Largest Iowa College Fair Draws Hundreds of Colleges to Des Moines
Diversity of Choices Available to Student at Golden Circle College Fair
DES MOINES, IOWA (Sept. 15, 2015) — The Golden Circle College Fair is being held next weekend in Des Moines and will showcase nearly 130 colleges, universities and career resources, creating an opportunity for those planning for college within the next couple of years to explore options.
“Golden Circle College Fair is a fantastic opportunity for students and parents to start and build their relationships with colleges and universities all in one location!” said Erin Gabriel, college and career coordinator at Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines. “As students navigate the college search process, the fair helps them find the right fit for them – academically, socially and financially!”
A college fair is the ideal place to learn more about schools students might consider too far away to visit, too expensive or exclusive, or otherwise unattainable. Presented by the Iowa College Access Network , ACT, Hy-Vee and the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the fair runs from 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Iowa Events Center in Hy-Vee Hall. Hy-Vee Hall is located at 730 3rd Street in downtown Des Moines.
“We really encourage high school sophomores and juniors, as well as others in the planning process, to visit college fairs,” said Jessica Schultz, event coordinator and program coordinator for the Iowa College Access Network® (ICAN). “The Golden Circle is a great fair to attend simply because so many schools exhibit. Students can talk one-on-one with representatives of schools from across the country in one afternoon.”
For the second year in a row, ACT, Inc. is partnering with ICAN to support the fair, bringing career resources and the expertise of ACT, one of the leaders in college preparation testing and research, to Golden Circle’s students and families.
“Our partnership this year bring a new level to Golden Circle and really expands the scope for students and parents,” explained Schultz. “In today’s every-changing job market it’s important for students to not only plan for college put to have a career path in mind when they are making college decisions, and to understand the expectations employers will have once they graduate. ACT, Hy-Vee and the Greater Des Moines Partnership bring career expertise and data to a new level.”
Breakout sessions will be offered throughout the fair to educate attendees on planning and preparing for college, employer expectations, interview skills, career outlook in Iowa, as well as the financial aid process.
“This year we will offer four different sessions for attendees, one on college and career planning presented by ACT, an employer outlook session on job interviews from Hy-Vee, a look at the current and future job trends for Central Iowa from the Greater Des Moines Partnership and one on the financial aid process presented by the ICAN team,” explained Schultz. “Sessions will be held every 30 minutes and include a question and answer session so students and parents can learn about the overall process and receives specific advice and information for their situation.”
More than 120 Iowa and Midwestern schools are joined by colleges from Tennessee, Texas, New York, Virginia and Massachusetts, among others. To see the complete list of exhibitors, visit www.ICANsucceed.org/goldencircle.
Students can also find suggestions for preparing for college fairs, making the most of their visits and what to do after a fair online. ICAN advises fairgoers to make a list of questions for schools and to take preprinted address labels to stick on college information cards. An additional option is the College Fair Barcode, a pre-fair service that lets students register for and print out copies of a personal barcode to be scanned by colleges in lieu of completing information cards. For more information about the Golden Circle College Fair, or to register for a barcode visit www.ICANsucceed.org/goldencircle.
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About ICAN
The Iowa College Access Network is a nonprofit, educational organization. ICAN is the College Access Network for Iowa, and a member of the National College Access Network (NCAN). ICAN has 11 locations in Ankeny, Cedar Rapids/Hiawatha, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Orange City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo, which provide information and support to students and their families as they plan their postsecondary education and apply for financial aid. All ICAN programs and services are provided without charge. For more information about ICAN, call (877) 272-4692 or visit www.ICANsucceed.org.