Nearly 300 students rushed into Santa Fe College’s gymnasium as soon as the doors opened on Monday for the school’s college fair. High schoolers and Santa Fe students were met with more than 50 colleges and universities hoping to inform potential applicants about their programs.
Robert Gregory, Santa Fe’s recruitment event coordinator, organized the fair. The focus of the event was to connect students with potential colleges and universities, he said.
“Our thing really isn't to say that Santa Fe is the right choice for you,” Gregory said. “We really just kind of listen to people, and we say, ‘Well, here's an option for you, ... and now you're more informed to make a decision.’”
Santa Fe has hosted its annual college fair for the past decade. Rather than trying to sway students in a certain direction, it’s meant to help them decide what will best fit their needs.
In-house programs
For some students, the fair was an opportunity to learn about higher education options after high school. For others, it meant finding undiscovered programs at their current school.
Santa Fe student ambassador Adriana Santana, a 20-year-old microbiology and cell science sophomore, originally attended the college fair to serve as an outreach point for students, she said. But she found herself learning more about school options herself, including her next steps for transfer.
Attendees currently enrolled at Santa Fe could learn about prospects outside of the classroom, like honors programs and scholarship opportunities.
“There are also different clubs, a lot of events that you can join, certificates that you can do,” Santana said. “So it really builds a strong resume.”
Younger opportunities
Representatives from various schools stood at tables lining the basketball court, eager to pitch themselves to future applicants. Prospective students sought out the colleges they were interested in, with most checking out one of three UF tables, which shared information about the university, its college of the arts and the UF Online program.
Though the event mainly consisted of Florida colleges and universities, a few out-of-state schools were sprinkled throughout, including the Rock Mountain College of Art and Design.
Stephen Ferguson, a representative for the Colorado private school, said the biggest concern he noticed from students was the cost of college, especially for out-of-state schools.
Students asked him about options like online schooling, he said, especially when the cost of going out of state weighed on their minds. Ferguson said online school is often a better option, allowing students to work from home and get the same degree as someone taking in-person classes — but usually with cheaper tuition.
“So many people that can be reached that may not be able to afford to go to or live on campus can now enroll into a program in an online modality,” Ferguson said.
Long after the initial excitement died down, the gymnasium thrummed with conversation as eager students discussed their options with friends and family, pamphlets clutched in hand.
The parent outlook
Though students were the main focus of the event, many were accompanied by their parents for extra support.
Lacy Basford, an academic counselor and parent of a high school senior at The Rock School in Gainesville, attended Santa Fe’s college fair for the second year. This year, with a soon-to-be high school graduate, she wanted to use the event to discover options for higher education other than UF and Santa Fe.
By offering information about lesser known schools and programs, she said, students get an even better idea of the options awaiting them.
“I learn something new every time we come,” Basford said.
As an academic counselor, Basford was able to connect with her students at the fair. She encouraged them to ask about things like tuition cost and course registration requirements.
“I help them figure out where they want to go,” she said. “And for most kids, that is college.”
Contact Lilyanna Collado at lcollado@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @lilyannacollado.
Lilyanna Collado is a junior journalism student and this is her first semester at The Alligator! This semester she is the Santa Fe reporter. When she's not writing she either reading, going to theme parks and spending time with her four dogs.
