Several hundred high school students, parents, siblings and friends from local schools packed the Bay View Dining Room at CSM on April 19, for the popular annual Connect to College event. Part information session and part college fair, the event is a great way for families considering CSM to learn about financial aid, the Year One Promise program, the myriad student organizations and activities available, and the best tips for how to succeed in college.

CSM counselors and admissions staff helped students apply to CSM, fill out financial aid forms, and spoke with families about how to plan for college. More than 40 CSM clubs and academic departments tabled in the resource fair. A panel of recent CSM grads shared wisdom with
the high school students on their experiences transferring to Stanford, UC Berkeley, San Jose State and San Francisco State. Families heard presentations on transferring from CSM, financial aid, and the Year One Promise program. And there were drawings through the night for scholarships worth up to $500.