Navigating college applications can be difficult. The College Bridge Camp prepares high schoolers for the next step.Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult for young adults and their parents, especially when it comes to financial managmement and decision-making. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Regions Institute for Financial Education provides young adults with best practices in navigating the transition through the College Bridge Camp, where families experience various case scenarios that allow them to make wise choices as a college student.
“Our weeklong program prepares rising 11th and 12th graders for decisions that are on the horizon,” said Stephanie Yates, Ph.D., associate professor of finance in the UAB School of Business. “It is important that they learn college terms, discover more about the admissions process and increase their confidence about completing applications as they enter their final year of high school.”
The camp focuses on the difference between high school and college to give teens the assurance needed to conquer the college process. Rising high school juniors and seniors will discuss why they want to attend college, and look at additional options, such as trade schools, two-year colleges and four-year colleges. They will also learn how to identify the best school for their needs based on curriculum, institutional history and career goals.
“In addition to college choices, we will discuss life skills, such as time management, financial literacy and balancing social involvement,” Yates said.
During the camp, Yates will help students identify the ways they need to prepare as they apply to college and prepare for how they will pay for college. She will discuss how to use your academic gifts and talents to help find your ideal career, alongside extracurricular involvement and the role that plays in college admissions. Attendees will be encouraged to identify ways to pay for college by pursuing scholarships, grants and federal aid.
At the end of the week, they will discuss the advantage of college visits and emotions leading up to leaving home.
The College Bridge Camp runs June 25-28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UAB Collat School of Business, 710 13th St. South. The cost is $250 per attendee and free for GEAR UP Alabama students. For more information, click here.