College fairs have been an important tool for PCHS students to receive assistance and advice regarding their college decisions. With the represented colleges being displayed on both the morning announcements and the scrolling announcements throughout the day, these mini-fairs are quite popular, allowing students to ask questions and pick up valuable intel without having to visit the physical campus.

Hundreds of students have visited these fairs during the 2022-2023 school year. PCNN dove deeper into the details of the fairs and if students have truly found them to be a helpful resource. 

Several students interviewed have been convinced to apply to a college based on the information they received when attending a specific college’s booth. Answers such as “I wasn’t going to apply originally but now I’m going to” and different variants of the same were shared.

Another big part of the fairs is the complimentary merchandise available to students who show an interest in a particular school. One student particularly liked UNC Wilmington’s table: “They had pens, pencils, and brochures.” They chose to apply to both UNC Wilmington and UNC Charlotte after going to four different college fairs this school year. Another student, Sam Y., said “I checked out one for NC State and applied… it was very informative and had merch like little pens”. The merchandise is a great way to advertise their information. One student shared, “I definitely see a lot of people over there… they advertise it [well].”

Laura Guzman had an interesting perspective on the topic to share. She related that “The ones in-state are the booth I check out because I want to stay in-state, and it was good to… be aware of all the colleges that are available here.” North Carolina has several stellar colleges that many PC students desire to attend post-graduation. When asked how many she has attended, Guzman’s response was one many upperclassmen relate to: “When I’m coming back from lunch I look around and see if there is anything… I go and take a pamphlet”.

Her words highlight an important aspect of the lunchtime fairs; the flexibility they provide. It does not matter if a student only has a minute to look over the booths or stops by several booths at a time. The information is readily available and easily accessible. A particular student who has attended many fairs this year was greatly influenced by the representatives showing things to do outside of campus. “They taught me about each of their universities and showed things like student life. It really stuck out to me”, he said in his interview.

So, are the college fairs worth a visit? The answer from PCHS students appears to be a resounding yes. Keep an eye out for the colleges advertised on the morning announcements; you may just one that piques your interest.