We've got some nice weather, finally, in the Washington, DC area, and we are pumped up for spring events. We've enjoyed the Cherry Blossom festivities and the circus, but more is yet to come. Hold on to your seat because the college fairs are coming to town!
Mark your calendar for all the fairs that will be in the MD-DC-VA area April 7 - May 23. As a friendly reminder, they include: 2010 SEC College Fair, 2010 Montgomery County NACAC Fair, 2010 Prince George's County NACAC Fair, Northern Virginia Regional College Fair, and Colleges That Change Lives Fair. I encourage you to visit each website so you will be informed of the specific details and other pertinent information.
Usually this information is only shared with juniors. However, I encourage my sophomores and freshmen to attend, if interested. Second semester freshmen have experienced the transition to high school, and they are beginning the exploration stage of their post secondary plans. Visiting a college fair can be a "shot of Vitamin C" to a freshman or sophomore who needs some motivation and an incentive to do well in school.
Second semester sophomores, who are nearing the middle of the exploration stage, need to take their academic profile more seriously, since their GPA's are beginning to reflect their potential for college. A friendly conversation with a college admissions representative might keep the student on the right path, or help him/her make better choices in order to be eligible for consideration in a couple of years.
In addition to the admissions information, I think it's a great opportunity for the younger high school students to learn how to effectively communicate with college staff members. It can develop self-confidence for them, and a willingness to acquire helpful information for their future goals. More importantly, the students will learn, early, how to navigate themselves through a fair, since the total number of colleges represented could range from 30 to 300+.
So, for my Montgomery County freshmen and sophomores who are curious about a college fair..grab your parents and have them bring you to the Montgomery County Fairground in Gaithersburg, Wednesday, April 14th, 6:30-8:30PM. And if you would like some company, bring a friend.
In case you are not sure what to ask, here are a few questions to get you started:
- Is there a good balance of academics, social life, and extracurriculur activities on campus?
- What criteria will you use to determine if I am a good candidate for admission?
- What types of dorms are available for freshmen?
- What mediation is available, if I don't get along with my roommate? How are they selected?
- Do students feel safe on campus? What security measures are used?
- Is your campus 100% wireless?
- Is there a campus radio and/or TV station?
- What are the popular majors on campus?
- Do you offer summer enrichment programs for high school students?
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