POTSDAM, N.Y. -- This weekend SUNY Potsdam transforms from a university to a camp as 100 high school students come to experience college life.

The transformation is part of a state program called Camp College.

Camp college offers high school students a taste of what their life as a college student will be like.

"The classes, the class size, the professors, learning about people's different personalities," said Jordan Booker, Camp College Student.
"Just to get a feel for the dorms and just the college life," said Anglise Tearney, a Camp College Student.

The program is geared toward students who need help planning for their future.

"I'm going into my senior year of high school and I need to start narrowing down where I'm going to college," said student Jordan Booker.

The students have some help. Camp College mentors are with them the whole weekend to answer questions and offer guidance.

"The mentors at Camp College are college professionals, admissions counselors, guidance counselors. People who are pretty familiar with the admissions process," said Jordan Booker, SUNY Potsdam Admissions Counselor.

And the mentors are looking forward to connecting with the students.

"It gives us a chance to really mentor them, make a difference and build that connection so they have someone to go to," said Jessica Caldwell, Camp Mentor. "This allows me to share my experiences with them and give them information I can impart to them about the college search process," said camp mentor Lisa Thompson.

The program isn't just about what the students experience during the weekend. It's also about what they take home with them when they leave camp.

"I hope they realize they can achieve their dreams and college is possible," said Caldwell. "They have the ability to initiate and to ask questions and to be inquisitive and hopefully they'll leave with that sense," said Thompson.

Camp College runs through Sunday and concludes with a program where students perform skits based on everything they've learned at camp.