LA PLATA, Md.—The 11th annual Charles County College Fair, sponsored by Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), was held Monday, Sept. 15, at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center. The fair offered more than 3,000 parents and students the opportunity to research more than 136 college and universities.
A morning session was held from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 1,300 students from the six county high schools were bused to the fair. Students from each high school were asked to sign up for the fair in advance, as space was limited to about 200 seniors per school.
Many students took advantage of the opportunity to attend the fair to research opportunities available to them after they graduate. Amir Smith, a senior at Henry E. Lackey High School, said he already had a few colleges he planned to apply to, but signed up for the fair to explore other schools and to get more information.
Carly Vaseleck, a senior at North Point High School, signed up to attend the fair to research schools that offer liberal arts degrees, such as English, creative writing and journalism.
Students who attended the morning session were given 30 minutes to visit booths, and most college representatives asked students to fill out contact cards so they could receive further information.
About 1,600 attended the evening session, and two financial aid sessions were offered to parents and students to inform them of the financial aid application process. Jeanette Kaufmann, the supervising counselor for CCPS, said the sessions filled quickly, but she reminded parents that they could attend any one of the six financial aid nights scheduled for later this year.
The financial aid nights will be held at the schools and are scheduled for:
-- Henry E. Lackey High School, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m.;
-- La Plata High School, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m.;
-- Maurice J. McDonough High School, Dec. 9, 7 p.m.;
-- North Point High School, Dec. 8, 7 p.m.;
-- Thomas Stone High School, Nov. 20, 7 p.m.; and
-- Westlake High School, Dec. 11, 7 p.m.
Source: Charles County Public School System