PHOTO COURTESY OF LYCOMING COLLEGE Colleges and Universities Are Reaching Students Virtually The Fall 2020 National College Fairs have been transi - While many students have adapted to learning online via Whether a student is thinking about a community tioned to a Virtual Platform. With in-person events limited video conferencing, or an in-person/remote hybrid model, college vs. a four-year college, public vs. private, in- across the country, college admissions offices are eager they should continue to prepare for what happens after state vs. out-of state, a career in the military, a gap to connect with sophomores, juniors and seniors who are graduation. Students should take this opportunity to year, or getting a job after high school, now is the time looking toward postsecondary education. reach out to their college counselors. Guidance office to start preparing for the future. personnel are working hard to make sure students have Virtual College Fairs, sponsored by the National Asso - the tools they need to search for the right college. Read through this issue of College Fair Guide. There ciation for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), are many articles, charts, useful hints and items of Students should ask their counselors about virtual events information which will be helpful to you. The more pre - are a timesaving opportunity for students and parents in their community. Colleges are looking forward to to gather a lot of information in one day. College connecting with students and their parents during these pared you are for these Virtual Fairs, the more you’ll get admissions representatives will be online to answer online events. out of them. key questions ranging from acceptance policies to student –faculty ratio. Other Online Resources NACAC’s Virtual College Fairs are one-day events that are Students and parents may visit multiple campuses using FEATURED ARTICLES free to attend. These interactive events are designed with these links: aCollege Search Step by Step ......................pg. 3 the mobile user in mind. Students can login from their • PACAC.org aVirtual College Fair Participants ..................pg. 4-6 phones or computers. Students and parents are invited • youvisit.com/collegesearch aCollege Planning Tips for Juniors ................pg. 8 to attend one or all of these online events. • eCampusTours.com aA Vision for STEM Education in America ....pg. 9 • campustours.com More than 600 college and university representatives will aWhy Get a College Degree? ........................pg. 14 be online and available to answer questions. Students Military Options aFinancial Aid Process ..................................pg. 17 and parents will also be able to schedule one-on-one virtual meetings. Students can sign up for a Virtual Many recruiting stations are closed for personal visits, but aFederal Student Aid Programs ....................pg. 18 College Fair at virtualcollegefairs.org . are still available to discuss your future in the military. You aFinancial Aid from the Military ....................pg. 19 may ask a recruiter about education programs such as aPennsylvania Financial Aid ..........................pg. 20 Upcoming NACAC Virtual College Fair R.O.T.C., the military academies, the Post 9/11-GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program. Serving in the military is not only an aChoosing the Right College ........................pg. 22 • November 8, 2020 honor but can be a great way to finance your education. 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Certain consider these questions: characteristics or accomplishments might Kinds of Schools such a big hurdle. College is usually more aff-- • Do I see myself at a college with lots of fordable than you think. Here are a few qualiffyy students ffoor private or college schol- Most students start by thinking about the students or in a smaller community? things to consider: arships that award money they do not have kind of college they want to attend. As you • Do I want to be at a college where stu- • Do I have the ffaacts about what colleges to pay back. do so, keep in mind that you have lots of op- dents stay on campus most of the time? Do I will cost? Students don’t usually pay the pub- Maajjors tions. More than 1,600 colleges — mostly want to live in a dorm? lished price because of ffiinancial aid — and community colleges — accept almost all high • Do I want to be around lots of difffffeerent shouldn’t rule out colleges early in their A college maajjor is the subject area you’ll school graduates. kinds of people or people with interests sim- search because of cost. spend the most time studying. Many stu- Begin by considering these questions: ilar to mine? • Will I qualiffyy ffoor ffiinancial aid? All stu- dents think they have to know what their • Do I want to go to a two-year or ffoour- • Do I want to be at a school where sports dents should apply ffoor aid, whether or not maajjor will be beffoore they start college. In ffaact, year college? At a two-year college, students are a big deal? Or one that’s known ffoor its ac- they think they will qualiffyy. Most students you have plenty of time to decide on a maajjor, can earn an associate degree. At a ffoour-year tivism? Or ffoor its hard-working students? and a lot of students change their maajjor more college, students can earn a bachelor’s de- than once. These questions can help you gree. Many students begin at a two-year col- think about majors that may interest you: lege on the path to a bachelor’s degree at a • What are my ffaavorite school subjects? ffoour-year college. What do I like doing when I’m not in class? • Am I limiting my choices by ffoocusing on • Do I want to take classes in many diff-- whether a college is public or private? Many ferent subjects or ffoocus mainly on one sub- students exclude private colleges because ject? they think they’re more expensive, but that’s • What do I want to do afftter college and not always the case. Financial aid can some- which maajjors can help me get there? times make private colleges as afffffoordable as public colleges. And private colleges are not Learning Environment always more selective. As you know, college is about learning! So it makes sense to imagine your ideal learning Location environment. Don’t get stuck on things like Many students begin their college search a college’s reputation, rank or selectivity. by setting a limit on how ffaar away ffrrom home What’s more valuable is how well a college’s they want to be. This might be an easy way academic style ffiits you. Consider the ffoollow- to narrow the many options out there, but it ing: doesn’t mean you’ll ffiind the best colleges ffoor • Do I learn best when I’m academically you. Keep your mind open and think about comffoortable or academically challenged? these questions: • Do I preffeer to be part of small group dis- • How close to home do I want to be? cussions or to listen to lectures? How much Close enough ffoor meals and laundry, to visit interaction do I want with my proffeessors? on weekends, or to only come home on • What sort of balance am I looking ffoor be- breaks? tween studying and having a social liffee? • Do I want to stick to a setting I’m used • Do I want to choose most of my classes to or try something new? myself, or do I preffeer more structure? • If I look just a little farther — a few Start your college search with what mat- more miles or another half hour away — ters to you! what other opportunities open up to me? • Am I staying close because I think it will Source: bigfuture.collegeboard.org be less expensive? Sometimes out-off--state schools are more afffffoordable.