As I stood on the perimeter of the 25th Annual AIMS College Fair, I enjoyed watching the students, parents, and college representatives interact. Hundreds of 11th graders filled the lobby and conference rooms of the Crown Plaza Hotel on April 12th hoping to meet representative from over 300 institutions. College fairs are typically juniors’ first foray into the college admissions process. Fairs are a chance for students (and parents) to gather a lot of information in a short period of time. While potentially intimidating, college fairs can be a wonderful way for students to begin narrowing down their college lists and create a plan for their applications.
As I watched students gleefully schlep bags filled with college brochures, I also saw the looks of anxiety on the parents’ faces. Many parents stood with me on the perimeter as their children braved the crowds to ask questions ranging from dining hall options and study abroad. At some level, the college fair made this process real for many parents. My advice to parents – enjoy this time with your children. Stand on the proverbial perimeter to a certain degree. Let you children take the lead in the college application process, but be their scaffolding to support them and help them synthesize the vast amount of information they will receive in a short period of time.
~Hallie M. Schein
Director of College Counseling
No comments:
Post a Comment