Last week, college counselors and representatives from throughout the region came together for Maggie Walker’s annual college kick-off event, marking a great start to an exciting chapter in every high schooler’s life, especially for sophomores and juniors. After several months of working with the seniors on their recommendation letters, applications, and other college preparations, Ms. Kim Forquer and Dr. Rachel Loving, Maggie Walker’s senior college counselors, were excited to start this process with the rest of the school. After a virtual setting for the past two years, the counselors were happy to be back in person to relay the abundance of information they had lined up to students. 

When asked how effective the virtual information sessions were in the past, Forquer and Loving mentioned that only about 80-90% of the information they wanted to get out to their students was communicated. Being back in person allowed for more time with students and parents, connections with college representatives, and opportunities for students. Although information being communicated virtually in past years was not the first choice, it allowed for the counselors and students to connect with schools further from Richmond and build partnerships for coming years. 

“This displayed sort of a silver lining, as we were able to build relationships with different schools during the pandemic,” said Forquer. In this year’s in-person college kickoff, bringing in a selection of college panelists allowed the schools to show how much they wanted to engage with Maggie Walker students, and the allotted time and in-person event made for a more hands-on and up-front experience for both the students and parents.

When asked what they thought was the most influential piece of information a college representative said during the kick-off, Forquer mentioned the stressed diversity of applicants in regards to their overall applications. “The college representatives really belabored the fact that certain colleges will be looking for well-rounded applicants, while other colleges like to see the ‘pointy’ students, or those who show their desired interest in one or a few more areas,” she said.

Ava Geisel, a junior in the midst of starting her college preparations, mentioned how helpful the college kick-off was. She explained that a lot of the information spelled out was already composed of things she had been thinking about, and that she liked how straightforward and informative the counselors and college representatives were. Her favorite piece of insight was when one of the college representatives spoke about the importance of semester and year-long grades to college admissions offices. Geisel mentioned that she also liked hearing the panelists’ advice on what juniors could get started on during their school year and over the summer.

Overall, last week’s college kick-off events were a success, providing students and parents with valuable information needed to start the college process!