As the day to walk the stage nears, upperclassmen Dubs are starting to take great consideration into where their next stage in life will take place. With over 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States, and plenty in Georgia (well over 70, in fact), there is a plethora of schools to choose from. Fortunately for us, North Atlanta does a fair job in assisting students in looking for colleges as a subject of appraisal. 

With the lowering rates of COVID-19 in Atlanta, the school and district have moved forward with allowing students to attend out of school field trips for the majority of the instructional day. After what seemed like a field trip drought for many, juniors (and some seniors) were given the opportunity to get a feel of college life at Kennesaw State University. With 30 students on a coach bus, a three to four hour tour with free dining, a chance to look at college and get a break from school… could it get any better?

Kennesaw State ranks “among the top 20 schools in the U.S. that students want to attend,” according to the U.S. News and World Report. A statistic that KSU takes pride in and looks to uphold, students on the trip were presented with the various elements that gives the university its notoriety. 50+ undergraduate degree and 80+ graduate level programs make up the school’s education, as well as many opportunities for work experience and engagement. 300+ student organizations, including honor societies, athletics (intramural, club, and NCAA D1 teams), arts, and more are nestled in the campus along with the wondrous education that it provides. A minimum 2.5 GPA, 18 on the ACT, and 500 on the Reading/Writing section plus a 490 on the Math section on the SAT are required for attendance. “I wanted to see what’s in Georgia, if I do decide to stay in state after high school,” says junior Kameron Smith.

With over 500 acres of land, field trip goers got the opportunity to take a look at the majority of the campus. The multi floor buildings home to many majors – such as biology and mathematics – were visited during the walk outside. Offices and libraries took up another part of the tour, with the guide showing where students report to for higher problems regarding scheduling, financial aid, etc. Several common areas containing places for students to study and/or kick back allowed Warriors to come inside and take a look at what could be their future hang out spot. Gyms, indoor tracks, pools, and even a rock climbing area were among the sights of the participants followed by a 30 minute Q&A session. The last stop was an hour well spent at the award-winning dining hall, with an abundance of choices for North Atlanta students to enjoy at their leisure. “There was soul food, pasta, burgers, pizza, ice cream, coffee… I never knew anything about KSU but now I can say I loved it,” says junior Camille Evans

It’s safe to say that Dubs left the school that morning not expecting much, but returned later bragging about the wonders of Kennesaw State. This college tour was a taste of what’s to come for many juniors and seniors in the coming years. We can’t wait to see who goes where in 2023, and especially who’ll go from Dub to Owl in the near future.