The Fall Recruiting Season Begins

This article first appeared on GoLocalPDX.com on July 22, 2015.

It may still be summer, but the fall college recruiting season is getting underway.

Colleges send their admissions representatives to visit cities around the country because it is an effective marketing method. Over the next several months, hundreds of representatives will be visiting Portland, Oregon -- and Portland high school students. Traditionally, some representatives come directly to local high schools; others will rent space and have a larger information session open to the broader community.

Some representatives will also search their mailing lists and reach out to students through an invite for a coffee, a pizza party or an interview. Regardless of how they find students or how students find them, there is an abundance of local opportunities for students to broaden their understanding of different colleges and decide if they are a good fit. Attending these events is also a way that students demonstrate interest, which is a factor that some schools take into account when making admissions decisions.

Here are some upcoming events that are worth your consideration:

Colleges That Change Lives

This is a group of 40 liberal arts colleges. Although they may not be the “name brand” schools you recognize, these are wonderful places where students have transformative experiences. I highly recommend that all students 9th-11th grade come and check out these schools. Seniors, if one of these schools is on your list, please look at these and make it a point to connect directly with a school representative. A representative is the person likely to read your application and it works to your advantage if he or she remembers you.

Wednesday, July 29, 7-9 pm
Oregon Convention Center
Portland Ballrooms 252-255
777 NE MLK, Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97232

The program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m. with a 30-minute information session, and a college fair begins immediately afterwards, lasting approximately 1.5 hours. Pre-registration is not required.

Represented Schools: 

• Agnes Scott College  
• Allegheny College                  
• Antioch College                     
• Austin College                       
• Beloit College             
• Birmingham-Southern College                       
• Centre College            
• Clark University                    
• Cornell College                       
• Denison University               
• Earlham College                     
• Eckerd College                       
• The Evergreen State College              
• Goucher College
• Guilford College         
• Hampshire College     
• Hendrix College
• Hillsdale College
• Hiram College
• Hope College
• Juniata College
• Kalamazoo College
• Knox College
• Lawrence University
• Lynchburg College
• Marlboro College
• McDaniel College
• Millsaps College          
• New College of Florida
• Ohio Wesleyan University
• Reed College
• Rhodes College
• Southwestern University
• St. John's College
• Saint Mary's College [CA]
• St. Olaf College
• Ursinus College
• University of Puget Sound
• Wabash College
• Whitman College
• Willamette University
• College of Wooster

At the same time, you could opt instead to hear from The University of Chicago:

Wednesday, July 29, 6:30-7:30 pm
Catlin Gabel School
8825 SW Barnes Rd
Portland, OR 97225
Pre-registration is requested.

And mark your calendars now for the August visit of the Claremont College Consortium.

• Claremont McKenna
• Harvey Mudd
• Scripps
• Pitzer

Note that Pomona is part of this consortium but will not be present at the Portland reception.

Saturday August 15, 2pm
Doubletree by Hilton
1000 NE Multnomah St.
Portland, OR 97232
Pre-registration is requested.

Prospective students and their families are invited to a reception for the Claremont Colleges. Attendees will hear from admission representatives from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer and Scripps about the benefits of attending their college, as well as the advantages of participating in this type of college consortia.