The anticipation of life after high school was palpable at the annual college and career fair at Bayonne High School on Wednesday, October 5. Students and parents crowded the gymnasium to get a word in with spiffy college representatives, mostly from New Jersey and surrounding areas.
Ready to make their cases, they stood behind tables decked out in their schools’ colors. Academic programs, campus life, school safety, career counseling, and admission requirements were just some of the issues on the table.
Most college representatives had similar selling points: affordability, scholarships, lively campus life, and safety. “The main thing they’re trying to find out is why should I make NJCU my home for the next four years,” said Brian Ferrante, a NJCU representative. “So we really stress a high level of education at an affordable price.” Ferrante’s pitch was similar to those of other schools, so making your school stand out from the rest can be a challenge.
“I’m leaning toward Kean University. The business courses there seem really interesting,” said BHS senior Josh Hallenbeck after a long discussion with the Kean representative. “When [the college representative] was explaining it, it was exactly in the mindset of where I want to go,” Hallenbeck said. Hallenbeck aspires to own a construction business and gain the knowledge necessary to do it. But he does not look forward to the recursive learning process, unless it is directly applicable to his desired course of study. He wants “hands-on” experience,“not a lot of just reading books and having to reword it back into a test.”
Like Hallenbeck, Jennifer La Pelusa has a good idea of what she wants to do, but unlike Hallenbeck, is unsure of what school will lead her in the right direction. La Pelusa wants to be a teacher, and she’s already on track, working at the preschool camp at the Bayonne Public Library and first-grade religion classes. Her shortlist of schools includes Fairleigh Dickinson, Rider, Montclair, and Caldwell. “The education programs are pretty good there,” she said. Her father, Gary La Pelusa is the Third Ward Councilman and owns a landscaping business. “She wants to help out in the summer, do some filing, that’s it,” he said.
“I have other interests,” his daughter said. He proudly supports her.
“I’m leaning toward Kean University. The business courses there seem really interesting. When [the college representative] was explaining it, it was exactly in the mindset of where I want to go.” – Josh Hallenbeck
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Word from the wise
Lawrence Sangi, a history teacher at BHS, roamed the gym in a University of Scranton polo shirt offering advice to students. “I say what do you like, what are your thoughts? Because they’re going to change,” said Sangi. His advice is to “apply to every school you like.Every school will contact you and either say no, or we’ll give you this much money. And if they say no, my biggest advice is it’s their loss. If they don’t get you, screw them.” He recommends applying for as much financial aid as possible and “Play the schools off each other; see who gives you the most money.”
Sangi understands students’ concerns about college affordability, but he tries to impart the importance of a college education and the notion of treating it as an investment. “Nobody can afford to go to college,” he said. “So you use other people’s money, you do well, you get that degree, you move on, stay for a Master’s, and then like buying a car or a house, you have a payment for the next 25 years. You pay it off.”
Many options
Representatives from technical schools and from the military were there to offer alternatives to the traditional college experience. “The advantage of an apprenticeship over traditional college is you earn while you learn,” said D.J. Solleder, senior instructor at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). They offer training for good union jobs in telecommunication system installation and maintenance. “Let’s face it, our whole society is run on electricity,” Solleder said. “It’s a different pathway perhaps, but you’ll have a good job and no college debt.”
Bill Madison was wearing a tan Army shirt and said he’dwanted to be in the Army since he was a kid. “To protect our country, to serve,” said Madison of his desire to join the armed services. “To be respectful in life, be respectful to others, be the man you’re supposed to be.” Madison said he chose the Army over college because “It’s more disciplined, and in life you need that.”
Rory Pasquariello may be reached at roryp@hudsonreporter.com.