David Kroll

Dear mom and dad,

I really think you should put me in a box and ship me to SMU. Not express shipping though, in a UPS truck. I really liked the school and the atmosphere of the place. The buildings and architecture is very pretty and they have a competent sports program. The tour guide, Nick, was awesome and he succeeded in making me want to go there. It’s closer to home than the other places I was considering too, so that works in your favor. I think if you mail me you won’t be disappointed. At all.

Love, 

David

Theo Nguyen

This week we were given the opportunity to be able to tour some colleges and learn more about them. Of the seven schools we visited, I enjoyed seeing The University of Texas the most. I really liked the university because of the many different schools it had to offer. An example of one school I preferred was the McCombs School of Business, which is the highest ranked business school in the state. Not only were the schools and programs outstanding, but also the campus and the diversity Austin has to offer. UT also has all of the resources in order for one to be successful in his or her career. 

Brooke Finkelman

I had a great time on the Texas college tour. I loved touring Houston Baptist University, Texas State, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, Southwestern University, University of Texas, and Texas A&M. I enjoyed all of the colleges listed but one of my favorites is definitely TCU. I really like TCU for many different reasons. Such as their beautiful campus, the location, and the size. I also like it because of their many academic programs and the wide range of majors they offer. TCU would be a great fit for me because I am interested in business and communication and they offer great schools for both of these subjects. 

Jake Blackmon

During the Texas College Tour, we toured many great schools. One of my favorite colleges that we toured was SMU. They had a great campus and really nice people like our tour guide, Nick. They also have a 12 to 1 student- faculty ratio and offer many different opportunities for scholarships. Some more awesome things about SMU that I learned while I was there was that they have a Learning Enhancement Center which offers free tutoring whenever needed and another thing is that students can get into all sporting events for free. The tour was great and the entire trip went surprisingly well, this trip will really help me out when it comes time to apply for schools.

Mickey Bunnell

This week I was privileged by going on the Texas College Tour. We saw 7 great schools this week. Every college was different and great in its own ways.

A couple of colleges we visited that stood out to me were SMU and TCU. SMU was a great school. SMU had a large and scenic campus. One of SMU’s rivals is TCU, another great school. TCU was a mid-sized college which offered many great things like the experience of learning in small classes and also very large classes. TCU and SMU offer close relationships with teachers and students allowing for a better learning experience. Overall the college tour was fun educational and eye opening. 

Emily Evans

I was extremely impressed by our tour at SMU on Wednesday. I immediately fell in love with everything we saw such as the trees cascading the Boulevard. Everything about the campus was beautiful. I also loved the The Meadows School of Fine Arts. I enjoyed Southern Methodist University the most out of all seven colleges we have toured this week. I absolutely fell in love with SMU and it's spirit. The people who are attending SMU currently seem very friendly and also seem to love everything SMU. I'm hoping to apply to SMU one day with Alli Motley. I'm really glad we got the opportunity to tour SMU and take the time to see everything about it!

Caleb Russo

Dear Mrs. Touchstone,

In high school, students build, learn, and prepare for college. They learn about them and see which college will fit best and prepare them for their lives after school. On our college tour we visited HBU, Texas State, UT, A&M, TCU, SMU, and Southwestern university. Of these colleges Texas A&M was the top on my list.

My family has a very long history with Texas A&M University, every member on my fathers side has gone to this university and are the nicest people I have ever met. When I stepped on the campus I instantly felt like I should be there, it was clean and orderly unlike some of the colleges I visited. The college has a quality about them that is shown the second your on campus that some people just aren’t used to, they are very kind and happy towards everyone, they’re traditions have built a strong foundation for their university. Their sports program is building and becoming more profound and that is something I really look forward to when I see a college. Texas A&M offers some of the best education in the country and also in the subject i want to major in, so I know that I will be set with the tools I need to receive a great job. And lastly their extra activities, the campus has so many fun things to do, like even in the summer they have what is called MT. Aggie, which is a artificial mountain with snow!

Texas A&M is the college of my dreams because they provide you with the great education and moral ethics that my parents try to teach me every single day. This is my favorite and number one college of choice.

Sincerely,

Caleb Russo

David Kreston

The favorite college that we visited on the Texas College Tour had to be Texas Christian University. Not only did it have a lovely campus, but the Neeley School of Business was also very appealing to me. Although there were other college campus’s that stuck out TCU was by far my favorite. The school spirit at Texas Christian seemed like a school that took much pride in everything that they did. The Greek System at TCU has a very good reputation and being part of a fraternity is something that greatly appeals to me as a college student. I believe that TCU would be the right fit for me.

Alli Motley

I was really impressed by Southern Methodist University. The campus was beautiful and i loved the over all atmosphere of the school. One of the things that impressed me the most was The Meadows School of Arts. I want to major in Musical Theater and after learning about this school I can see myself attending this college. They had a great recreational center for working out with your friends, which contained a few great pools. At the recreational center they offer very fun classes such as Yoga, Pilates, Ball room dancing, and more. They also had gorgeous Greek houses on Fraternity Roe, which houses some of the national fraternities and sororities. I loved the tour guide, Nick, he made learning about the University so much more fun, he was a Theater Major. The small University feel is what I was looking for in a college and the University definitely fulfilled that. The boulevard was beautiful and would be a great sight to look at everyday. I can see myself attending SMU. And hopefully me and my friend Emily Evans will attend and room together there In two and a half years from now. 

Victoria Arellano

I really enjoyed going on Texas College Tour this year. I had never visited any of the campuses with the exception of UT before, so this helped me make a decision as to what school I would really want to go to. Visiting campuses as well as seeing the rates, programs, and scholarships they offered put a better perspective into i’d like to study when going to college. I thought it was a great time spent and i would recommend anyone who hasn’t had the chance to go, to sign up for this trip. I’m very happy I had the opportunity to attend.

Noble Pack

During the last few days our group has visited seven colleges in Texas. We toured Texas State University, The University of Texas, Houston Baptist University, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, Southwestern University, and Texas A&M. There was something different and unique about each campus. After touring all of the wonderful campuses, I found out that I want to go to a larger populated school. A larger school seems to provide more opportunity to meet other students with my same interests. One of the schools that fit this criteria is Southern Methodist University. In fact it was my favorite college to tour on our trip. My first impression of SMU was their animated tour guide, and that showed me the variety of people that SMU has. I can see myself living and studying on that campus. GO MUSTANGS!!!

Hunter Northcutt

On Texas college tour we visited many colleges, toured the campuses, and were provided with information over all aspects of the universities. One of these universities we visited was the University of Texas in Austin.  Austin is a very interesting city full of great restaurants and many fun entertainment places. At Texas student enrollment is approximately 50,000 students. There are over 1,000 student organizations including a recently added organization of Quidditch, the Harry Potter game.  The college included seven museums and seventeen libraries.  The student to faculty ratio at Texas is 18:1.  61% of the courses have 30 students or less in the classes.  There are about 24,000 faculty and staff members.  Also the school is a D1 college that provides many sports with great coaching staffs.  The university is full of spirit and is a great college…so go to the University of Texas in Austin!

Miranda Girouard

During Texas College Tour we were taken to several colleges and were able to tour the campuses and sit down with administration counselors to give us information about that specific college. The college that interested me the most was Texas Christian University. When we toured the college I realized I loved the setup of the classes and housing. It is an easy access college in the sense of getting from one class to another. TCU was founded in 1873. Their mascot is the Horned Frog. The estimated annual cost to attend TCU including tuition, room and board, books and fees, is $41,000. They have an enrollment of 9,142. They have 7,853 undergraduates. Texas Christian University was a great college that I see myself attending in the future. 

Emily Horner

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week for Texas College Tour we visited Houston Baptist University, Texas State University, The University of Texas, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, Southwestern University, and Texas A&M University.  All of the schools were very different from one another and all had something great to offer. I am glad I got the opportunity to see all of these different schools.

My favorite of all the colleges was Texas Christian University. I love the size of the campus, big enough but also not huge so that it’s easy to find ones way around the campus. I am also impressed with the city of Fort Worth because there is a lot to do. There is a lot to do not only in the city, but also the campus offers a lot of fun activities for students such as movies on Friday nights and concerts one a year. TCU offers great communications and business programs. The size of the classrooms also interests me because I feel you can get a better education with smaller classes. Texas Christian University has a very bright and comfortable campus, and it would be great to go to school with my older brother.

Overall, I was completely impressed with everything about the school. Texas Christian University would provide me with the education I need to start a future. 


Love, Emily Horner

Imran Kheraj

My name is Imran Kheraj, and I had the privilege of going to the Texas College Tour with many friends from my class. Firstly, I have to thank my teachers and staff who went with us, and congratulate them for taking good care of us. My favorite college that our group visited was definitely SMU, due to the large campus and the friendly atmosphere of the place. The opportunities for studying abroad are so large, including Cairo, China, London, Mexico, and many more! The engineering program is amazing, allowing some to get a part time job with great pay along with learning as part of the educational system. The school is varsity division one with a large selection of sports as well. There are two large weight rooms and a giant rock climbing structure. I would love to attend SMU, in order to get a high level education and learn more about the world and how to be successful.           

Lauren Whitaker

This past week we have traveled around Texas touring different colleges, representing Second Baptist, and seeing what these facilities of higher learning have to offer as far as further educating us for what we want to do in life. Of the many schools we visited one that stood out to me happened to be The University of Texas.

This university has many outstanding colleges that seem to not only contain the tools I need for what I think want to do at the moment but it also provides endless opportunities in other fields in case I decide to change my path fifteen times in the future.  UT offers not only amazing learning and education opportunities but also endless amounts of extra circulars to be involved in such as Greek life, intramural sports, along with other clubs and organizations; but if you can't find a club for you on campus then you are more than welcome to start your own.

The University of Texas opens many doors for you in your field and prepares you with the tools you need to succeed in whatever you do while also giving you the ultimate college experience. I am so glad I had the privilege to be a part of the Texas college tour and get the experience of touring all of these excellent colleges with my friends and faculty at Second Baptist School.

Laura Durie

Over this past week on the Texas College Tour, we have visited Houston Baptist University, Texas State University, The University of Texas, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, Southwestern University, and Texas A&M University. All of the schools we visited are outstanding and interesting in their own unique ways. It was exciting to see schools that are different in so many ways and imagining life at each of them.

The University of Texas was particularly outstanding to me for a multitude of reasons. The campus is widely spread and is very nice and wooded and I know I would get a lot of exercise walking to my classes every day. As it is located in Austin, Texas, it has many different types of people and it would be easy to find a group of people to fit in with. The University of Texas offers many study abroad and language study opportunities and this fits me well because of my interest in other cultures. The university spends approximately $500 million each year on research funds, which allows great resources in student studies. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and this makes for great relationships between students and professors.

Overall, I was very impressed with the tour of the UT campus and I hope to one day have the opportunity to apply there. Hook'em!

Aggie Yell

Aggieland

Aggie Spirit!

Inside Old Main

Old Main

Some Hoosiers crashed our tour for a moment!

A&M

By the seal at Southwestern

Day 4:Thursday, March 10, 2011

We ended Texas College Tour #1 today with Southwestern University and Texas A&M.  Our students enjoyed touring Southwestern University’s beautiful campus. It was a great opportunity for them to learn about the small liberal arts college experience and to see the difference between this type of school and the larger ones we toured.

We left Southwestern for Texas A&M and ate pizza on the bus as we rode. We arrived in Aggieland, and toured the campus with our delightful guide. She talked about the top-ranked academic offerings at A&M such as the business, medicine and veterinary programs. She also told us about the ROTC, Aggie traditions, and she even did an Aggie yell for us on Kyle field. Then our students went to the original Freebird’s and the bookstore before they hopped back on the bus for home.

Overall, I think the trip was a success. Our SBS students were so kind respectful, and most of the representatives we encountered were surprised they were sophomores because they looked so put together. It was a pleasure to chaperon this trip, and I hope the kids had as much fun as we did! 

Silly...

At the Salt Lick

Hornfrogs!

By the University seal

More TCU

TCU

Go Mustangs!

Dedman College

Bob Hope Theatre

SMU's beautiful campus

Don't worry, he did't fall down the stairs.

Pony Pool

I told you our guide was animated!

SMU Mustangs

Day 3: Wednesday, March 9, 2011

We woke up early today and left for SMU where our energetic guide entertained and informed, as we toured the scenic home of the Mustangs. When the tour ended, we stopped by the University Bookstore to purchase Pony supplies. Even though it was a bit chilly and windy, the students said they really enjoyed their morning at SMU.

After SMU, We ate a boxed lunch from Jason’s Deli on our way to Fort Worth.  We arrived at TCU’s new admissions building to start our tour. Our guide showed us the campus, and took us into several buildings, including the library and the honors facilities. The students liked the interesting story behind the foundation of TCU’s library. We were also impressed by the Neeley School of Business entrepreneurial program. The campus was well kept, lovely, and obviously growing, and our information session with Mike Marshall answered many more questions about the University.

Then we set out for dinner in Round Rock where we ate delicious barbecue at the Salt Lick.  After dinner we went to our hotel, and the students played at the pool and hung out in the lobby until it was time for bed.

We are looking forward to a great day tomorrow at Southwestern University and Texas A&M!

The Tower

In the trophy hall

At the stadium

Future college ladies

Bevo!

Most of them are UT fans... 

Burgers and fries at Dirty Martin's

Texas State group shot

Bobcats!

Texas State

Library at Texas State

Touring Texas State

Day 2: Tuesday, March 8, 2011

We had a great second day touring in San Marcos and Austin. After breakfast we set off to hike the hills of Texas State's campus. We took in the incredible views, as we learned about the University, which happens to be Lyndon B. Johnson's alma mater. 

After the tour, we left for Austin and ate lunch at a couple of restaurants frequented by UT students, Torchy's Taco's and Dirty Martin's Burgers.

Upon arrival at UT, our tour guide (also the founder of UT’s prestigious Quidditch team) led us through the campus. We discussed everything from housing, to business, to athletics, to architecture, and albino squirrels. Then, we shopped at the University Co-op, so the students could buy some Texas gear.

We had a relaxing dinner on our way to Dallas at Chili’s in Temple, Texas. We arrived at our hotel pretty late, so we found our rooms and crashed soon after. 

Dance Dance Revolution

They raced after Coach Brooks

They still look cool even in this blurry photo from my phone!

Hello down there

Climbing together

And he races motorcycles!

Coach Brooks can skateboard too!
(Sorry if the photos from the rest of this night are blurry.
I took them from my phone because my camera battery died)

Being silly in the go cart line

Coach Brooks likes video games too!

Go cart fun

Ready to race!

Lovely SBS Alumnae

Inside the Hula Hut

Enjoying the deck at the Hula Hut

Hula Hut Ladies

HBU campus tour