On Wednesday, February 9, students and families from all BSD high schools are invited to attend the 2022 Virtual College Conference from 6:00-8:30 p.m. This annual conference is recommended for juniors and their families but is open to all high schoolers. Highly knowledgeable BSD staff, former BSD students, business professionals and experts from colleges and universities will share their advice and answer your questions, for applying to colleges.
Conference Opens with Keynote from Dr. Alvin Sturdivant, Seattle University
The 2022 College Conference will open with a keynote address from Dr. Alvin Sturdivant, Vice Provost for Student Development, at Seattle University. Dr. Sturdivant has served as Vice Provost since August 2017, before which time he held the position of Assistant and Associate Vice President for Student Development. He received his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Vermont and his MA and BS from North Carolina State University. Dr. Sturdivant has served in positions of leadership at both public and private universities across the United States and focuses his scholarly efforts on understanding discriminatory practices in college communities and exploring the experiences of students of color in higher education.
College Conference Panel Sessions
Students and families will have a choice of six panel sessions to select from during the live virtual session (all sessions will be recorded, and recordings made available through the district website at the conclusion of the conference). These panels will feature a moderated discussion between presenters based on their professional and personal experience. The topics for panel discussions include:
- Public Universities in the State of Washington: Trends and Opportunities – Including admission professionals from Washington State, Western Washington and University of Washington campuses in Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma. Families can learn about admissions practices, profiles of current freshman, and the unique characteristics of each institution
- Canadian Colleges: Application Process and Opportunities in Canada – Including admissions professionals from the University of British Columbia and University of Victoria. Families can learn about the application process, trends in admissions practices, new program offerings, and some of the characteristics of the different colleges presenting.
- Fine and Performing Arts Colleges/Universities – Including professionals from the New York Film Academy, Cornish School of the Arts and the Simon Fraser University School of the Contemporary Arts. Families can learn about different arts programs offered in the U.S. & Canada as well as understand the process for admissions, portfolios and auditions.
- Admission Process at Private Colleges/Universities – Including admissions counselors from the University of Redlands, George Washington University and Gonzaga. Representatives from these and other selective colleges will provide an overview of how their admissions teams evaluate applications. This session is recommended for tenth and eleventh grade students and families.
- Transfer, Tech and Two-Year Programs – Including representatives from Bellevue College, Seattle Community College and Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Students and families can learn why starting college at a community or technical college can be a great plan and how to smoothly transfer to a four-year university.
- Black Excellence – Get Your College On – Join a panel of Black BSD alums as they share their experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). College Scholarship opportunities for Black students will be highlighted.
College Application Process 101 for Parents (Incluye sesión presentada en español)
Counselors from Bellevue HS, Big Picture, Interlake, International, Newport and Sammamish will present individual sessions designed for families at their schools. These sessions will be led in Spanish and cover an array of topics including: Naviance, the college search process, the role of families and the timelines that are critical to ease the stress of the college application season (October-January). Recommended for tenth and eleventh grade families.
Consejeros de Bellevue HS, Bellevue Big Picture, Interlake, International, Newport y Sammamish presentarán sesiones induviales diseñadas para padres en su escuela. Estas sesiones se llevarán a cabo en español y cubrirán una variedad de temas que incluyen: Naviance, el proceso de búsqueda de la universidad, el papel de las familias y los plazos que son críticos para aliviar el estrés de la temporada de solicitud de ingreso a la universidad (octubre-enero). Recomendado para familias de 10 y 11 grado.
College Conference – Answers for Your Unique Application
During the 2022 College Conference, students and families will also have the opportunity to attend presentations dedicated to unique aspects of the college application process. Topics covered will include: Writing the College Essay, College Entrance Exams, College Success for Students with Learning Differences, Military Options in College Education, Collegiate Athletics, and Tips for Finding a College that is the Right Fit.
How to Finance a College Experience?
Four sessions of the 2022 College Conference will be devoted to informing families on ways to help finance a college experience for their student. Experts will include James Flowers, Associate Director of the Financial Aid Office at the University of Washington Seattle; Peg Keough, College Financial Planning Advisor and founder of Way to the Quad; Paula Bishop, Certified Public Accountant and Advisor for College Financial Aid; and David Aramaki, Financial Advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Presenters will cover general information about the financial aid process, how to financially plan for college, how to apply for aid using the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), finding scholarship opportunities, and how colleges assess eligibility for aid.
Learn More and Access Resources
Over the next few weeks, please check back frequently to the College Conference webpage for the conference schedule, detailed session descriptions and as the date gets closer, and links to join each session.