Ithaca, NY: Finally, after six hours, I got out of the cramped back seat and stretched mylegs. We had reached our destination: Ithaca, New York. This small city is hometo two colleges, prestigious Cornell University, and the more modern IthacaCollege. My brother attends Ithaca College, where I was destined to spend thenext couple of nights.

The purpose of this trip was not only to see andhang out with him, but also to get a closer look at campus life. So far, all Ihad seen during college visits were the same boring tours that revealed the sameboring information, and not once did I feel I was really informed about collegelife.

So, with my brother, I took a real tour, seeing parts of the campusthat did not bore me and hearing stories that sounded true. After the tour, lunchand dinner, I finally witnessed my first taste of college life that no admissionsofficer or cocky tour guide could tell me about. The night was a blast and beforeI knew it, I was on my way home.

During the long car ride I thoughtabout what I had just experienced: real college students in a real collegeatmosphere. I finally realized that all the tours and information sessions in theworld could not help me decide if I would like or dislike a college because theyall sound the same. The best way to find if you interact well with a college isto visit and get involved with activities, which I was fortunate enough to do atIthaca.



Editor's Note: Your brother probably doesn't attend thecollege you're interested in, so call the admissions office to arrange anovernight stay with a student host. You'll learn a lot!


Reviewed in 2001