High school students spent their Sunday afternoon learning about different colleges and financial aid at the Northeast Georgia College Fair.

Sponsored by Georgia Student Finance Commission, the fair was held at Northeast Georgia History Center.

“Well, the college fair, it features nine colleges from Northeast Georgia that are participating in our largest fundraiser, Taste of History,” event chairman and history center volunteer Patricia Burd said. “Some of the money raised is being used to refurbish the education exhibit here at the museum. We thought we should make it possible for students of Northeast Georgia to find out about these colleges.”

The nine colleges that were at the fair were Brenau University, Emmanuel College, Gainesville State College, Lanier Technical College, North Georgia College & State University, North Georgia Technical College, Piedmont College, Toccoa Falls College and Young Harris College. Each college had representatives giving out information about their school and answering questions from students and parents.

In addition to the colleges there, Georgia Student Finance Commission was there giving information to students about the HOPE Scholarship and financial aid.

“We have computers available, so they can set up accounts on GAcollege411.org,”  Burd said.

There were three seminars held for students and parents with information about searching for colleges and financial aid, choosing a college and filling out financial aid forms.

There were also door prizes that were donated by local organizations in the community, and every student left with a free bag to put their college information in.

Many students from all over Northeast Georgia attended with their families. Logan Pourbaix, a senior at Mountain Education High School in Habersham County, said he came “...to get some information about application deadlines.”

This wasn’t his first college fair as he has been to several. He said he was looking at Young Harris, Gainesville State or North Georgia College.

This college fair for him has been “...so far pretty helpful.”

Kaitlyn Rheinschild, a junior at White County High School, came to learn as much as she could about colleges and financial aid.

“I know most of your senior year is spent on college stuff, so I thought during my junior year I might as well get a head start,” she said.

This was the first college fair she had been to. She has also been checking out colleges online.

The History Center exhibits were open during the college fair for the students and families to look at. The Taste of History fundraiser will also raise money for the center to create an informational video on the history of the colleges at the fair. It will become a part of the permanent Northeast Georgia education exhibit.

 “It helps us to fulfill our mission of sharing the history of the region,” Burd said.