By: Bella D’Adderio

Every year, anxious high school students will go through the struggle of applying to the college of their dreams. However, Hershey High School’s Counseling Department has found a way to make this time a little less stressful.

On Wednesday, April 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the High School auditorium, Hershey High School will host a panel of college admissions counselors. This will then provide students and families with valuable information when it comes to navigating the admissions process for the right school.

These college bound students from HHS and surrounding school districts will be given an insider perspective from admissions officers at Gettysburg College, Lafayette College, and Penn State Harrisburg University. By having information coming directly from the mouths of the people who read the applications, students can gain insight as to what these specific schools are looking for.

The attendees at the forum will learn about current trends in college admissions and how to decipher the admissions process. Many families and students can have misconceptions about this confusing method, so being able to hear what goes on behind closed doors can clear up the confusion.

In addition, students can see how transcripts and test scores are evaluated. This can be extremely beneficial especially because of the new SAT format.

On the other hand, if students are having trouble finding the right fit, they will be able to determine if choosing a gap year would be the right choice for them.

Those who attend will also be able to ask specific questions and share their concerns with the admissions officers.

HHS Guidance Counselor, Lisa Maggio, says the forum not only gives students food for thought but also allows them to find out how certain schools look at information.

“It’s a great event if you can attend,” Maggio said, “I would encourage everyone to come.”