BCA offers many different opportunities to go on field trips, from the Global Studies program to club excursions to the senior class trip. One that is regarded as both full of fun and one the most beneficial experiences that BCA provides is the College Exploration Experience (CEE) Trip that happens during students’ junior year. This 3-day overnight trip to Lehigh – located in Bethlehem, PA – provides an array of opportunities for students to get ahead of other prospective candidates in the college admissions process, while simultaneously getting a sneak peak on what the college experience will be like.
This year, the trip begins on Tuesday, June 17th, with an early bus departure scheduled between 7:15 – 7:55 AM. Students are scheduled to arrive at Lehigh University at around 10:30 AM, and from there, the action-packed 3 days begin.
Throughout their stay there, juniors are exposed to 30 current and retired college admissions counselors from top universities like Carnegie Mellon, NYU, and UPenn. Each student is then assigned two counselors, and these mentor groups consist of 6 students. Juniors meet up with the counselors in varying group sizes, from individual sessions to small groups to the entire grade.
These workshops include topics such as “Writing Your Essay”, “Common Application”, and “How a College Picks You”. Based on a survey sent out to Juniors, almost all of them are heading on the trip with the intent of getting essay help and to overall work on it.
“I finished most of my common app essay during CEE,” said a current senior who attended the trip last year. “Going on this trip honestly felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
In addition to this, staying in the Lehigh dorms means getting a taste of college life for 3 days – having a roommate, sharing communal bathrooms, eating at a dining hall, and more.
“I’m so excited for the trip,” said one junior. “I haven’t even started thinking about my college essay, so this will definitely help me get on track. But I’m even more happy that I’ll feel like a college student for a few days without having to actually be committed to a college.”
The excitement doesn’t end there, however. At the end of each day, juniors have allotted time slots dedicated to spending time with their friends. Some of their options include hanging out at the student center, playing indoor basketball, and talking amongst each other in the dorm lounges.
For some juniors, this is their main motivation for coming on the trip. “Sure, all the college help is a plus, but I’m going to finally get a break from all the work from this year,” said a junior. “I really just want to have fun and relax with my friends.”
Still, only 180 out of the ~270 in the junior class can come on this trip. Why do some students decide to skip out on this? The reasons vary, from the high price to busy schedules to simply thinking it’s not worth it.
Yet, for those who do attend, CEE is regarded as one of the highlights of their BCA experience – a rare mix of fun, friendships, and a head start on the college application process.
