College Counseling Hosts Online College Fair

While George School’s annual college fair may have looked a bit different this year, there was still much to do and see thanks to the careful planning of the College Counseling team.

“I am really proud that we were able to pivot and adjust the fair to support remote learning,” said Rachael Polton, Associate Director of College Counseling. “Our fair serves as a helpful opportunity for our students to learn about a wide variety of schools and connect with the reps who will most likely be reading their applications.”

Traditionally, George School partners with Solebury School for the fair, but this year Episcopal Academy was added to the mix. College Counselors from all three schools worked together, along with Cialfo, an electronic college search and application program, to produce the three-night event. In addition to meetings and presentations from college admission reps, attendees were also invited to a keynote presentation focusing on topics such as financial aid and college athletics each night.

While it was different, the feedback from the online program was quite positive. “In the virtual fair, students could be more focused and intentional with their time,” said Rachael. “Each night had fewer presentations, so students could slow down and focus on having more deliberate conversations. With the new format, students typically interacted with reps in small groups, where a conversation can feel more natural and less formal.”

“My experience was especially helpful during these rough times,” said Martin Gillis ’21. “Meeting college representatives was more close-knit and intimate than I expected. Compared to my experience at an in person fair, the virtual fair provided enough time to ask questions and was at a good pace that allowed me to really learn about the colleges I was interested in.”