By: Faith Davis and Shreya Senthilkumar

College visits at Apex have been very popular amongst all students this school year. With application deadlines right around the corner, many students are having big decisions to make for their future. With Covid delaying in person campus tours, it can be hard to get a feel for the right school. Luckily, we’ve had many schools come right to us. All students at Apex are able to sign up for free visits to learn more about schools inside and out of North Carolina. Students can learn about the majors offered as well as campus life. 

Here at Apex, we are fortunate to have Mr. Hayes, our college/career counselor. When sitting down to talk to him, he provided great resources and recommendations for making decisions about your future. Having different Universities come visit us here at Apex is a privilege and fantastic opportunity for students to learn about various schools and ask questions they may have. Mr. Hayes mentioned that “every school is a little different in terms of whether or not you have to have a certain GPA or SAT score. So, the colleges like to come to the campuses to inform the students so they are more likely to apply”. Learning about various requirements and offered programs is really important to the final decision a student makes. 

While college visits are open to all students, they’re especially important for juniors. Mr. Hayes added that colleges mainly focus on activities a student has done up until their junior year, meaning juniors benefit the most from learning about what colleges want in terms of academics and extracurriculars. By attending at least four to five college visits, current juniors can plan out how many schools they want to apply to next year, which will better prepare them for the college application process.

For many students, life after high school leaves a question mark. Whether to go to college, join the workforce, go into the armed forces, or take a different route, many students don’t know where they want to go. Luckily, all students have access to a resource that the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) pays for. It is called MajorClarity. Mr. Hayes mentions that “You not only can use it when you’re in high school, but when you graduate you can actually turn it into an alumni account.” This program conducts a survey that takes your personality type and matches it with careers that may fit you. It is a great way to learn about yourself as well as explore possible careers. For those who know college is not for them, Mr. Hayes can also help with discovering alternative options for after high school. His office is located on the first floor in room 1253. You can also send him an email or simply find him in the hallway to set up a meeting. 

To stay updated on upcoming college visits, you can view the college visits calendar on the Student Services website or follow @ApexCounselors on Twitter.

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College Visit Calendar: ​​http://apexhscounselors.weebly.com/college-visit-calendar.html

 Student Services Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApexCounselors