Touring 'The Mecca' With Michelle Obama

Obama and Bow Wow join Howard University college tour.

Escape to The Mecca - First Lady Michelle Obama and BET's host of 106 and Park Bow Wow joined a group of juniors and seniors from Chicago public high schools for the first day of a four-day tour of Howard University or, as the annual trip is known, "Escape to the Mecca." In addition to making their way around the campus, they also participated in a town hall style meeting. "How you approach your education is really still within your hands," she said, urging the students to aim high. –  Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

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Escape to The Mecca - First Lady Michelle Obama and BET's host of 106 and Park Bow Wow joined a group of juniors and seniors from Chicago public high schools for the first day of a four-day tour of Howard University or, as the annual trip is known, "Escape to the Mecca." In addition to making their way around the campus, they also participated in a town hall style meeting. "How you approach your education is really still within your hands," she said, urging the students to aim high. –  Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Soak It All In - When the first lady applied for colleges, all she had was brochures to get a sense of the different campuses. "So the fact that you guys have this opportunity to spend a weekend on a college campus and get a feel for what this experience is going to be like is really a tremendous opportunity that I hope you all take advantage of," she told the kids.  (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters/Landov)

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Soak It All In - When the first lady applied for colleges, all she had was brochures to get a sense of the different campuses. "So the fact that you guys have this opportunity to spend a weekend on a college campus and get a feel for what this experience is going to be like is really a tremendous opportunity that I hope you all take advantage of," she told the kids.  (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters/Landov)

A Lifetime Commitment - The first lady's visit to Howard is part of her higher education initiative to help achieve President Obama's goal to, by 2020, make America the country that produces the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. "One of the things that Barack and I are focusing on and will be focusing on for the rest of our lives, quite frankly, is making sure that young people understand the importance of an education," Obama told the students. "And that means education beyond high school." (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Landov)

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A Lifetime Commitment - The first lady's visit to Howard is part of her higher education initiative to help achieve President Obama's goal to, by 2020, make America the country that produces the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. "One of the things that Barack and I are focusing on and will be focusing on for the rest of our lives, quite frankly, is making sure that young people understand the importance of an education," Obama told the students. "And that means education beyond high school." (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Landov)

Take a Good  Look - "This isn't bad," the first lady said of a dormitory room, encouraging the students to have a good look around. "You might be living here," she said. "I'm just visiting." (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters)

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Take a Good  Look - "This isn't bad," the first lady said of a dormitory room, encouraging the students to have a good look around. "You might be living here," she said. "I'm just visiting." (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters)

This Could Be You - According to Howard officials, 23 of the students in the group have been accepted to the university. Thirteen of them have been awarded full scholarships. (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

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This Could Be You - According to Howard officials, 23 of the students in the group have been accepted to the university. Thirteen of them have been awarded full scholarships. (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

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OMG - Unable to withhold their excitement, a group of students called to the first lady through open dorm windows. "Hi Michelle!" cried female students from around the quad. "We love you!" (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters/Landov)

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OMG - Unable to withhold their excitement, a group of students called to the first lady through open dorm windows. "Hi Michelle!" cried female students from around the quad. "We love you!" (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters/Landov)

Represent! - Responding to the girls calling her name, the first lady waved and threw up "the quad" hand signal that symbolizes the quadrangle area outside the freshman girls' dorms. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters/Landov)

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Represent! - Responding to the girls calling her name, the first lady waved and threw up "the quad" hand signal that symbolizes the quadrangle area outside the freshman girls' dorms. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/reuters/Landov)

Don't Be Afraid - During a town hall meeting, Obama explained to the students why sharing their college tour experience was so important to her. "This transition for some of you may be a little bit scary. It may be unknown. It was that way for me when I was growing up," she said.  (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)

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Don't Be Afraid - During a town hall meeting, Obama explained to the students why sharing their college tour experience was so important to her. "This transition for some of you may be a little bit scary. It may be unknown. It was that way for me when I was growing up," she said.  (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)

Now, Let's Talk - "Feel free to ask anything," the first lady told the Chicago students during their town hall meeting. "We'll get real candid. And then when the press leaves, we'll really get candid." (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

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Now, Let's Talk - "Feel free to ask anything," the first lady told the Chicago students during their town hall meeting. "We'll get real candid. And then when the press leaves, we'll really get candid." (Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)