by Colette Nguyen
staff writer
On October 6, Marina High School hosted the annual HBUHSD College and Career Night.
At the event, parents and students were given the chance to learn more about colleges in California and across the country by visiting booths and seminars.
Representatives from over 80 colleges, universities, and technical schools attended to inform families and answer any questions the students and parents had.
“Our goal is just for us to get our name out more across the students from Huntington Beach area. It’s an area we are somewhat familiar with but not extremely connected with so we are hoping to just make a bit more of a stronger presence in the community,” Erasmo S. Fuentes, Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of La Verne, said.
Brochures and booklets filled with information about the schools were available for students to learn more about the colleges and help them in their choices.
Trevor Cevene, motivational and educational speaker of Woodbury University, said, “[w]hat I’m hoping is exposure for students to see different colleges and different experiences being small or big, so they can make an educated decision.”
Workshops were also held where speakers discussed special education and college support, NCAA eligibility, the SAT vs. ACT, and financial aid.
The SAT vs. ACT seminar gave families an overview of the exams and laid out the differences between the two. HBUHSD’s workshop on financial aid went over different types of financial aid provided by colleges, organization, and requirements for scholarships and loans through the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Many students felt that the college fair was a great opportunity that helped both parents and students prepare for the future and find their colleges of interest.
“I saw a lot of new colleges that I didn’t think I would ever look into and I would talk with the people and think, ‘Oh wow, maybe I should look into applying for this college.’ It opened my eyes to new colleges and schools,” said Megan McNamara (‘16) of Marina High School.
