Knightly News

On Sunday, March 27th, 2022, Episcopal will host a College Fair and Case Studies event on campus, with around sixty colleges and universities attending.  Although this is the sixth college fair Episcopal has hosted, it is the first time since 2019 the event has taken place because of the pandemic.  In preparation, Assistant Director of College Counseling Julia Spaht provides context on the purpose and history of the fair as well as tips for navigating the event for current sophomores, juniors, and parents planning to attend.  

The 2022 list of attending institutions includes an impressive variety of colleges and universities visiting from 17 different states and the United Kingdom.  Students will enjoy meeting with recruiters from schools they may already be familiar with such as LSU and the University of Mississippi as well as colleges from farther away like the University of Chicago, George Washington University, Northwestern University, and Occidental College, all of whom have had Episcopal alums attend in the past. 

Director of College Counseling Justin Fenske explains the history and purpose of the fair: “We started the fair in 2015 to help our 10th and 11th grade students kick off their college search by seeing the breadth of opportunities available to them. We specifically targeted a spring fair for numerous reasons. For 11th graders, it is an opportunity to learn about colleges while they are still in the early planning portion of their college search and their list is still malleable. For 10th grade, the fair opens their eyes to what is available in a non-threatening way. Finally, the ability to go both years to the fair ensures the students are well prepared to apply to college in the fall of 12th grade.”

Over the years, the fair has evolved to be an event not only in support of Episcopal students but also to promote college access throughout the southeastern Louisiana region.  Episcopal has invited students from seven partner schools and community organizations who may not otherwise be able to attend a fair and participate in a case studies event.  The partner schools include the Episcopal School of Acadiana and Ascension Episcopal Schools in Lafayette, Metairie Park Country Day School in New Orleans, and Cristo Rey Franciscan High School, Southern University Laboratory School, and the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition in town.  The college counseling team has also collaborated with Tirza Fernandez-Brazier, director of counseling at EBR Schools, to provide an additional opportunity for representatives to connect with students from EBR Parish Schools on Monday, March 28th.  In part because of this coordination of multiple opportunities for recruiters while they are in town, the list of colleges is the largest it has ever been.  

To prepare for next weekend, here are a few tips for Episcopal juniors and sophomores attending, along with parents and guardians.  These also may be helpful for younger students looking ahead:

1. Participate in Case Studies (juniors and junior parents) - Before the actual fair kicks off in the Main Gym, juniors and their parents will be divided into small groups, led by admissions representatives, where they will role play the part of an admissions officer and review mock college applications.  Students and parents will then serve as mock selection committee members to determine who should be accepted, who should be wait-listed, and who should be denied admission to a fictional university. This review process is a great opportunity for participants to better understand the component parts of an application and the holistic review process used by the majority of universities today.  
2. Review the list of colleges beforehand. Research colleges on the list and familiarize yourself with the locations, sizes, and programs offered.  We recommend planning to visit the tables of 3-5 colleges during the fair. Try to visit at least one college with which you are not already familiar.  Rising seniors should also visit tables for any colleges they plan to apply to in the fall.  
3. Ask questions of the college representatives. If you’re already familiar with the college, you may have particular questions you want to ask.  If not, a simple question like “What sets this college apart?” Or “What kind of students do well at this school?” can solicit interesting responses.  Admissions representatives are typically eager to discuss features of their schools with students.  These conversations can help students make connections between different types of colleges and universities and to discover what is most important to them in the college search.  
4. Be your best self.  Smile, dress nicely (business casual recommended), and be confident of yourself and proud you are an Episcopal student. Often the admissions representative attending the fair will be the same person who reads applications for your region in the fall, so it can pay off in the long run to make a good impression! 

The 2022 Case Studies and College Fair will be held in the Visual & Performing Arts Center and Main Gym from 1-5pm on Sunday, March 27th.  Current sophomores, juniors, and their parents or guardians are invited, and registration is required.  

Attending Institutions

Allegheny College
American University
Birmingham-Southern College
Bucknell University
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centre College
Davidson College
Drexel University
Elon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Fordham University
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady (FranU)
Franklin & Marshall College
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Hendrix College
High Point University
Johns Hopkins University
Lafayette College
Loyola University New Orleans
Louisiana State University
LSU Ogden Honors College
Louisiana Tech University
Lynn University
Mercer University
Millsaps College
Northwestern State University
Northwestern University
Occidental College
Purdue University
Queen Mary University of London

Queens University of Charlotte
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Roanoke College
Saint Louis University
Samford University
Spring Hill College
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southern University and A&M College
Sweet Briar College
The Catholic University of America
Trinity College (CT)
Trinity University
Tulane University
Union College
University of Alabama – Birmingham
University of Alabama - Huntsville
University of Arkansas
University of Chicago
University of Connecticut
University of Georgia
University of Holy Cross
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Miami
University of Mississippi
University of Richmond
University of St. Andrews
University of South Alabama
University of Southern Mississippi University of Toledo
Washington and Lee University

A veteran Episcopal educator, Julia Spaht is now the Assistant Director of College Counseling. Spaht previously worked as the Episcopal Writing Center Director and an Upper School English and Art History teacher. Most recently, she was the Admissions and Enrollment Director at St. James Episcopal Day School, where she helped boost enrollment by 10%. As an independent college counselor and essay coach, Spaht worked with students from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances as they pursued their long-term education goals. Spaht grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Westminster Schools. During her undergraduate studies at Washington and Lee University, she studied in Italy and interned at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Spaht later earned a master’s degree in English education from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.