College Fair Season Begins

Sacred Heart Cathedral (SHC) welcomed college representatives from around the country to speak with juniors and seniors at this Tuesday’s first-of-the-year College Fair on the La Salle Campus Plaza.

The fair kicked off a series of weekly, mini-fairs that will be held on the campus from now through mid-November. These fairs help SHC students to learn more about their post-high school options.

Representatives from universities, including Hostfra University, Loyola University Chicago, Miami University (Ohio), St. John’s College, University of Arizona, University of Southern California, and Washington State University, spoke to hundreds of SHC students about their respective institutions. They also provided informational pamphlets and brochures.

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Dr. Angelica Bailon, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and College Advisor, said that the fairs help expand student’s knowledge and understanding of the application process.

“College representatives visiting our campus gives our students another set of perspectives and options to consider. It is an opportunity for them to expand their knowledge base and to recognize that there are many colleges out there,” Bailon said.

Bailon also said that many of the colleges that come to the fair are from outside of the Bay Area and give students, primarily seniors who are beginning the tedious process of applying to college, a chance to learn more about schools they are not familiar with and can potentially add to their list of colleges they are applying to. The fair also serves as an introduction for juniors, many of whom are at a stage where applying for college is within sight.

Molly Ingram, Assistant Director, National Recruitment West Coast for the University of Arizona, has tabled at the SHC College Fairs for the past five years. She said that the format of the mini-fairs is a tremendous benefit to students.

“I think mini-fairs are beneficial for students as opposed to a single, stand-alone college representative at a lunch visit. It allows them to meet with a lot of different colleges in a small amount of time. Perhaps they are talking to me at the University of Arizona, but they might go across the plaza and talk to another college they hadn’t considered before.”

Ingram also shared sage advice for SHC juniors and seniors.

“Don’t overthink the application process. Talk to your counselors and talk to admissions representatives. We are all here to help you. We want to make sure students have the best college application experience.”