Ivy League Tour 2024

A seven day tour of some of the world's most prestigious universities and unique sights!

In June of 2024, forty-seven NSHSS members visited nine of the world's most sought-after educational institutions on our seven-day Ivy League University tour. We visited Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brown University, Yale University, Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University!

In addition to these university visits, we explored some amazing historical and tourist attractions in the fantastic East Coast cities we visited. Due to interest, this year we extended our time for sightseeing in New York City! We kicked the tour off by exploring downtown Boston with its many historical landmarks. We also got a peek of Salem. MA before we got rained out! Other highlights include Central Park, a Broadway show, a visit to the Twin Towers Memorial and Times Square, Independence Hall, and the National Mall! We saw and learned so much, all while forming amazing, lasting friendships full of laughter and fun!

Please take a look below to see a more in-depth recap of the trip and all the fun we had! We have another tour coming up this July to keep an eye out for an updated recap. Consider joining us for our next tour and be sure to sign up this fall to get an early enrollment discount before 2025!

June 23-29, 2024 and July 21-27, 2024
Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, & Washington D.C.
Independence Hall_2024

Testimonials from 2024 tour attendees

Darien R.
2024 Tour Attendee

"This tour was amazing. The people in charge were great. The members were fun and amazing. Seeing and learning about the East Coast was fun. 10/10 trip"

Maria H.
2024 Tour Attendee

"If your child is interested in attending the Ivy League tour, I highly recommend the experience of touring with NSHSS and EF. I am so glad that I was able to experience each campus and bond with my teen. This tour was priceless and will be part of a new tradition for our family."

Nevaeh L.
2024 Tour Attendee

"If you are anxious about your future and scared to branch out I very much recommend this trip. Not only to branch out but also to explore and experience the world for you and you only. I was terrified for this trip and now I wish I could go back and live it over and over again. You will NOT regret going on this trip. It is truly an amazing experience."

Hannah N.
2024 Tour Attendee

"This trip was so fun! I learned so much and got to meet new people and form relationships that I hope will stay with me forever. I made so many memories just exploring cities with other teens my age and learning about colleges and other people’s lives."

Aidan J.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Overall this tour was great and really made my personal aspirations more clear. Because of the tour, I realize now that I have to work hard, harder than I already have been to be a part of a community as prestigious as the schools we visited. This tour also helped me realize that getting into these schools was not impossible. I also made a lot of great friends, which is also good!"

Kristina B.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Amazing experience! Our guides Steve, Camilla, and Alexis were very friendly, knowledgeable, and energetic. They connected with the kids, offered great advice, and provided sufficient information and reminders each step of the way. Each and every campus is beautiful and visiting in person and speaking to current students gave us a good feeling about whether or not the school was a good fit. Highly recommend this tour if you’re considering Ivy League!"

Bennett A.
2024 Tour Attendee

"It was extremely fun getting to know new people and also learning about new colleges!"

Merrick W.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Before coming on this tour, I wasn’t really considering an Ivy League school. Now, after visiting the big ones, I think I’ll apply to Yale and Georgetown."

Daniel C.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Everyone was nothing kind to me. I met incredible people from around the world, found exciting college opportunities, and had a lot of fun! Our tour leaders were enthusiastic, fair with rules, and overall just excellent at their job. Thank you all!"

Emma S.
2024 Tour Attendee

"This tour helped introduce me to the Ivy League and taught me what it has to offer. This experience was not only educational, but enjoyable as well. I got to meet many new people of all backgrounds and made great friends I hope to keep for a long time."

Nicole O.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Thank you for an amazing experience which was planned to explore, educate, and obtain knowledge of future educational endeavors!"

Isabella W.
2024 Tour Attendee

"I really loved this tour!!! I really recommend this to others students who are confused about which college to go to, or college in general. I was completely confused about my track towards college and this helped a lot! I think every NSHSS member should experience this tour, It’s one for the books!"

Andrew S.
2024 Tour Attendee

"Everyone was a true delight, and I felt like I learned a great deal about several universities I would have never have been able to visit before. I would absolutely recommend this to other students."

The results are in

The favorite sightseeing spot / activity on the June tour was:

"Back to the Future" and Tony Award-winning "The Outsiders" on Broadway!

 

Their favorite meal was:

Philly's Gourmet Steaks with John's Pizzeria in NYC in second place!

 

And finally, we asked attendees what their top choice of school would be:

Brown University was the top choice with Johns Hopkins University coming in a close second!

See more on Instagram

For an inside look at everything travelers experienced during the June 2024 Ivy League Tour, check out the Ivy Tour Highlights on the NSHSS Instagram on your mobile device!

Itinerary Recap

  • Met NSHSS and EF Tour staff at Boston Logan International Airport


  • Guided sightseeing in Boston

    A local guide introduced us to Boston's most historical sites.

  • Dinner and hotel check-in in Boston

  • Breakfast in Boston
  • Harvard University campus visit

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus visit
  • Dinner in Boston
  • Salem, MA sightseeing

    we visited Salem, MA home of the historic Salem Witch Trials.

  • Return to hotel

  • Breakfast in Boston
  • Transfer to Providence, RI
    Brown University campus visit

  • Transfer to New Haven, CT
    Yale University campus visit

  • Transfer to New Jersey 
    Dinner in Connecticut

    It was a long drive from Yale to our next hotel, so we made a pit stop along the way in Stamford, CT, where the tour director distributed money, and tour participants selected an eatery of their choosing

  • Hotel check-in in New Jersey

  • Breakfast in New Jersey
  • Transfer to New York, NY
    Columbia University campus visit

  • Round-trip Metro pass

    We hopped on the subway for an unforgettable ride underneath Manhattan.

  • New York City sightseeing
  • Dinner in Times Square in New York City
  • Broadway show

    Our June group got the chance to see the Tony award-winning musical "The Outsiders"!

  • Return to hotel

  • Breakfast in New Jersey
  • Transfer to Princeton, NJ
    Princeton University campus visit

  • Transfer to Philadelphia, PA
    University of Pennsylvania campus visit

  • Dinner in Philadelphia
  • Sightseeing in Philadelphia

    Our tour director introduced us to some of Philadelphia's historical sites, like Independence Hall and Ben Franklin's homestead.

  • Transfer to Baltimore, MD
    Hotel check-in in Baltimore

  • Breakfast in Baltimore
  • Johns Hopkins University campus visit
  • Transfer to Washington, D.C.
    Georgetown University campus visit

  • Guided sightseeing in Washington D.C.

    We experienced the magic of seeing Washington's more impressive sights illuminated during our evening scenic tour downtown!

  • Dinner and hotel check-in in Washington D.C.

Depart for home from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Tours staff provided transportation to the airport. 

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