Every year, Miami Palmetto Senior High’s junior class takes a trip around the Sunshine State to visit some of Florida’s public colleges. This year, from Jan. 24-26, the Class of 2025 embarked on the annual college tour up and down the state.

MPSH’s College Assistance Program advisor Linda Dwyer led the trip, bringing it back while shadowing former college counselor Harry Nerenberg, around four to five years ago.

“When I started shadowing Mr. Nerenberg, we brought it back … Mr. Spiegelman and I did [the trip] together the first year with no tour guide, we were our own tour guides,” Dwyer said.

The three-day long trip visits eight college campuses in Florida. On the first day, they visited the University of Central Florida, Flagler College and the University of North Florida. On the second day, they visited Florida State University, Florida A&M University and the University of Florida. On the last day, the juniors visited the University of South Florida (Tampa Campus and St. Petersburg Campus), the University of Tampa and Florida Gulf Coast University.

The trip focuses on schools that are farther away rather than those around the Miami-Dade and Broward County areas.

“We don’t see schools that are pretty close to here … So we try to see schools that kids might not have an opportunity to go see,” Dwyer said.

With the trip having only 45 spots for students, many jump at the chance to go, since it gives them upfront knowledge on these Florida colleges.

“I chose to go on this trip and to get more information on colleges and see if they would be a good fit for me,” junior Ava Graziano said. “I heard a lot about the trip from some of my friends who are now seniors, and they really enjoyed the trip.”

MPSH’s AP Capstone teacher, Marcos Cohen, has been a chaperone on these trips for seven years, two years at MPSH and the rest at previous schools, and has learned a lot, even as a teacher.

“I’ve learned that there are a variety of different schools in Florida that are not your major public institutions that could very well appeal to students, depending on their likes or dislikes … This trip brings it to everyone’s attention, which I think is fantastic,” Cohen said.

Similar to Cohen, Dwyer also learns new things every year: things that one might not have known if they had not gone on the trip.

“I learn nuggets every year because if there’s anything consistent about the application process, it’s changed. So things change every year, and the colleges have so many opportunities that I learned nuggets every single time,” Dwyer said.

For juniors starting to look at colleges, this annual trip provides them with the opportunity to visit colleges in Florida that they may not have thought of before.

“I think the trip provides an opportunity for students to get a firsthand look and account of the possible schools they may be attending in the very near future. You can look at things online; you can read about it; you can even talk about friends that may have attended those schools. But you really don’t get a true understanding of the university and the campus itself unless you’re walking on it in person,” Cohen said.