Susquehannock will host its 8th annual college fair on Thursday, March 27, 2014 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
Representatives from 48 institutions are currently in attendance, and the complete list can be found on the Susquehannock college fair flyer. By meeting with several representatives, students can become more knowledgeable about their options after high school.
Besides becoming more aware about potential colleges, students who are juniors or are taking career seminar can also complete a field experience, or post-secondary visit, required for their graduation project by meeting with a minimum of two different college representatives. Meeting with another two will count as another field experience or visit.
Prior to the fair, the high school guidance department will also walk students and parents through the process of applying to college with “The College Admissions Process” seminar from 6:00-6:30 p.m.
Guidance counselor Ruth Lawrence, who will be a part of the seminar, recognizes the benefits of the seminar for students at different stages in the college application process.
“Those who are new to the process will become familiarized with the terminology and the multiple steps that need to be taken to submit a college application,” said Lawrence. “For those who are further along, it reinforces what they’re doing and gives them a refresher for what their next steps are.”
Lawrence encourages students and parents to attend the fair afterwards as they thought about the future.
“Being able to do a side-by-side comparison of schools is good for those that are further along in the college selection process,” said Lawrence. “For those who are new to the process, they get to see a wide variety of post-secondary programs, and perhaps are able to narrow their choices.”
Senior Melissa Keuler, who attended a college fair in the past, benefited from the opportunity to explore what multiple schools had to offer.
“I learned what kind of college I wanted to go to,” said Keuler. “They tell you a lot of basic facts about it, such as how much it costs, where their campuses are, and what majors are offered. It gives you a good idea of what kind of schools you like, and then you can visit the campuses of those, but it’s a way to see what options are out there.”
Getting a general idea of potential colleges will also likely reduce the pressure felt by those just starting the process and solidify the decisions of those further along. Sophomore Camryn Burk, who does not have any specific colleges in mind yet, is looking forward to the opportunity to focus her future plans.
“I have heard that college fairs are very helpful,” said Burk. “I hope to find a college that has my interests and will lead to a good career.”
Lawrence, who estimated that between 200-300 people have attended in each of the past fairs, has enjoyed watching students become more confident in their future.
“[I look forward to] seeing parents and students discover schools and programs they hadn’t considered before,” said Lawrence. “For some students who haven’t had an idea of what they want to do, it helps to focus them. I look forward to seeing what they’ve learned from it, how they’ve reacted to it, and how that can help both of us guide them toward what they’re going to do after high school.”
No matter what stage in the post-secondary decision process students are in, the Susquehannock college fair will be a chance for them to open up their options and get a good sense for the type of institution they hope to attend.
