The Oak Park High School College and Career Center organizes multiple events to provide students with the information needed to plan their future.

“We start the school year off with a boot camp for the seniors, basically everything they need to help them with the college admission process,” College and Career Counselor Amanda Fitts said. “It goes over how to fill out the Common App, the UC and Cal State applications, essays and PIQs.”

Some of the largest events and the ones that gained the most traction included College Knowledge Night and the Mock Admission Committee. 

“We talk a lot about what colleges are the right fit for a student,” College and Career Adviser Ambyr Preston said. “By coming and hearing the reps and what they have to say, students actually learn if that’s a school they would want to attend. Maybe it doesn’t have a big name, but it may fit what you want to do, what you want to learn or who you are as a person.” 

The center offers everything from freshmen through senior family night Zooms, to financial aid information sessions, to essay workshops. 

“I think the events are very successful, we have a strong turnout to the things that we offer,” Fitts said. “I think we’re helping kind of expose both the students and the parents to how much really is out there, besides just the common things that everybody knows.”

The planning process for these events is done way in advance and requires coordination across numerous departments. With the intention to grow and develop their program even more, they encourage all students to take advantage of the resources available and ask any questions they have. 

“This is the best building on campus, and there’s something for everyone,” Preston jokingly said.