At Class 101, the college list is essential to all other components of the college planning process. It can help determine test prep goals, the best course of study throughout high school, as well as what summer programs, academic programs, volunteer opportunities, and extracurriculars will help a student reach his/her college and career goals. Therefore, our students begin exploring colleges as early as eighth and ninth grade. This early research should be relaxed and fun. One place for eighth, ninth, and tenth grade students to jump into their college list is at college fairs.

There are a number of college fairs in our area in the fall of 2022.

• *Miami Valley Christian College Fair–September 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Troy Christian High School
• *Dayton Dragons & Day Air College Prep Night–September 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark
• *Columbus Suburban College Fair–October 9 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Otterbein University
• *Cincinnati National College Fair–October 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Duke Energy Convention Center
• *Southwest Ohio Regional College Fair–October 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Miami University – Hamilton
• *Warren County College Fair–October 19 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Lebanon High School

College fairs are an easy, social way for students to receive information from many schools and to begin reflecting on their college fit preferences. A number of factors help our students define their college lists: location and geography, the student’s college fit preferences, family expectations, and academic program information. For a few students, their area of study has to be a primary consideration. If they would like to major in something few schools offer, then the college list is first shaped by the student’s area of interest. Extracurricular interests like sports or music might also narrow the list. At times, family legacy is a primary influence on the list. For the majority of our students, we start with a very broad list of schools, and we advise our students to tour a smaller school (less than 5,000 students), a mid-sized school (5,000 to 10,000 students), a large school (10,000 to 20,000 students), and an extra-large school (more than 20,000 students). Our lists will often include urban, suburban, and rural options, and we talk about the importance of visiting the community as much as visiting the college.

Developing the college list is a central part of college planning at Class 101. If you would like to learn more about how we support high school students as they chart their course from high school to college, call us at 937-705-5113.