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Junior College Trip

Junior College Trip

Plans for College Tour 2011 are well underway. Parent representatives have been meeting with school officials to finalize all of the meals, activities, lodging, and timetables necessary for this trip to be a success. This year approximately 120 students, parents, and teachers will be traveling to the East as we visit a wide variety of colleges and universities between here and Rhode Island.

2011 Trip Notes
Additional Notes
Trip History

If you have a child participating in this trip, you will need to complete a Medical Release form and a student Conduct Agreement Form and submit them to the College Counseling Office. Your junior also needs to fill out a Preference Form. All of these forms can be found here on the school Web site.

The cost of this year's trip is $500/person. This covers the expenses of lodging, transportation, entertainment and most of our meals. Financial assistance is available. A form is included with the other forms on this page.

Students need to bring their own spending money for any additional meals, snacks, and souvenirs. We will leave the High School parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, November 6, and return to Fort Wayne early in the afternoon on Friday, November 11. Please check this page for additional details as the itinerary is finalized.

Due Dates

Wednesday, September 14 - Trip Preference Forms
Monday, September 26 - Medical Release Form and the Conduct Agreement Form
Monday, October 17 - Full payment

As always, please feel free to contact the College Counseling office if you have any questions or concerns about the trip.

Please remember that the purpose of the trip is to allow the students to see first hand how "going to college" dramatically differs from one institution to another. Right now "going to college" is a very abstract concept for these teenagers. Walking the campus grounds, meeting with admission counselors, talking with current students, sitting in on classes, eating in the cafeterias, and listening to professors will all give our students much clearer ideas of what college life is really like and, more importantly, what type of college or university best suits their academic, social, religious, political, and financial needs. In years past our students have attended mock admission sessions, financial aid sessions, mock interview sessions, and mock college classes based on what they were currently studying in English or AP Biology.

As we travel from town to town, the students reflect on the college they just left, study the university they're about to visit, and work through a number of group exercises and individual assignments which will combine to make them better informed college consumers in the year to come. By learning first-hand what they like and don't like about various types of colleges and universities, the students will be able to generate a list of criteria as their starting point for a successful college search. Students return from the trip infused with renewed dedication to their academic endeavors and excited about the many opportunities available to them.

Our group impression upon the colleges in the past has been quite favorable. We have every reason to believe that favorable impressions will be made again this year. I cannot overemphasize the need for high standards of courtesy and conduct throughout the trip. Parents are strongly encouraged to review the Canterbury Handbook with your junior prior to our departure, especially those sections regarding Discipline and Behavior, Dress Code, and Canterbury Expectations.

Dress for the trip will be school dress for tours and visits to the admission offices and more relaxed attire for traveling and informal evenings.

History of the Canterbury School Junior Class College Trip

Class of 2011 -- North Carolina, Virginia, (Washington, DC)
Class of 2010 -- New York, (Boston)
Class of 2009 -- New York, (New York City)
Class of 2008 -- Tennessee, Georgia (Atlanta)
Class of 2007 -- North/South Carolina, Tennessee (Nashville)
Class of 2006 -- Virginia, (Washington, DC)
Class of 2005 -- Pennsylvania, New Jersey (Philadelphia)
Class of 2004 -- New York, Ohio (Cleveland)
Class of 2003 -- Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia (Atlanta)
Class of 2002 -- Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Class of 2001 -- Maryland, Virginia (Baltimore)
Class of 2000 -- Pennsylvania, New Jersey (Philadelphia)
Class of 1999 -- Up-State New York (Rochester)
Class of 1998 -- Virginia, North Carolina
Class of 1997 -- Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana (St. Louis)
Class of 1996 -- Virginia, (Washington, DC)
Class of 1995 -- Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana (Nashville)
Class of 1994 -- North Carolina, Georgia (Atlanta)
Class of 1993 -- New York, Vermont, New Hampshire (Montreal)
Class of 1992 -- Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana (Chicago)
Class of 1991 -- Virginia
Class of 1990 -- Maryland, Virginia, (Washington, DC)
Class of 1989 -- Pennsylvania, New Jersey (Philadelphia)
Class of 1988 -- Eastern Pennsylvania, (Washington, DC)
Class of 1987 -- Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York

FAQ

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Q Is this trip required of all juniors?: A
No. However, this trip is the foundation of Canterbury’s entire college counseling program, so it is highly recommended for all juniors.
Q My junior already knows where s/he wants to go to college. Will this trip still be beneficial to her/him ?: A
Yes. Two things. First, for the students in the class, this trip is more than just a tour of colleges. The trip provides members of the class an opportunity to socialize and get to know each other well beyond their normal circle of friends. In the past students who chose not to go on the trip felt like they missed out on this common experience. Secondly, your son/daughter would not be the first junior to change his/her mind about where to attend college between the beginning of junior year and the end of senior year. So, having this foundational experience will make that change much easier.
Q Our family is not interested in any of the colleges that the school will be visiting on this trip. Can we take this week to visit schools we are interested in?: A
Yes. However, please keep in mind that the purpose of this trip is not to find or visit the college of your child’s dreams. The purpose of this trip is to expose the students to all of the different kinds of college options that are available to them. Once they have walked the grounds of the various kinds of colleges, they will be able to generate a set list of criteria of what’s important to them as they begin the search for a post-secondary institution. And once they have their criteria, it becomes pretty easy to generate a list of colleges and universities that meet those criteria, given their academic credentials and your financial situation. Typically, students who do their own trips deprive themselves of learning just what all of their options are.
Q How are the colleges selected for this trip?: A
Very carefully. In accordance with the trip’s purpose, colleges are selected that represent the vast array of choices available to students. We will visit both public and private institutions. Students will have the opportunity to visit a religiously affiliated university as well. All of the girls will visit a women’s college. When there is a men’s college in the area (keep in mind that there are only 2 or 3 men’s colleges left), all of the boys will visit a men’s college. We will visit all different sizes of colleges and universities in all kinds of different settings: urban, sub-urban, rural. We also rotate the geographical area that we visit every year. One year we will visit schools in up state New York; another year will visit schools in the South. For our purposes the geographical area is the least important factor. Seeing all of the different kinds of options is the most important factor, and that can be accomplished in any area.
Q The trip is very expensive. Is there any financial aid available?: A
Yes. This trip is a true case of No Child Left Behind. Families on significant financial aid to attend Canterbury may request to receive financial aid for this trip. No one goes for free, but we will work with your financial situation to help as much as we can. This assistance is not automatic. You must call the College Counseling Office and ask for a “Request for Financial Assistance” form. Fill out this form and return it to the College Counseling Office as soon as possible.
Q Do you need chaperones for this trip?: A
Yes. We actually encourage as many parents to chaperone as possible. Parents learn as much, if not more, than the juniors on this trip. Whether this is your first time through the college search process or your last time through, this trip can be eye-opening for parents.
Q I would like to chaperone but I physically cannot ride on a bus. Are there any other alternatives?: A
Yes. Each year several parents elect to drive instead of taking the bus. You can choose to drive or ask to ride with one of the other parents who is driving. Be warned: if you ride in a car, you’re going to miss out on all those wonderful movies and shared bus experiences! Just kidding.
Q Can exchange students participate in this trip?: A
Yes. We actually encourage them to participate. The trip is a great way for them to see much more of this country and to get to know our students better as well. Exchange students pay the same price.
Q Why doesn’t the school ever do a Midwest trip?: A
We have. It wasn’t very popular. When you’re a junior, there is something very exciting about getting away from home, and we are sensitive to that. We occasionally include Midwestern colleges in our itinerary either coming or going.
Q Will my child need to take any additional money with him/her for this trip?: A
No. All of your child’s meals, lodging, transportation, and activities are pre-paid. That being said, students typically bring along some extra money for even more food and/or souvenirs. Virtually every student buys at least one tee-shirt or pair of sweats along the way. How much extra money your child brings with him is totally up to you. Some parents send along a pre-paid debit card with the instructions “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.” Not a bad idea.
Q What should my child bring or not bring along?: A
Each student is limited to two bags – one bag will be stored under the bus in the luggage area and the second bag will be a carry on. Students are asked to wear school dress (not Wednesday school dress) as we visit the colleges. They can dress more casually on Sunday as we drive out and Friday as we return. Since it will be November, shorts are not permitted as school dress. And of course no hats. Several of the places we will be staying have an indoor pool, so a swimming suit is a good idea. It always rains at least one day on this trip, and we tour the campuses anyway, so bring an umbrella. If your child is choosing to attend the Broadway play, then a shirt and tie is in order for the guys; a dress is in order for the girls. A jacket/coat is a definite must since we don’t know what the weather will be like. That pretty much covers the “must bring” items. Students are encouraged to bring a cell phone if they typically carry one or a phone calling card if they don’t. Parents at home like to be called at least once. We do NOT recommend bringing personal computers or DVD players. Whereas the bus is always attended or locked, we cannot be responsible for expensive electronic devices. Headphones are a must for their MP3 players. We want to stress that students may not bring alcohol, tobacco products, or illicit drugs on this trip. Last year we went through the students’ luggage prior to their boarding the busses just to make sure of this. Any student caught with these items on their person or in their luggage will be immediate sent home at the parents’ expense.
Q Can other non-Canterbury students participate?: A
No. On occasion former Canterbury students have joined us on this trip, but because of the numbers involved this year, we simply do not have room for additional students.