College Night to Handle Middle, High Schooler Questions

By STACY PARKER

BY STACY PARKER

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

OCEANFRONT Questions about college?

Find the answers at the Virginia Beach City Public Schools free College Night from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday .

More than 130 colleges, universities, professional, trade and technical schools, as well as representatives from the different branches of the armed forces will be at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Financial aid seminars will be held at 6 and 7 p.m.

College Night is sponsored by the Office of Guidance Services and Student Records and the high school guidance departments. Its designed for middle and high school students who are interested in attending college after earning a high school diploma.

Attendees will learn more about their colleges of choice, be introduced to other colleges and universities, and ask questions about admission requirements and tuitione.

Rodney Wade will attend with his son, Ryan, a Green Run High School senior.

The two have been researching colleges online.

Its a good starting point, Wade said.

Hes looking forward to the College Night event where he can meet representatives and ask specific questions.

I want to know what the main focus of a school is as far as a degree program, said Wade. Also, what kind of assistance the school offers for job placement after graduation.

Alveta Green Sutton , coordinator of Guidance Serv ices for the Beach schools, said that parents should attend because the college- selection process is a family decision.

Many of the decisions about college will be driven by what fits into the family budget, she added. At the middle-school level parents need to begin thinking about the type of courses students need to take to be prepared academically for college.

Two financial-aid seminars will be sponsored by the nonprofit ACCESS College Scholarship Foundation. Pamela Rambo , ACCESS program coordinator, will provide families with options and information to consider for financing a college education.

* Reach Beacon correspondent Stacy Parker at stacyparker@cox.net.