NATCHEZ — Walking from recruiter to recruiter in a daze of opportunity Natchez area high school students took part in Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s college fair Wednesday.

Nearly 300 attended the event primarily geared toward high school and Co-Lin students.

School officials say the event is crucial for area students.

“Many students cannot travel around to view schools in the area. And many students are unaware that some of these schools are in the area,” said Nancy McFarland, an academic counselor at Co-Lin who organized the fair.

The fair was comprised of several colleges in Mississippi and Louisiana, as well as, military and government recruiters.

“We want students to have options and information,” she said.

McFarland used the fair as an opportunity to spread news of available scholarships for Co-Lin students.

Students at Co-Lin who plan to attend a four-year university are eligible for special scholarships.

Co-Lin student and college fair attendee Robby Robertson said he was unaware of such scholarships.

“This helps to get a good idea of what to do next,” Robertson said.

Recruiters at the fair were pleased with the turn out.

“This is a great chance for us to reach out to students, and it’s a good chance for them to get questions answered,” said Larissa McDavid, an admissions counselor for William Carey University.

McDavid said she was surprised to learn how few students knew about Carey.

McDavid also said a normal college fair, like the one at Co-Lin, will yield about 15-20 new students for Carey.

In contrast human resources manager Lawrence Kirksey with the Mississippi Army National Guard, said the same type of event will normally provide only three new recruits for the guard.

And while the vast majority of the fair was comprised of universities, many students said the program at the university was almost more important the university itself.

“They just need a good nursing program. I don’t really have a favorite,” Audrey Wilson, a senior at Jefferson County High School said.