Choosing a college can be somewhat difficult, but Haywood High School seniors have been busy deciding on the college they plan to attend after their high school graduation by exploring colleges with the help of Haywood County GEAR UP TN.

Eighty-eight seniors visited the Southern Classic College Fair, hosted by the City of Memphis, and toured Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis on September 11. The fair gave students the chance to meet with over 80 college recruiters from four-year colleges, community colleges, and the military in the Pipkin Building in Memphis. The tour of Southwest Tennessee Community College, located on the Macon Cove campus, gave students a look at the campus, allowed them to visit several buildings to see the classrooms, the library, the bookstore, and the technology available on the campus.

On October 8, 51 seniors from Haywood High School and the Haywood High REACH Academy toured the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. The tour is a part of the ongoing services provided by Haywood County GEAR UP TN to help students get college and career ready. Seniors visited classrooms and learned about the various programs offered at the TCAT including the Automotive Technology, Computer Information Technology, Industrial Electricity Technology, HVAC, Machine Tool Technology, and Welding programs. As students visited the classrooms, students and instructors from the TCAT told the seniors about the programs, the salaries they expect to make once they graduate, some of the requirements of the programs, and they provided demonstrations to show seniors some of the training they receive at the college.

GEAR UP tours are a very important part of the college process, allow students to get a true feel for a college, and decide if the college is the right “fit” for them. Also, they give students a chance to see the location and size of the campus, learn about the programs offered, and see the actual learning environment of the college.

Earlier this semester, HHS seniors also had an opportunity to visit Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis. The tour included visits to classrooms, the library, and other areas of the school.

Students who receive the Tennessee Promise will be able to attend the Whiteville TCAT or any of other 26 TCAT’s in the state of Tennessee or any community college in Tennessee free of tuition and fees.