NORWALK, Conn. — Over 100 colleges and universities—including UConn, Providence College, and SCSU—will visit Norwalk High School on Wednesday, April 23, for the 39th Annual District-Wide College Fair.
High school students from around Norwalk and their families are invited to attend the free fair, which will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Norwalk High, located at 23 Calvin Murphy Drive.
Norwalk High School Assistant Principal Dan Sullivan said that approximately 650 people (students and parents) attended the 38th College Fair in 2024, “and we hope for a similar number this year.”
No registration is required; high school students and their parents/guardians can simply “show up whenever between 5 and 7:30,” according to Quanasia Green, a college and career counselor at Brien McMahon High School.
There will be dozens of schools on hand representing numerous states, including New York, Massachusetts, and, of course, Connecticut.
“For us, the biggest highlights are our state schools, especially UConn, Western, Eastern, Central, Southern, and the CT State [community colleges] are also big in attendance,” said Green.
“We also will have the military there, which is usually a big draw, so we have a variety, and then we have schools from New York, Maine, and New Hampshire,” she added, noting Lincoln Technical Institute, which has a location in Shelton, will also be on site.
Schools expected to attend include Keene State College (NH), Iona University (NY), St. Lawrence University (NY), the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Delaware, the University of Bridgeport, the University of New Haven, Pennsylvania College of Technology, and the US Coast Guard Academy.
Representatives from each institution will be stationed at their own booths, where students can ask questions and obtain pamphlets and other information.
“We hand out bags for all the pamphlets they may collect, and so students make their way down the aisles and speak to all the reps of interest,” explained Green, adding that some schools “even have raffles; some have more interactive displays—it’s a good time.”
Sullivan advised students and parents “to try and optimize this event/time to serve postsecondary needs and goals. Have some questions or information you hope to garner and network.”
The College Fair is “a great opportunity, especially for making those connections with reps,” said Green.
“Reps meet a ton of people, but they can always put a face with a name once they make that initial connection outside of just the application,” she added.
“So, if you are really interested in a school, this is a great opportunity to have that one-on-one time to actually talk to the rep that’s reviewing your application, even if it’s in a year or two,” Green added. “Because a lot of the time, they will have you sign up … that you were in attendance, and they keep track of that—and we call it demonstrated interest.”
And it’s never too early to show demonstrated interest in a school, she stressed.
“If you’re showing up at events from freshman year, that’s going to look great when they finally see your application come up in their portal when you’re a senior. So, it’s never too early to show them that you’re interested and ready to put in the work,” said Green.
With upperclassmen nearing the end of their time in high school, the College Fair is attended by “a lot of juniors,” but there are also “some sophomores and a lot of parents coming just to get information about the process and what to expect, especially with our freshman parents, who are like, ‘what is this postsecondary world that we have to navigate?’” said Green.
“We also have student counselors who stop by to build those connections with the college reps as well,” she added.
According to Sullivan, there will be a shuttle bus available from Andrews Field if needed on the night of the College Fair.
For more information on the event, email Green at greenq@norwalkps.org.
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