College fair a one-stop shopping experience for those seeking higher education
What to do, what to do?
When it comes to choosing an institution for higher education, there are not a whole lot of decisions in life than can have a greater impact on the direction a young adult will move in their lives.
For most students, the options are many, the decisions that lie ahead are often times a jumbled mass of confusion, and they really aren’t sure what direction they want to go.
Answering some of those questions and guiding students and parents along the path of choosing a school which is a good fit for the child is exactly what the 2011 Holmes County Higher Education Foundation (HCEF) College Fair was designed to do.
It was no surprise to see the parking lot at the Perry Reese Community Center in Berlin jammed with cars, as students and families in search of answers and guidance took advantage of having a lot of school representatives in one place.
“I know what I want to do, but I just don’t know where I want to do it,” said West Holmes senior Amy Boyd, who would like to explore math in the future. “My goal tonight is to try to ask questions and narrow down where I might want to go, but I am not even sure what to ask.”
Like many juniors, Courtney Kozak and Hannah Frank were there trying to gain valuable information on colleges which might suit their needs. Frank, who wants to get into education, and Kozak, who will focus on business, were a little more relaxed than Boyd, knowing that they weren’t as pressed.
“It’s a lot to look at, but fortunately we have some time,” said Frank. “It’s just good to have a chance to get a head start.”
Hiland junior Teddy Miller was talking to a representative from the University of Mt. Union. Like many juniors, Miller is undecided as to what he wants to do in college, but getting some ideas at the college fair is one of the key reasons it is made available to students of all ages.
“I really don’t know what I want to do, but this is helpful, especially for exploring scholarship options,” said Miller. “I don’t feel a lot of pressure right now to make any decisions, but it is good to get some general ideas of costs and what is available, before I start to run out of time.”
A few tables down the aisle, Hiland senior Cameron Miller was busy making the rounds, visiting a number of different institutions. Miller said that he wants to either go into early childhood education or become a youth pastor, and said that he learned a great deal during his time visiting with representatives.
Miller was attending his first college fair. Like many seniors making their first run through the fair, he wished that he had taken the initiative to come in prior years.
“It’s a lot to take in, but I was impressed with several of the schools,” said Miller. “There’s so much to see and learn here. I wish that I would have come to these earlier.”
As for the representatives, coming to the college fair is not a matter of signing up students on the spot. They all know that no decisions will be made there that evening. But for many of the students visiting the fair, their time spent with the representatives is their initial contact with the school, and first impressions can mean a great deal when a student is faced with choosing a school.
“We’re just here to be a resource for them,” said Amber Blake of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. “When this is a student or family’s first time to something like this, or it is the family’s oldest child and the whole process is unfamiliar to them, choosing a school can be intimidating. We are simply here to make the process easier, and to get them information.”
Being able to obtain as much information as possible is important for families, and although it can be overwhelming trying to sift through all of the options available to them, the college fair does provide a great deal of pertinent information in a short span, and being able to get a vast amount of information in one stop is a huge advantage for families.
“Higher education is such a competitive thing today,” said Michael Bradley, admission representative from Ashland University. “We’re all here competing for students, but for families, it is important to find the right school that is the right fit for the student. Our job is to get engaged with families and paint a picture in about five minutes of the values and opportunities our school will provide for their child. We are perhaps the first contact the families have with the school, so it is important to make a good impression. But I’d say for any student, if you are interested in a certain school, you have to go visit it. That is really the only way to get a good feel for whether or not you feel comfortable there and it is a good fit.”
With 52 total presenters at the college fair, there were plenty of choices for students and parents to visit. From four-year schools to specialty institutions, as well as financial aid booths from the Education Foundation, Holmes County College Access Program and Holmes County Higher Education Center, there was plenty of knowledge to gain for families and students, whether it was their first time through the process or whether they have been there before.
While the 52 presenters was a low turnout for the college fair, HCEF executive director Darla Stitzlein said that the number of students and families visiting the event was up, which was a great thing.
Stitzlein said that even with the lower number of representatives on hand, the evening provides a critical opportunity for families in search of answers to the myriad of questions that come with choosing an institution for the next phase of a young adult’s life.
“I think when people leave here from this evening, they realize exactly how many options there are and how much college can cost,” said Stitzlein. “What this can help them do is narrow down the number of options and give them a sense of how they can help gain financial aid, whether it is through grants or scholarships. The goal is to help guide them to making the best choice for their child, which is both affordable and the right fit, where the student will be comfortable. It is a huge challenge, but hopefully, families left here with a better understanding of what they are trying to accomplish.”
While the number of students who left the 2011 HCEF College Fair with their decision set in stone are extremely few, chances are good that most left with a lot more knowledge and understanding of what is involved with making this important decision than they had when they arrived.
When it comes to choosing an institution for higher education, there are not a whole lot of decisions in life than can have a greater impact on the direction a young adult will move in their lives.
For most students, the options are many, the decisions that lie ahead are often times a jumbled mass of confusion, and they really aren’t sure what direction they want to go.
Answering some of those questions and guiding students and parents along the path of choosing a school which is a good fit for the child is exactly what the 2011 Holmes County Higher Education Foundation (HCEF) College Fair was designed to do.
It was no surprise to see the parking lot at the Perry Reese Community Center in Berlin jammed with cars, as students and families in search of answers and guidance took advantage of having a lot of school representatives in one place.
“I know what I want to do, but I just don’t know where I want to do it,” said West Holmes senior Amy Boyd, who would like to explore math in the future. “My goal tonight is to try to ask questions and narrow down where I might want to go, but I am not even sure what to ask.”
Like many juniors, Courtney Kozak and Hannah Frank were there trying to gain valuable information on colleges which might suit their needs. Frank, who wants to get into education, and Kozak, who will focus on business, were a little more relaxed than Boyd, knowing that they weren’t as pressed.
“It’s a lot to look at, but fortunately we have some time,” said Frank. “It’s just good to have a chance to get a head start.”
Hiland junior Teddy Miller was talking to a representative from the University of Mt. Union. Like many juniors, Miller is undecided as to what he wants to do in college, but getting some ideas at the college fair is one of the key reasons it is made available to students of all ages.
“I really don’t know what I want to do, but this is helpful, especially for exploring scholarship options,” said Miller. “I don’t feel a lot of pressure right now to make any decisions, but it is good to get some general ideas of costs and what is available, before I start to run out of time.”
A few tables down the aisle, Hiland senior Cameron Miller was busy making the rounds, visiting a number of different institutions. Miller said that he wants to either go into early childhood education or become a youth pastor, and said that he learned a great deal during his time visiting with representatives.
Miller was attending his first college fair. Like many seniors making their first run through the fair, he wished that he had taken the initiative to come in prior years.
“It’s a lot to take in, but I was impressed with several of the schools,” said Miller. “There’s so much to see and learn here. I wish that I would have come to these earlier.”
As for the representatives, coming to the college fair is not a matter of signing up students on the spot. They all know that no decisions will be made there that evening. But for many of the students visiting the fair, their time spent with the representatives is their initial contact with the school, and first impressions can mean a great deal when a student is faced with choosing a school.
“We’re just here to be a resource for them,” said Amber Blake of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. “When this is a student or family’s first time to something like this, or it is the family’s oldest child and the whole process is unfamiliar to them, choosing a school can be intimidating. We are simply here to make the process easier, and to get them information.”
Being able to obtain as much information as possible is important for families, and although it can be overwhelming trying to sift through all of the options available to them, the college fair does provide a great deal of pertinent information in a short span, and being able to get a vast amount of information in one stop is a huge advantage for families.
“Higher education is such a competitive thing today,” said Michael Bradley, admission representative from Ashland University. “We’re all here competing for students, but for families, it is important to find the right school that is the right fit for the student. Our job is to get engaged with families and paint a picture in about five minutes of the values and opportunities our school will provide for their child. We are perhaps the first contact the families have with the school, so it is important to make a good impression. But I’d say for any student, if you are interested in a certain school, you have to go visit it. That is really the only way to get a good feel for whether or not you feel comfortable there and it is a good fit.”
With 52 total presenters at the college fair, there were plenty of choices for students and parents to visit. From four-year schools to specialty institutions, as well as financial aid booths from the Education Foundation, Holmes County College Access Program and Holmes County Higher Education Center, there was plenty of knowledge to gain for families and students, whether it was their first time through the process or whether they have been there before.
While the 52 presenters was a low turnout for the college fair, HCEF executive director Darla Stitzlein said that the number of students and families visiting the event was up, which was a great thing.
Stitzlein said that even with the lower number of representatives on hand, the evening provides a critical opportunity for families in search of answers to the myriad of questions that come with choosing an institution for the next phase of a young adult’s life.
“I think when people leave here from this evening, they realize exactly how many options there are and how much college can cost,” said Stitzlein. “What this can help them do is narrow down the number of options and give them a sense of how they can help gain financial aid, whether it is through grants or scholarships. The goal is to help guide them to making the best choice for their child, which is both affordable and the right fit, where the student will be comfortable. It is a huge challenge, but hopefully, families left here with a better understanding of what they are trying to accomplish.”
While the number of students who left the 2011 HCEF College Fair with their decision set in stone are extremely few, chances are good that most left with a lot more knowledge and understanding of what is involved with making this important decision than they had when they arrived.
Published: October 17, 2011
