Embracing the college experience, juniors from the Class of 2026 partook in the annual tradition of the in-state college tour to gain a first-hand experience on life beyond high school. Venturing across Florida from Jan. 22 to 24, Cavaliers enriched their knowledge on college readiness through visits guided by Gables alumni.
Day 1, Jan. 22: University of Central Florida and Rollins
Departing the Gables Campus at 6:30 a.m., the group of juniors arrived at the University of Central Florida at 11 a.m. The tour was guided by Gables alum Jocelyn Ugarte and Chrisondria Marks. Students split up into two groups where they were shown around libraries, food courts, cafeterias, lecture halls and outdoor areas. Throughout their visit, the tour guides emphasized annual UCF traditions such as Pegasus Palooza which welcomes incoming Knights each semester through social and service activities. Juniors ended off their tour with satisfied stomachs as they enjoyed lunch at the UCF dining hall at 12:30 p.m.
Located in the bustling city of Orlando, UCF is ranked among the nations’ best degree programs as it is known for its innovative technology and research program for nursing and engineering. Being the largest university by enrollment in Florida, UCF has awarded students $553.1 million dollars in financial aid with 70% of its students body graduating debt free, serving as an appealing option to students for its affordability.
Marking their second and final stop of the day, traveling students arrived at Rollins College at 3 p.m. The tour was comprised of both a presentation and tour around campus. For the first half, a Rollins admission counselor informed students on Rollins’ stats regarding their programs, scholarship opportunities, majors and minors and student life. Students eagerly asked questions regarding the liberal arts institution to ensure they left feeling fully informed on all that Rollins had to offer. Splitting into two respective groups, students were guided by separate Rollins students who showed the college’s dining halls, gyms, pools and on-campus restaurants and dorms.
“I really liked Rollins College because of the atmosphere and the architecture of the campus. I think it’s a really unique college compared to the other ones we attended, and my favorite part of the tour was when they took us near the lake,” junior Samantha Kang said.
At 5 p.m. Cavaliers left Rollins ending the night off with dinner at La Carretas Mexican Restaurant at 7:30 p.m. They eventually arrived at their hotel at 9 p.m. to prepare for another day of visits.
Day 2, Jan. 23: Florida State University
Juniors departed their hotel at 9 a.m., embarking on a journey to Florida State University where they would encounter a beautiful campus covered in snow. Students arrived at 11 a.m. and were toured by Gables alum Valentina Gutierrez, Dominick Rodriguez-Alva and others. As Cavaliers embraced the snowy atmosphere, they were shown around FSU’s Strozier library, integration statue, gyms, dorms and finally, took photos in front of the iconic Westcott fountain. As they wrapped up any final questions on admissions advice and student life as a Seminole, Cavaliers enjoyed lunch at Suwanee dining hall at 1 p.m.
“I liked FSU the best, because it had a really big and beautiful campus, but the best part was that when we visited, it had snow so it looked magical. Also a lot of my family members go there, my dad went there, so I will definitely be applying next year,” junior William Hardie said.
Ranked as one of the top 25 public universities in the country, FSU centralizes around its students by encouraging the pursuit of knowledge through its elite research institutions. Known internationally for its science and humanities programs, courses at FSU are taught by experts in the field from Pulitzer prize winners to Nobel Laureates.
Balancing leisure in between college visits, juniors left FSU at 2 p.m. and arrived at Dave and Busters at 5 p.m. Cavaliers enjoyed arcade themed games that helped them grow closer together before finally arriving at the hotel at 8:30 p.m.
Day 3, Jan. 24: University of Florida and University of South Florida
After filling up on breakfast provided by the hotel, Cavaliers headed to the home of the Gators, arriving at the University of Florida at 9:30 am. Gables alum Peter De L’orne D’alincourt and others showed students lecture halls and some of UF’s iconic spots ranging from the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to the Century Tower. Tour guides brought attention to some of the aspects that make UF unique, its large populous campus that remains active within over 1,000 of UF’s clubs, indicating that there is truly something for all gators.
Receiving over $1.26 billion for research, UF has gained a reputation for medical, agricultural and engineering innovations, one of the many being that Gatorade was invented on the campus. Being ranked as 7th in top public schools in the country and with a 97% retention rate, UF exemplifies prestige.
“My favorite school was UF, because the campus was so pretty, and I love how they have so many different majors to choose from. I also liked the people who attend the school. Our tour guides were so nice and answered all our questions. Overall, people looked really happy to be there, and I can see myself going to the school,” junior Trinity Perez said.
At 11 p.m. their tour concluded and juniors headed to their final tour at the University of South Florida arriving at 1 p.m. As Cavaliers ate lunch, they heard from two USF student tour guides who gave a brief overview on USF’s campus, libraries and student life while also touching on their own experience with the school. At 3:30 p.m. Cavaliers departed USF to return to Gables officially ending the trip at 8 p.m.
As the Class of 2026 arrived back at Gables on Jan 24., they reflected on the insights gained throughout the past three days of touring colleges. Whether it was discovering which campus suited their aspirations or learning about the requirements for college applications, Cavaliers returned with a new found motivation to continue striving for academic excellence.
