A Glimpse Into the Future: The High School's College Fair

A resident once said that parents and students come together only twice each school year: graduation and the annual College Fair.

That observation was true as hundreds of family groupings wandered Belmont High School's Wenner Field House to explore or confirm choices from 140 institutions that signed up to present their best foot forward to potential candidates.

And those choices included the "usual suspects" according to Belmont High School Principal Michael Harvey: Ivy League schools and prestigious small New England colleges.

But also represented this year were alternatives avenues to the next step in student's education such as the Paul Mitchell Cosmetology Schools, Reserve Officers' Training Corp - ROTC - and branches of the US military. 

"It's that variety and the number that is impressive," said Harvey, especially as a nearby large school - Newton North High School - was holding its college fair on the same night. 

While joking that the number of schools may have been inspired to come with the guarantee of "being fed pizza," Harvey said the educators understand that Belmont students "are well-prepared and accomplished."

"They've recruited outstanding students from here in the past and know there's a pool (of students) from Belmont who will be great students," said Harvey.

Branchaud Road resident Laura Burnes was manning the Skidmore College table, advocating for her alma mater located in Saratoga Springs, New York. 

"It's a spectacular place to go to school," said Burnes, an art history major who spent her junior year abroad and wrote her senior thesis on her experiences overseas. 

"It's not a big school with a fabulous arts program but it also has great sports teams. It was where I made all my best friends, it's a real community," she said. 

"Well, it's in California!" said Kristen Hann, who left Amherst "and its five colleges" for the University of Southern California.

But while more than 3,000 miles away, Massachusetts students are well represented in the student population, said Hann, who graduated in 1994 and now works at MIT. 

"Students here ask me about class size and housing," she said. But in many ways, "USC's national reputation in many fields help sells potential applicants," said Hann.

And one of those applicants include Scott Backman who was filling out a card at the St. Michael ("St. Mike's!") College table. 

"Right now, I just want to know what's what," the tall junior said, who is not just undecided where he wants to attend college but "I don't know anything at this point." 

He is interested in a "liberal artsy college in New England with an emphasis on history and theater. 

"So I'll probably going to a lot of places tonight," he said.

Rachel Polansky has her heart set on attending either the University of Vermont or Syracuse. But mom, Jennie Ulin, wants her senior to "to expand her mind on what's out there."

"She has these fixed ideas and I want her to be more open to places that will be more of a stretch for her," said Ulin. 

And while Polansky understands why her mother believes that her choices are "not enough of a reach" and admits that her current favorites are "in the middle" of the schools she could attend with her grades and test scores, "I fell in love UV and Syracuse so I'm not really looking for another school," she said.

"We'll see," said Ulin, giving her the "mom knows" look as the two walked arm-in-arm with the rest of the groups of parents and kids looking at their future.