Students from CedarBridge Academy have gone on a college tour to help them to decide where they want to further their studies, and help them gain the knowledge to select a major.

• Bathsheba Jones, S4

From March 23 until April 4, I had the pleasure of going on the amazing Caring for Young Minds college tour that began in Baltimore, Maryland.

My chaperones, Leroyce Mills and Donna Edwards, allowed my peers and I to visit the Mecca of HBCUs (historically black colleges or universities), Howard University, in Washington.

Before the trip, my top choice was Howard and it remained so throughout the tour, although a few other schools caught my attention. They were Alcorn State University, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University.

We travelled for the most part on coaches, where we got to meet other students on the tour.

We also took part in activities such as a talent show, in which students performed poetry, danced and sang.

Overall, I would like to thank my peers and chaperones for helping me to become immersed in the college culture.

I would recommend this tour to any students interested in attending university/college in the United States so they can see the many opportunities HBCUs have to offer.

• Kayuntae Ming, S4

As a high school student in S4, I am of the view that it is necessary to take your SATs and/or ACT if you wish to further your education at the tertiary level.

If I had known earlier, perhaps in my third year, I would have signed up to take my SATs earlier instead of waiting.

Another important factor is to maintain a GPA higher than a 2.5. Additionally, I found it beneficial to learn interesting facts about different colleges, and visiting 12 schools as part of a group on the Caring for Young Minds tour.

Although I wasn't interested in most of the schools for different reasons, a few did stand out, such as Howard University, Alcorn State University and Clark Atlanta University.

It is essential to choose a school because it is an excellent fit for you, not because of its reputation. The college tour really opened my eyes and provided me with insight into what college life is like, the people I could potentially go to college with and what they are really like.

If you enjoy meeting new people and like to try new experiences, I would recommend that you sign up for the tour next year.