Springtime brings sunny afternoons, wishful thoughts of summer break and for Palo Alto High School’s incoming senior class, the approaching decisions to be made for college applications — starting with which universities to apply to.
In addition to researching online, many students like Paly senior Annie Xiong find that visiting in person is essential to determine if a college’s culture, location and campus life is right for them.
“I think the vibe of both the college and the city is something you can only really know once you’re there,” Xiong said. “Before going, you can really only hear other people’s opinions, but you have to see for yourself if you like the atmosphere. For me, [when I visited] I was able to imagine myself spending the next four years there.”
To make the search easier, this stop-by-stop blueprint maps out nine colleges across California in good distance for a road trip. With a mix of state and private schools, these colleges are among the most popular schools Paly students apply to, according to Maialearning. Before touring each stop, we suggest learning a bit about the schools online. Be sure to talk to current students and hear unfiltered perspectives on their college experiences. Most importantly, visualize your future in that environment and prepare to build your college list!
UC Berkeley
East of San Francisco, our journey starts at the original University of California campus, UC Berkeley. Statue Sturdy the Bear is one of UC Berkeley’s 23 bear installations representing the school’s mascot, the Golden Bears, across campus.
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo offers a career-focused cooperative education, where students can take semesters off for real work experience. The vast campus features scenic hills such as the one the looking point and initial “P” is built on.
UC Santa Barbara
Continuing down the coast, the next stop is the beautiful and bike-friendly UC Santa Barbara. Right up against the Pacific Ocean, UCSB is complete with sunny beaches and its very own college town, Isla Vista.
Loyola Marymount University
Our first school in Los Angeles County, Loyola Marymount University is a private Catholic university that stands atop a bluff overlooking the city. In close proximity to the Hollywood film and entertainment industry, LMU boasts a stand out film program.
UCLA
Walking across the bustling greens of UCLA, you might encounter students tossing around frisbees and volleyballs, and certainly the distinctive twin towers of Royce Hall. In 2025, UCLA was Paly students’ most applied-to college, attracting 214 applications, according to Maialearning.
USC
Moving on to Downtown LA: USC’s campus features sprawling red-brick buildings and the beloved Tommy Trojan, a lifesize bronze statue with its dedicated Tommy Cam live feed you could appear on!
Pomona College
Thirty miles east of the buzz lies the smallest college of this road trip: Pomona College. The liberal arts school is the oldest of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of seven interconnected institutions. Take a stroll from campus to campus, and find out if the close-knit college town environment is for you.
UC Irvine
The heart of UC Irvine is Aldrich Park, a massive, circular botanical garden at the center of campus. Be sure to lay under the colossal fig tree, where many students seek shade while studying.
UC San Diego
After 500 miles of college exploration, our excursion concludes in sunny La Jolla, where students at UC San Diego bask. While touring the grand Geisel Library, start thinking about what qualities of these nine colleges appealed to you most, and perhaps your plan to get back home!
Additional reporting by Keira Ling