Colleges and universities continue to visit ACHS as admission season ramps up.
Zana Royster
Staff Writer
The fall college admissions process is a very stressful time for students and parents. In an effort to make this process easier, the ACHS College and Career Center has been inviting colleges and universities to come and talk to our students about their establishments. These visits expose students to new colleges as well as give students opportunities to learn more about ones they’re already familiar with.
The College and Career Center hosted over 20 institutions over the past few months. Big, prestigious schools such as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Virginia were in attendance alongside some smaller colleges including the Hampden-Sydney College, the University of Mary Washington and Virginia State University. No matter the size, each campus has its unique personality and perks.
Shenandoah University representative Jack Branch recently graduated from Shenandoah and now works as an admissions counselor at the university. Branch has great memories from his time at Shenandoah, especially regarding the connections he made with peers and professors.
“The professors here really care about their students and have time to make sure you succeed,” Branch said. The one-on-one connection is one of the advantages of a smaller school like Shenandoah, says Branch, which has around 2,200 undergraduate students.
Being such a small school, it can be hard to get the word out about the university. Branch says that one of the benefits of these college visits is being able to inform students of institutions that they don’t know about and might end up being a better fit for them than larger, well-known institutions. Branch suggests that prospective students visit college campuses to “get a better feel” of the college and “experience the campus life.”
Eastern Carolina University (ECU), located about four hours from Alexandria, is a large school in North Carolina. Carleigh Pappas-Jacobs, an admissions counselor at ECU, says that her favorite part of campus is all the open greenery areas. One of her favorite spots on campus is the Cupola, located in the middle of campus and surrounded by a lush green field.
When deciding which colleges to apply to, her top advice for students is to make sure that schools have their desired majors. On top of that, they should consider the internships or study abroad programs the school offers that may “help advance [their] future career[s],” said Pappas-Jacobs.
There are many different post-secondary options students can choose from. If students want to continue their education but aren’t interested in a four-year institution or want a more affordable option, community college provides a great alternative. Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) offers associate degrees and certificates in various fields. Community colleges often have more students, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a support staff in place.
“My favorite thing about the Alexandria campus is our student services center. They are able to see students and help them with really any problem they are having,” said NVCC admissions counselor Lauren MacGregor. “There is so much information that admissions recruiters have to offer to students.”
There are closed campuses, city campuses and everything else in between. College visits are a great way for students to explore new opportunities and a terrific opportunity for them to be exposed to various institutions they otherwise wouldn’t have known about.
