AACC hosted representatives from approximately 31 four-year universities on Feb. 15 to help students planning to transfer to their schools.

Most of the universities at the Transfer Fair were from Maryland, but a few from out of state or online also attended.

“At least 80% of our students want to transfer to a four-year institution,” AACC Director of Transfer Advising Khadijat Richmond said. “You want to provide some sort of connection or bridge for them to know about some opportunities, understand scholarships and … network as well.”

AACC has held its Transfer Fair every semester for approximately 10 years with 40 to 60 universities and 150 to 250 students in attendance at each fair.

“It’s really important to start planning your transfer early,” Richmond said. “We don’t want you earning credits toward the wrong classes.” “And the four-year you’re anticipating going to doesn’t expect those. So there’s no time too early [to plan to transfer], even if you don’t know what to ask.”

A George Mason University representative said AACC students would appreciate the diversity of the Virginia-based college.

“We’re one of the most diverse institutions in the U.S.,” Melissa Bevacqua, who represented the school at the fair, said. “I feel like students at [the] community college will fit right in because they’re going to find other students just like them and they’re going to find students very different from them.”