On March 9, the National Association for College Admission Counseling National College Fair visited Miami, Fla. and invited students from all over the city to get a taste of what their future may look like. The pressure turns on when the talk about college comes up, and presenting students with hundreds of options helps them to consider and reconsider their decisions.
“I went to get a further understanding and learn what works for me but I didn’t expect a single day at a college fair to change my perspective and make an impact on me like it did,” Miami Palmetto Senior High sophomore Alyssa Hernandez said.
Introducing colleges from all over the world, such as John Cabot University in Italy or University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom, there is something for everyone at the NACAC Fair no matter the interests or location.
Many schools sent their best recruiters and were able to convince young students to redirect from their original school options and caused them to open their minds to what they hadn’t anticipated. “Visiting the colleges that are outside of the US made me seriously reconsider staying in Miami for college and now I am almost positive I want to study in Europe,” Hernandez said.
The NACAC fair tours all over the country to pick up students and introduce them to each college and its programs. Any and every student is welcome, even younger students who want to prepare in advance.
“It’s a great opportunity for freshmen to go and start the college search, for sophomores to refine their college search and juniors can go to really lock in their list,” Miami Palmetto Senior High CAP advisor Linda Dwyer said.
Attending college fairs like the NACAC can not only help by teaching students about new colleges, but these individual schools also keep track of who visited, which can really push students above where they were before.
“Some schools track demonstrated interest so if you were present at the fair, they will take note that you had visited them, which gives you leverage over students that have never been,” Dwyer said.
