Greg Kendall-Ball/Special to the Reporter-News Mario Villa, admissions counselor from the University of Texas-Austin, uses free stickers to entice potential students to stop by his table Monday during AISD's college fair at the Civic Center.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Special to the Reporter-News TCU Admissions Counselor Mike Mooneyham visits with local students on Monday night at the AISD College Fair. Representatives from more than 50 Texas colleges and universities were on hand to answer questions and promote their schools.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Special to the Reporter-News Admissions Counselor Stacy Dissinger from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth visits with a local high school student at the AISD College Fair on Monday night. The fair, hosted by the Abilene Education Foundation, brought more than 50 colleges to the civic center, and offered sessions for parents on financial aid and NCAA compliance.

The Abilene Education Foundation partnered with the Abilene Independent School District at the Abilene Civic Center on Monday to give high school students an opportunity to look at future educational opportunities.

Most of the students in attendance at the college fair were seniors in area high schools, but there were some juniors. Almost sixty universities from throughout Texas had tables set up to answer questions about their schools and to help students and their parents plan for higher education.

Jean McMillon, executive director of the Abilene Education Foundation, said the primary aim was to help students find the college they wanted to attend and to find a way to finance their education.

Parents were concerned, too, and many accompanied their sons or daughters.

Don Hilton of the Panhandle-Plains Student Loan Center talked with parents and students about the process for getting financial assistance.

Jennifer Harper, student loan officer at First Financial Bank, was there to answer questions about the bank's participation in the loan program.

"About 80 percent of all students will have some kind of student loan," Hilton said.

Nick Blazier, a senior at Cooper High School, attended with his parents, Liz and Rich.

"I have not decided on a college yet," he said. "I will probably study computer science."

"We want him to choose a good academic school. Not a party school," Liz said.

Colby Smith, a Clyde senior, and his mother, Debbie, came to visit with people from different universities.

"I want to talk to some of the coaches about a football scholarship," Colby said.

Sarah Moore, a junior at Lueders-Avoca, was getting a head start by coming a year early. Her mother, Jeannie, a teacher, was with her.

"I want to be a teacher and help kids," Sarah said. "I may go to Hardin-Simmons."

Gerald Warren from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, had facts and figures all laid out for students.

"We have about 3,000 students enrolled," he said. "We give out $5 million in scholarships each year."

He was handing out a chart showing students how St. Thomas took the student's GPA, rank in the class, and SAT scores for total points to decide on scholarships.

"We can give up to (a) $12,000 annual scholarship to a student," he said.

John Martinez, AEF college adviser at Abilene High School, spoke to students about the NCAA Clearing House.

McMillon estimated that about 1,000 students attended the fair.