Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2006

Contact: Marisa Ramirez
713.743.8152 (office)
713.204.9798 (cell)
mrcannon@uh.edu

Adjusting to college life – not to mention paying for it – can be challenging for students. Navigating the maze of financial aid applications and learning the ropes of university life can be an especially daunting process.

That’s why Latino students from six area high schools will participate in a College Career Day from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 31, sponsored by the University of Houston Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS). The event, the second in a series of five scheduled for the 2006 – 2007 academic year, is open to high school seniors who have at least a B- grade point average and have taken Algebra II.

“Many high school seniors are not aware of the college financial aid opportunities that are available to them, or they wait too long too apply,” said Lorenzo Cano, associate director of CMAS. “These students end up passing on a lot of money to help them pay for college expenses.”

Students from the invited high schools will attend workshops on admission, financial assistance and student life. UH student volunteers will give the high school students campus tours and help them complete an admissions form.

CMAS College Career Days are also scheduled for Nov. 9, with a spring date to be announced. During the
2005 – 2006 academic year, 890 students took part in the 23rd annual College Career Days, participating in a total of 20 workshops on student life and 50 tours of the UH campus.

For more information on the UH Center for Mexican American Studies, please visit www.class.uh.edu/CMAS/.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.