College fair helps students, parents hunt for right school

Redmond High School senior Tam Nguyen looked a little dazed as she surveyed the row upon row of informational booths featuring about 400 colleges from around the country.

"I never knew there were this many schools," she said. "How do you choose?"

About 20,000 high-school students and their parents were expected to attend the free National College Fair, which runs through noon today at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.

The large crowds may be a sign of the national frenzy surrounding college admittance that officials say is being fueled by status-conscious parents and a record number of college-age students.

"Anxiety is at a fever pitch, not only because of the perception of increasing competition, but the level of uncertainty among both students and colleges," said David Hawkins, director of policy and research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), which sponsors the annual College Fair.

Among the symptoms of the frenzy, Hawkins said: Almost 20 percent of incoming college freshmen submitted seven or more applications for admission; some students submitted as many as 30 applications; and some parents submitted 15 on behalf of their child.

"That's an extreme, but people are going to extremes," he said.

An estimated 3.3 million high-school students graduated in 2008. That number is expected to peak slightly higher with the graduating class of 2009, and not fall below 3.2 million until 2017, according to NACAC.

Washington state colleges reported record numbers of applications for this year's college freshmen.

The University of Washington received 20,000 applications and enrolled 5,500 students. Western Washington University received 9,500 applications and enrolled 2,700 students.

Tiny Whitman College, a private liberal-arts school in Walla Walla, received 3,300 applications and enrolled just 431 students, the lowest acceptance rate in Whitman history, said Tony Cabasco, director of admissions.

The good news, admissions directors say, is there is a college for everyone and the vast majority of students are accepted at their first- or second-choice school.

The Seattle college fair offers seminars on writing application essays, financing a college education and preparing an effective admission packet. It also provides an opportunity to meet representatives of a range of educational institutions, from a 600-student college in Italy, to a culinary school, to state universities and military academies.

Only the Ivy League schools were not in attendance, because, as one conference organizer said, they don't have to advertise.

Western Washington University Director of Admissions Karen Copetas said schools are looking less at standardized-test scores such as the SAT or ACT, and more at high-school grades and the quality of the courses.

She tried to reassure an audience of about 60 parents and students Sunday that the best school isn't necessarily the most selective one but rather one that's the best fit for a student's values and dreams. She encouraged students to narrow their choices to a handful.

"I say, you have not done your homework if you're applying to 10 colleges," she said.

Oscar Zamora, a freshman at Ellensburg High School, was one of the younger students at the college fair. He said he wasn't expecting to see so many colleges. He said his older brother and sister, who have both graduated from college, told him to start looking now.

Brendan Daly, an Eastlake High School junior, agreed that the number of potential colleges was "pretty overwhelming."

His father, Richard Daly, said the fair may not help in making a decision about which college to attend, but that "it helps kids realize how wide open the choice is and encourages them to put as much effort into the process as they can."

Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com