College representative visits are resuming on a weekly basis in the hub from early September to late November. Any ETHS junior or senior can sign up and visit a college they are interested in.

Visits are 33 minutes long and are used to help students connect with schools they may not be able to visit. Students can attend these information sessions to learn more about these colleges, their admissions process, majors and courses offered.

The visits are arranged by the College and Career Services office via the online platform Schoolinks. The college counselors, including College & Career Coordinator Beth Arey, arrange the schedule to include different representatives. Any representative can sign up for a slot, and Arey welcomes participation from all schools–an approach that has resulted in 288 schools scheduled to visit ETHS this year.

Registration for these sessions is not required as counselors and representatives hope to make the process as accessible as possible. Students are encouraged to drop in, explore their options and engage with colleges without added barriers.

Arey added that in order to get the most information out of a session with a representative, students should ask nuanced, thoughtful questions to get answers they might not be able to find on a website. In her opinion, this is the key to getting the most out of these visits.

“You have someone right in front of you who might be reading applications,” said Arey. 

Senior Eden Osborn agrees with Arey on the importance of expressing curiosity and interest.

“Visits are most helpful if you ask questions,” said Osborn. “However, if [the sessions] are busy, they aren’t as helpful.”

Arey urges students to find out why the representative chose to work for and represent their school. She recommends asking representatives–especially if they are alumni–about five things they love most about their school.

Arey’s goal is for students to get a sense of each school’s ‘vibe’ and determine whether the college is a good fit for them–not just academically. She notes that students often become so focused on academics and applications that they overlook how they might engage with the college community.

“I love going to college visits because they show different college cultures and campuses, which have helped me in my college decision process,” said junior Cayden Rodgers. “I would definitely recommend them to anyone starting their college search.”