NEW HOPE ACADEMY: An international private school in PG county, MD

College Fair Field Trip

Baltimore Convention Center


Note: See below for information about directions and parking, including where to park for $8 (Camden Yards) instead of $26 (parking garages).

New Hope Academy 10th, 11th, and 12th graders went to the college fair sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) at the Baltimore Convention Center on November 12, 2008. There were hundreds of booths staffed by representatives from colleges and universities from across the U.S., and even a few from other countries. The fair provided an opportunity to let prospective students talk with admission representatives about the selling points of their particular college, their admission requirements, financial aid, majors, classes offered, college life in general, and other information about the college selection process. Students gained a lot from the experience.


Students' comments

"A college that really caught my attention was Clark Atlanta University. They had a Criminal Justice Major. I realized that I did not have to attend a big name college to succeed." —Bryan Hernandez, Junior

"Going into the fair, I had a strict mindset on what I wanted to do, but I came out with a much more open mind to schools and plenty of new options. I learned that in the admissions process, it helps to establish a personal connection with the college and keep in touch." —Martin Claggett, Junior

"I learned about colleges like Virginia Tech and Capitol College. There was a lot of information about each college and I learned what it's like to be a college student." —Jathan Wright, Junior

"Visiting the College Fair really opened my eyes to a lot of colleges I've never considered before. I can see myself applying to and hopefully attending universities like Rowan University and UCLA." —Alicia Rush, Junior

"I became interested in 3 colleges at the fair: Thiel, Stevenson and Penn State. The college admissions process is easy for students who want to transfer." —Phyllicia Hart, Junior

"The colleges that I became interested in as a result of the fair are Kettering University, the School of Technology, West Virginia University, and Georgia University. I learned that you have to spend a lot of money on applications, and your grades have to meet the college's requirements. You have to have good SAT or ACT scores. It's not as easy as it seems, like you just don't apply to a college and get in. Some colleges pick you by what you have to offer." —Jeremy Martin, Senior

"What I have learned about the admissions process is that you sometimes need a good SAT score, at least a 3.0 to enter a good college that you are interested in. One thing that I have realized is that in order to follow my dream I have to work very hard for it." —Giselle Lemus, Sophomore

"It was so much better being able to talk to admissions counselors in person instead of trying to contact them through email or just reading the brochure they send you. They tell you about your major and admissions requirements. By talking to admissions counselors you are also getting information from students since most of them are alumni." —Nina Ullrich, Senior

"During the college fair I became interested in the University of Tampa, Clark Atlanta and the University of Maryland. They had really good representatives. They talked about majors that I would be interested in and possible scholarships that I could receive based upon my GPA, ACT, and SAT scores." —Diamonesha Brown, Junior

"From the moment you entered the room, your eyes would grow wide from the sight of the thousands of students gathered around the many schools that had come to the event. There was so much information provided on every school and a representative to talk to if the brochure did not provide enough information. Information can be sent to you if you sign up, which is simply done with your email address." —Dawn Evans, Junior

"I learned that if you live in Maryland, tuituion would be less than if you are out of state. This was my first time to go to a college fair and it was so big." —Naoki Hamamoto, Junior and international exchange student from Japan

"As a 12th grader, I was glad I attended the college fair. I became interested in the University of Tampa and Delaware State. I learned that the admissions process at many colleges and universities were very competitive, while many offered scholarships based on grades and you are able to receive ample amount of money based solely on your grades. I realized after the college fair that if I kept above a 3.5 GPA and raised my SAT scores just a little bit more, paying for college would be a breeze!" —Fortunate Nwasu, Senior


Baltimore Convention Center photo

Directions and parking


Driving directions to the Baltimore Convention Center

1 W Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21201
31.2 mi - about 39 mins (up to 1 hour in traffic)

from New Hope Academy (the Washington D.C. area)
7009 Varnum St, Hyattsville, MD 20784

1. Head northwest on Varnum St toward Allison St   -   0.2 mi
2. Turn left at Annapolis Rd/MD-450   -   0.9 mi
3. Take the Baltimore / Washington Pkwy ramp to Baltimore   -   0.3 mi
4. Merge onto MD-295 N   -   29.5 mi
5. Turn right at W Camden St   -   0.2 mi (2 blocks)
6. Turn right at S Howard St   -   453 ft. (1 block)
7. Turn right at W Conway St in front of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, road turns left, go straight to gate of parking lots, get ticket ($8 for the whole day as of 11/12/2008).

Alternate route:
3. Take I-95 N toward I-695/Baltimore
4. Take exit 53 to merge onto I-395 N toward M L King Blvd   -   1.2 mi
5. Take the exit toward Russell St   -   Destination will be on the right, 0.3 mi.