As the end of the school year approaches, it is an important time for juniors to think about what their plans are after high school. Whether that be attending a university, starting to work or entering the military, there are many paths for students to choose from.
On Mar. 19, juniors were given the opportunity to attend the college fair located at the Fieldhouse (Maryland soccerplex) in Boyds. Students were able to attend for free, which included transportation to and from the fair, along with an excused absence for classes missed.
The NACAC Montgomery County College Fair is the largest local college fair. This school and other MCPS schools were given the chance to walk around and speak to representatives of colleges in and out of the state of Maryland. If a student could not attend the fair during the school day, or if a caregiver wanted to attend the fair with their student, there was an alternative time to go to the event from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on that same Tuesday.
Junior Jennifer Miranda gained a lot of information from the fair that could help plan her future. Miranda said, “I learned about the different types of programs and majors the schools I looked at have to offer. Some schools have more than you think and there’s a lot to choose from.”
Junior Salwa Moumneh also had a successful trip at the fair. Moumneh said, “I figured that most schools are test optional even though I thought that mattered a lot. I also figured out that schools look to see if you do stuff outside of school like jobs or sports and stuff like that.”
Students may assume that colleges only prioritize good grades but students learned that schools want to understand the applicant as an individual. This includes hobbies like sports, arts and activities students are passionate about. It’s important for students to look into internships and jobs so they can show their interest when going through the college application process. Representatives at the fair vouched for wanting to get to know the applicant rather than hearing the same academic achievement stories.
A common surprise among students was how many different programs are available that are a good fit for each individual. While there could be more well-known programs for intended majors, there could potentially be a better fit for the students if they talk to resources around them and research the program at the school. Junior Mohammad Uddin said, “I learned that a lot of colleges had different special programs for different majors.”
