High school students learn of higher education opportunities at college day

High school students from around the area and representatives from more than 25 colleges were at the Western Texas College gym Thursday for College Day.
The event, hosted by Western Texas College, offered students from Scurry and surrounding counties to learn about different schools and potential majors.
Miranda Vasquez, a junior at Hermleigh High School, said the event felt slightly crowded on Thursday, but overall, said it was a good experience.
“I learned a lot,” Vasquez said. “I learned something new about pretty much every school.”
Recruiters from in-state and out-of-state schools were on hand, as well as military recruiters. While students may be familiar with schools like Texas A&M, Texas Tech and the University of Texas, smaller schools, both public and private, use the event as a way to reach students who are not familiar with the school.
“For us, it’s about getting our name out there,” said Breanna Olson, an admissions counselor at New Mexico Military Institute. “The more recognition we are able to receive, the better. We’re here to try and help these students make a smooth transition because it is a stressful time for them.”
The event benefits the high schoolers as well as the colleges.
While students can learn about a school through information pamphlets, the face-to-face interaction allows the recruiters, and the schools, to build a rapport with students.
“We’re a really small school,” said Will Massey, an admissions counselor at Howard Payne University in Brownwood. “The students create that atmosphere. We’re information givers. I tell them about Howard Payne and hopefully they come and visit the campus.”
Students benefit from the interactions because a person with hands-on experience at a university can provide more information than an online article or information packet.
“It’s good to talk to them,” Xavier Sosa, a junior at Colorado City said. “They know more about the experiences and what things are like.”