On October 11th, Springbrook High School hosted its annual College Readiness Day. The event incorporated various enriching activities for the entire student body, including a college fair for seniors, and the PSAT for juniors and underclassmen.

Malaysia Barber, a junior at Springbrook, was asked to describe her thoughts on the PSAT, a practice version of the Scholastic Aptitude Test that is given to students all over the country which opens opportunities to preliminary scholarships and helps students match themselves with colleges that fit them:

“It was pretty simple and straightforward, but I think some more time would be helpful for students,” Barber replied. When asked if she felt the exam was beneficial, she added, “I think it’s great that we have opportunities and resources to practice taking the SAT.”

Another part of the day was dedicated to seniors. The Class of 2018 had their own college readiness day, during which students participated in various workshops which included developing College Essays, an SAT/ACT boot camp, taking the Accuplacer exam, and much more. The largest part of the day was the actual College Fair, located in the main gymnasium. During the fair, several representatives from colleges and universities across the country were interviewed about their respective programs.

Joe Elliott, a Regional Recruiter representing the University of  Alabama spoke with Blueprint and provided some tips on getting into a college:

“Step one: Identify what type of school you want to attend. Step two: Looking for that experience that you’re interested in.”

The Eastern Shore Recruiter for Shenandoah University, Amber Leisher, spoke to us about the study-abroad programs at their school, “So we are huge on study abroad, and I always recommend studying abroad to our students. I was able to go to 20 different countries.” A school like Shenandoah University would be a great fit for students who are interested in such a program.

Events like these are actually very beneficial and informative for students seeking to continue their academic career beyond Springbrook. Having the opportunity to ask questions, one on one with representatives is an experience that is quite useful for students to take advantage of.