Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
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While thousands of students are heading back to school this week, a number of high school juniors and seniors are starting to think about college.

In a tight economy, the campus road trip – for many families, a rite of passage – to visit colleges and universities is just out of reach. Others, who want to take a more green approach, know that a virtual college tour will help save money, gasoline and reduce their carbon footprint.

The Tom Joyner Virtual College Fair allows prospective students and their families to visit college booths – both mainstream, rural and lesser-known tenants – and get information about academics, the admission process, academic scholarships, majors, and undergraduate and graduate programs and have their questions answered by recruiters from all over the country.

There also is information on how to determine which college is best for the student, whether to choose an HBCU or a mainstream school, how to stay in college – especially when dealing with time and financial management – as well as ways to prepare for life after college, things that students often don’t address until there is a problem or they are nearing graduation.

Students and their parents can “visit” more than 60 schools – something no road trip could feasibly offer.

Among the HBCUs and mainstream colleges set to participate are Alabama State University, Baylor University, Bennett College, Cornell University, Fisk University, Kentucky State University, Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M University, Spelman College, Tuskegee University, West Point Academy and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Virtual booths are set up to allow students and or parents to speak with someone from each admissions office; get specific information about student activities and apply online.

For example, students visiting the Web site of Bennett College for Women will learn the college offers 24 areas of study in education, the social sciences, the humanities, natural and behavioral sciences and mathematics.

Parents will find the Bennett Parent Association, through which they can participate in a number of activities at the college and assist in recruitment and fundraising efforts.

The college sponsors an entrepreneurship institute for women and recently received accept $125,000 in scholarships from the PUSH Excel’s Bennett Excel Scholars program.

Information is also available on online programs, such as University of Phoenix, as well as traditional colleges and universities that provide online classes, including Texas A&M and University of Chicago.

Community service organizations are represented, too, including fraternities, Alpha Psi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma and Kappa Alpha Psi, with information about scholarships, education programs, training and development for members.