BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- High school students in central Alabama got the chance to explore higher education opportunities on Sunday afternoon.
Over 1,200 students attended the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s college fair in Birmingham.
Navigating the road of college isn’t easy between scholarships, admission requirements and just getting to campus. It can be a lot for high school students to deal with. The goal of the college fair is to help students make that transition.
“They need to know, now, ok, what do I need to do now so that when it is time for me to apply, what can I do to make sure I stand out?” said Monique Lawrence.
Lawrence is a career coach, so she knows the importance of events like Sunday’s college fair.
“Mainly because they get exposure, not just to our local and state colleges, but we have Spelman in there,” added Lawrence.
Students like Channing Cutts, a junior in high school, felt like it was important to see what options there are for schools as early as possible.
“Life goes by fast, and I was like, if I don’t go now when will I go?” said Cutts.
Cutts learned about schools she wasn’t previously looking at during the fair, and she was able to get a better idea of what types of programs the participating schools offer.
“I found that really interesting because I would like a hands-on experience rather than just sitting in a classroom all day,” said Cutts.
The fair had career coaches onsite to help students navigate the process of getting into college, helping them with things like admission requirements and filling out FAFSA forms.
“There are national organizations like Get Schooled. There are scholarships on there, you can get your college essay proofread for you and reviewed, they will give it back to you and say, 'make these changes.' The earlier you start, the much better off you will be,” added Lawrence.
NACAC offers resources for prospective college students online. These resources can be found here.