Convention center to host High School Fair this year

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

Philadelphia’s annual High School Fair will take place at the Convention Center on Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17.

The fair, presented by Great Philly Schools, is primarily for students in 7th and 8th grades looking to learn about their high school options, but it may also interest high school students thinking about transferring schools.

Staff and students from each of the 102 participating high schools, and eight CTE programs, will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about admissions, special programs, and extracurricular activities. District, magnet, charter, and private schools will all be represented at the event.

Organizers expect about 10,000 visitors to attend the fair, held this year at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Broad and Race Streets. The convention center was chosen to provide more space after last year’s crowded event at Drexel University Armory.

The Notebook will also have a table at the fair, where you can pick up a copy of our new Fall Guide to High Schools. The guide contains detailed profiles of high schools in the area and a chart to help readers compare schools on specific criteria such as SAT scores and graduation rates.

The fair will run from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information and a list of participating schools, visit the Philly High School Fair website.