Four Local High Schools Will Host Florida Christian College Fairs in September

Representatives from Christian colleges across the country will visit four local high schools in September to speak with graduating seniors, juniors and parents. The fairs will be hosted by Westminster Christian Academy on Monday, September 18 from 9:30 – 11 a.m; Jupiter Christian School on Tuesday, September 19 from 12 – 2 p.m.; Calvary Christian Academy on Tuesday, September 19 from 5 – 6 p.m.; and Coral Springs Christian School on Wednesday, September 20 from 9 – 10:30 a.m.

This year Westminster Academy will also present a brief college planning seminar for parents on September 18 from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. before the fair. The seminar will discuss ways to prepare financially for college and will be presented by Westminster alumni John Nova, a financial associate with Thrivent Financial, and Philip Piedt, a certified financial planner with Benchmark Financial.

College Fairs can be a terrific opportunity for students to pick up information on a variety of schools, introduce yourself to representatives and have your questions answered.  But walking into a gymnasium filled with admissions officers, parents and high school students can also be overwhelming. With some preparation in advance, you will feel more confident and make the best use of your time.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your college fair experience.

Do some research in advance

As you begin your college search, consider what type of college interests you, what majors you may pursue, what type of activities you wish to participate in and what type of financial aid you may require.  Review the list of colleges attending the fair and choose a few schools you are most interested in to research. You can learn a lot about a school by visiting their college website. This will help you to know what questions to ask. Write down those questions and prioritize the most important ones to ask first.

Colleges registered to attend

Anderson University

Bob Jones University

Cairn University

Charleston Southern University

Columbia International University

Covenant College

Gardner-Webb University

Grand Canyon University

Johnson University Florida

Lee University

Liberty University

Lipscomb University

Messiah College

Mississippi College

Moody Bible Institute

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Regent University

Samford University

Southeastern University

Taylor University

The Baptist College of Florida

The King’s College

Toccoa Falls College

Visible Music College

Get organized and bring supplies

Bring a backpack, notebook and pen.  You’ll need a backpack or bag to carry all of the information you will be gathering at the fair.

The notebook should have a list of your questions, and it is also helpful to jot down the answers each college representative gives you as well as any impressions you have after speaking with the representative.  You will be speaking with a lot of people and by the time you get home, all of that information can run together and you may forget who told you what.

Most colleges will also ask you to fill out a card to receive more information. To save time, you may want to make labels in advance with your name, address, high school, graduation year and areas of interest.  This will give you more time to talk with representatives and get your questions answered.

Have a plan

While it may be tempting to just go from table to table signing up for information, it may be more productive to visit the schools you are most interested in first so you don’t get sidetracked.  You will be getting plenty of mail, so don’t sign up for information from schools you know don’t interest you.  However, after you’ve hit your high interest schools, don’t be afraid to explore schools you are unfamiliar with. You just might discover your perfect fit!

Speak up and dress for success

Like in an interview, this is your opportunity to get the questions answered that will help you make a good decision about your future. Be assertive and interact with the college representative. Students should also look nice, dress professionally or in your school uniform and cleanly shaven as if you were meeting the director of admissions for the college. Avoid questions that could easily be answered by visiting the college website and instead ask questions about the college culture, whether they admit students by major , how easy it is to change majors, and about financial aid opportunities.

If you do not attend one of the high schools the college fair is visiting, you and a parent may still be able to attend. For details, contact the following school representatives: Brooke Perry, college fair organizer, or Donna Payner, senior guidance counselor at Westminster Academy; a guidance counselor at Jupiter Christian School;  Will Ortiz, lead guidance counselor at Calvary Christian Academy; or Sandra Sorrentino, director of guidance at Coral Springs Christian School.

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