For juniors and seniors, college is right around the corner and many people probably don’t have a list of colleges they want to go to, what scholarships they’re applying for, or possibly don’t even know what they need to know or do before applying for colleges! So in short amount of time how are they going to find all this out?
St. Mary’s County Public Schools in collaboration with Calvert County Public Schools, St. Mary’s Ryken High School, the College of Southern Maryland, and the St. Mary’s County Libraries put on a college fair to help students find out about many colleges that have been popular with students in this area in the past. The college fair is an annual event where over 100 colleges, universities and other non-traditional schools gather and set up tables where representatives from the school are present and willing to answer any questions students might have about their school as well as give them informational packets about the school. The college fair will was held on Tuesday, September 16th this year at the Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department. Students were able to visit during the school day but there was also a time during the evening from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm so that students could come back with their parents!
Why is the college fair so great though? According to our school’s career center advisor, Ms. Haverkamp, “the college fair is good for students who don’t know where they want to go to college yet and it gives them a chance to learn more about individual schools that may be what they’re looking for.” The college fair helps not only students who don’t know what exactly they want but also juniors and seniors looking to make contacts at the school they know they want to go to. Many schools send admissions counselors, giving students to have very specific questions about things such as the admissions process at that school. If you haven’t already, the college fair is a great way to begin preparing for college!
Once you’ve found the school you want to go to, how do you plan on funding your education? Well, the college fair also offers a packet full of scholarships offered nationally, state-wide, as well as locally. “Students and their parents finally have the opportunity to have a serious conversation about college and how they are paying for it,” says Mrs. Haverkamp. This event gives both students and parents a chance to really look into a school and its specific costs.
Does all of this really help though? According to senior NHS member, Tysonia Gorrick the college fair “was a great way to come and talk to schools and learn more about their specific school and what I needed to do to apply and potentially get in”. The college fair is a helpful resource for students and if you happened to miss it this year make sure, juniors and sophomores, that you plan on attending next year’s event! If anyone has any questions about scholarship or other college information please see Ms. Toombs in the Career Center or your specific guidance counselor.
