COLLEGE FAIR TO BRING DATA TO STUDENTS

Getting firsthand knowledge about colleges just got easier for hundreds of area high school students.

A regional college fair will bring college and military representatives to students from Perryville to Puxico.

The seventh annual fair will be held Monday at the Show Me Center. About 1,500 students are expected to attend the afternoon session.

Jackson High School counselor Judi Meyr said the fair emphasizes any kind of postsecondary education, whether it is a four-year college, vocational, business or cosmetology school.

About 60 percent of Jackson students attend a four-year college, Meyr said, adding that 10 percent receive some type of technical training.

Newly revised information about scholarships and entrance requirements are usually printed at this time of year, so the fair provides timely information, she said.

Brochures from about 65 colleges, technical schools and military branches will be exhibited at the fair.

The school representatives "can answer questions like what college will give me the skill I need to get a job, and is the military in my future?" said Sara Nussbaum, counselor at Perryville High School.

Information on scholarships, grants or student loans will also be available from area banks and a scholarship service.

Parents also are invited to attend an evening session from 6 to 8.

"It's a chance for them to ask specific questions and get involved in making the final choice," Meyr said.