DOWNINGTOWN — Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS) students from the Brandywine, Pennock’s Bridge, and Pickering campuses recently attended annual College Fairs held at their respective schools. Nearly 70 postsecondary institutions, including Moravian University, the PA Army National Guard, Delaware County Community College, and the Automotive Training Center, were represented across the three events, with about 25 institutions visiting each location. The goal of these fairs was to give students the opportunity to make one-on-one connections with representatives from a variety of universities, community colleges, trade schools, military programs, and more.
Each representative welcomed questions revolving around their establishment’s academic programs, campus culture, admission requirements, financial aid options, and extracurricular activities so that students walked away with not only additional knowledge of the individual universities, but with a better idea of higher education as a whole. As a result, both TCHS students and the representatives felt the event was extremely useful for envisioning future possibilities when it came to life after high school.
“I had great conversations with Delaware County Community College and other schools about combining my passion for cosmetology and dance studies,” said Samantha Wiegner, a junior from Avon Grove High School in TCHS Pennock’s Bridge’s Cosmetology program. “The college fair helped me explore different paths and connect with three colleges I’m really interested in.”
Another student, Vladimir Romo, a senior from Avon Grove High School in TCHS Pennock’s Bridge’s Automotive Service Technology program, was excited to learn about his options with the Marines and talk about his dream of studying at Universal Technical Institute to further his automotive career. “The college fair helped me map out my future plans. Also, the preparation we received from our instructors helped me feel confident when talking to the college representatives.”
Although the students are the heart of what makes these College Fairs significant, the school counselors play a key role in ensuring that they know what information to look for and how to find it. Kiersten Geist, a TCHS Pennock’s Bridge school counselor, shares how she looks forward to helping her students: “We love offering students the opportunity to navigate the complex college selection process. Whether they are in 9th grade and just beginning to think about life after high school, or in 12th grade and applying to colleges, the fair provides a chance to expose all students to various options.”
