Go & Do: Kern County College Night gets students on path to success

You may not be able to travel to every college and university that piques your interest. So, let the storied places of higher education come to you.

Go to Kern County College Night, set for 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9 at the Mechanics Bank Convention Center. It's free — all you have to do is travel downtown for the doors to your future to open wide.

The Kern County Superintendent of Schools will host the event in conjunction with the Kern High School District, Bakersfield College, Cal State Bakersfield and Taft College.

Students and parents are urged to register for StriveScan ahead of the event at https://app.strivescan.com/registration?id=14424. This lets you share your information with the colleges you're interested in. You'll be texted and emailed a barcode that colleges can scan, according to the StriveScan sign-up page.

Then after College Night, you'll receive an email with contact information for the colleges that scanned you.

At the event, you'll have the chance to talk with representatives from a variety of public and private colleges and universities.

Breakout sessions are scheduled at 5:15 p.m., 6:10 p.m. and 7 p.m. These sessions will cover a variety of topics, everything from applying for financial aid to writing a personal statement and essay to preparing to be a college athlete, according to a KCSOS flyer. Hear about the importance of taking the right classes to prepare for and be admitted to college and learn how to prepare for tests such as the SAT and ACT.

KCSOS noted that KHSD school counselors will attend to help students and parents decide which sessions will meet their needs.

Remember, it's free — so get a jump on your future.