College and Career Center counselor Joan Batcheller and 2 private college counselors took students to visit UC Davis to explore the college’s programs, classes, and student life on April 8.

According to Batcheller, the close proximity of UC Davis makes it a favorite college to visit for both those that have been accepted was well as those still browsing prospective campuses. “It is geographically within a bus trip distance. A lot of the seniors applied to UC Davis, and the ones that were accepted are coming on the trip. The underclassman get exposure to a UC campus,” she said.

Batcheller said that the participants met with UC Davis admissions counselors. “The kids got to understand what a large campus looks like, along with what the dorm food tastes like,” she said.

Junior Harry Finnerty wanted to develop a better understanding of the school. “I wanted to learn more about the campus, and what it had to offer for students,” he said.

“I want to go into an environmental themed major. They [UC Davis] are the best for a university of agriculture and environment,” Finnerty added.

Senior Tiger Garcia, who is signed to play football for the Aggies, wanted to confirm that the campus was right for him. “I just wanted to be sure about my decision. I really liked the social aspect of the school. The sports programs are great, and the coaches are really nice,” he said.

Garcia is excited about playing football in college and appreciates the demeanor of his future coach. “The football coach was great. I felt like we were buds. He is a fun-loving guy,” he said.

Finnerty was impressed. “I really like it [UC Davis]. It was much bigger, and it was different that I thought it was going to be. A lot of other campuses have a lot of concrete buildings, but UC Davis had a lot of greenery on its campus,” he said.

Garcia also noted the positives of attending UC Davis. “Overall, I was looking for a great education. It saves a lot of travel expenses. It is a college town,” he said.

“It is close to home, but it far enough away so I could gain some independence,” Finnerty added.

Batcheller said that she will plan field trips that visit different colleges in the future. “We went to Santa Clara [earlier this year]. Next year, we might visit more safety schools, such as San Francisco State and Berkeley City College,” she said.