SAYA Youth Visit 5 Colleges in the Boston Area

From August 6-8th, SAYA youth visited five colleges in the Boston area: Boston University, Northeastern University, SUNY Purchase, Tufts University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston. Youth took tours of each campus, and learned about the offerings at each. This trip provided them the chance to visit schools they may otherwise not have been able to explore in person. Below are some highlights from their visit:

By Byron, 12th Grade
Boston University (BU) is a large campus located by the water, with roughly 16,000 students. The campus has a lot of open spaces where you can relax. Local landmarks include a rock that has been painted over several times by sororities and fraternities. We got to explore the various buildings that house different programs, including business and engineering. We learned how each program completes special projects, like the engineers who created a wristband to help study Parkinson's.

The college was also very lively with plenty of things to do. The gym included a lazy river and a hot tub, as well as a two story rock climbing wall. If physical activities aren't your thing, the food court might interest you more, with events like lobster night. We also got to explore one of the dorms. They were much larger than most college dorms - in fact BU has the second largest dorms in the U.S. Overall this college was a fun to explore, and I'm glad that we got to visit it.

By Puspita, 11th Grade
Northeastern’s campus was amazing! There were so many trees, art on the walls, and the architecture of the dorms was beautiful. Our tour guide was very informative and nice, and shared about her time working in Co-op. The Co-op program really interested me, and if I attend I would really like to do it. It’s unique to Northeastern, and provides students with a six month opportunity to gain experience in the workforce while getting paid! It’s a great way to figure out what jobs are right for you, and to make connections for life. I also liked the many opportunities available at Northeastern, such as studying abroad and choosing what field you want to do research in. I like the different types of clubs and sports you can join (and create!), and I’m happy to know that the academic advisors are helpful to students and care for them, which can be hard to find in college. The school’s diversity center was also very notable. As a person of color, I’m happy to know that there are safe spaces available where I can go to talk about problems, such as dealing with mental health and taking action to prevent racism.

By Sunjana, 12th Grade
SUNY Purchase is a small campus, with about 4,000 students. There is nature everywhere. They are a liberal arts college, so the school had a museum and a performing arts building, but they also have a lot of science labs.  Because it is a small school, students are likely to be close with their professors and each other.

By Hamad, 11th Grade
Tufts University’s location was amazing. The campus was on top of a large hill, which meant there was a lot of going up and down stairs. I enjoyed getting so much exercise, but with Massachusetts’ harsh winters all that walking might be hard.

The academics at Tufts University were great. They are known for their STEM programming in engineering, and offer students a lot of research opportunities. Aside from STEM, their liberal arts programming is great, and they are  known for their wonderful foreign relations program. Going to another country for a whole year would be so educational, and would provide self growth.

By Sam, 11th Grade
The University of Massachusetts Boston has one of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. The view is breathtaking, but that wasn’t the only reason I loved this place. As someone who is interested in the field of Biology, the amount of labs this university has makes me excited and eager to attend. The size of the classes fits my learning style, and materials such as lectures given by professors are pre-recorded and posted online.