Hialeah Miami Lakes students take eighth annual college tour

On January 16 and 17, 46 Hialeah Miami Lakes (HML) juniors participated in the school’s eighth annual college tour.
According to CAP advisor Raquel Cruz, “Students that take advantage of this opportunity can see themselves at a state university outside of South Florida. They get a more in-depth understanding of what universities are looking for when they accept first time college students. Students are able to see what is attainable in their near future and begin to set tangible goals for life after high school.”
Students began the tour at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, where former Trojan Syann Mark shared her experiences after two years as a student on campus. The tour continued at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where students had lunch in a dining hall and toured a rapidly growing campus full of new construction.
Day two began on the University of Florida (UF) campus in Gainesville, where the UF assistant director for Undergraduate Admissions spoke about what UF looks for when reviewing applications and how juniors can make themselves the best UF candidates in their senior year. HML graduate Kevin Beguiristain joined the tour and shared his Gator experiences with the group in the Swamp.
The tour ended at the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus in Orlando. Eight former Trojans met the group on the UCF mall and it was a sweet reunion. HML juniors heard about campus life, academics and what it takes to make it on your own.
The college tour was designed to expose college-bound Trojans to some of the options within the Florida system, as well as maintain connections between current and former HML students. Junior Matthew Varela said, “I learned that there really is a vast difference between the schools. UF seems likes its own city, while Florida Gulf Coast was small but even has a beach for students. Hopefully someday, I can be one of the HML graduates giving a tour of my school to future HML students.”