in the scene. They truly have a passion in their choice to study at Johns Hopkins. The best spot on campus in my opinion was the Eisenhower Library, where you really see how the entire campus interacts with each other. The Balaur Display Wall is an electronic guide to the library and was given by the university’s computer science school. It really showed that the school is a community instead of various different groups of people.

Overall, I feel Johns Hopkins really does strive to offer and give a well-rounded education and a comfortable environment for the transition to adulthood.