Aspiring artists and performers from around the nation and world gathered Monday afternoon in Interlochen Arts Academy's Kresge Auditorium to meet and greet college recruiters from top arts colleges.
The school's first ever summer College Fair allowed some of the 2,172 summer campers to check out colleges ranging from the Eastman School of Music and Indiana University to Julliard and Wheaton Conservatory of Music. In all, representatives from 49 colleges gave out information, gathered names and addresses and answered questions.
For the estimated 400 attending students, including high schoolers from the community at large, the face-to-face contact proved invaluable.
"It's reassuring when someone rattles statistics off the
top of their head on how to get in and what it's like living there versus looking on the Internet and seeing their propaganda," said Joseph Colombo, a summer camper from Florida studying classical musical composition. "You can ask tough questions and see how they react, how they think on their feet; the confidence they portray when you ask a tough question, that's a good sign."
Sitting with Colombo were his cabin mates for the camp, all taking a break from the crush on stage to sift through reams of material they had collected. They mulled over one of the most difficult decisions for college-bound seniors-to-be.
"I've been to a few college fairs but none of this magnitude," said Mark Peterson, a summer camper from Colorado. "I'm asking a lot about their musical theater departments, trying to find a school."
Interlochen's annual fall College Fair grew this year to include the summer date to better serve students hoping to train at the college level. The school has held the October event for it's regular academic year students for more than 20 years, always inviting arts students to attend from surrounding high schools to participate.
"It's not just for Interlochen kids, we really try to bring it out to the community," said Doug Long, coordinator of counseling services at the school.
This year, Interlochen counselors decided to expand the concept to reach summer camp students, who hail from all 50 states as well as 40 countries.
"It gives them a chance to see what's out there, start looking and see where they will fit in," noted Long. "College contact is important, colleges track the contact."
The advantages of personal contact go both ways, with recruiters able to put names to enrollee faces later on.
"By having them seeing us here, they get a face to connect with," said Ashley Budde, admissions representative for Alma College, who also appreciates when parents attend fairs with their child. "We're a school of about 1,300 students so most of the students I meet I remember."
Alice Frenz of the Columbus College of Art and Design was working her first college fair in about 15 years. A faculty member at the Ohio school, she relished meeting the talented campers from around the nation and world who vibrated with enthusiasm about the arts.
"They're very talented people who are really interested in the arts, so that's very special," noted Frenz, adding of the campus art she viewed before the event: "The work I saw in the hallways here is equal to the very best I've ever seen in high schools."
Natalie Brejcha, admissions counselor of the California Institute of the Arts School of Music, grooved at meeting fellow devotees of music. She talked animatedly about the school's prestigious music offerings as well as delved into a student's interests, talents and dreams.
"What's great is that you are talking to people who love music and want to do what I want to do," she enthused.