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Schools

College Fair Opens Eyes

The BHHS Parent-Teacher-Student Association reminds teenagers that it's never too early to think about getting into college.

Last week's "College Connections Fair" at Beverly Hills High School offered students the opportunity to learn about college life without leaving town.

Dozens of universities and several local tutoring companies exhibited at the event, which was organized by the BHHS Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA). About 500 students came through the school's cafeteria to pick up information and meet with college representatives. Some of the representatives had graduated from BHHS themselves.

"A lot of students are asking 'How do I get in,' but there is no one way to get into a school of this caliber," said Michael Tulchin, an alumnus of both BHHS and Stanford. He described the fair as "very well attended" compared to those held at other high schools.

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College representatives encouraged students to aim high and apply to every school of their choice, even if they're unsure of being admitted.

"MIT accepts less than 10 percent of its applicants, but I encourage a diverse audience to apply," said Carol Schwartz, a volunteer representative and Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate.

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A wide variety of educational institutions participated in the fair. Ohio University representative Derek Meeker said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the interest in the school and its location in the college town of Athens, Ohio.  

For students and parents, a central lesson was to start the college planning process early. At the University of Southern California booth, literature advised students on what steps to take—starting as early as eighth grade—to help them get admitted into USC.

BHHS junior Aurora Dubois wandered around the booths, picking up college literature from a wide variety of schools.

"I am keeping my college options open," she said. "It is very helpful to be able to come here and get information."

Even first-year high school students were at the fair.

"It was so well-publicized that my freshman son knew about it and came with two friends," BHHS parent Nathalie Kunin said. She was there as a representative of Team Tutors, a Beverly Hills-based tutoring company.

The fee Kunin paid the PTSA to participate in the fair was worthwhile, she said, as she spoke to some 200 students about Team Tutor's services. Universities did not pay a fee to have a booth at the fair.

I have often written about the benefits of joining the parent-teacher or parent-teacher-student association at your child's school. The College Connections Fair is a prime example of the valuable activities that these groups organize. Students normally have to drive to an unfamiliar school and perhaps pay a fee to access the wide variety of university information that was available in the BHHS cafeteria.

Congratulations to the BHHS PTSA for holding this well-organized event.

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