arrive in Bermuda this week, for what has become an annual event designed to aid high school students in their academic choices.

Sponsored by the Department of Education, the sixth annual College/University Fair will expose more than 1,000 students to nearly 40 institutions of higher learning and the various programmes they offer, said education officer for Lifeskills & Career Education, Janette Musson.

"Beginning (today), there is going to be a whole week of activities related to the College and University fair,'' said Mrs. Musson. "There will be student workshops today and tomorrow at CedarBridge Academy and the Berkeley Institute respectively with the schools' fourth and fifth year students. The workshops will be held in an effort to prepare the students and give them information about the college selection process and the admissions process.

It's done so that, in the case of the fifth year students, they can begin the process of selecting a college, and know what to look and ask for when they go to the Fair.'' The workshops will involve approximately 1,000 students, said the officer, -- 800 from CedarBridge Academy and 200 from the Berkeley Institute.

Co-ordinated by Island College Fairs, the College/University Fair was introduced in 1991 in response to a need identified by school counsellors -- an opportunity for local students to meet with representatives from various colleges across North America and Europe.

The first Fair included representatives from 23 colleges and universities. It did not take place in 1992, but in 1993, the number of participating colleges and universities from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, swelled to 38. The programme was also expanded to include transfer students from the Bermdua College and an evening programme for parents.

It was in 1993 that school counsellors realised that this undertaking -- although extremely necessary and worthwhile -- was one that required a great deal of time and planning, and Ancrum & Solomon Inc., a consulting firm which offers organisation, management and fund development cousulting for non-profit organisations including educational and human services, took over the co-ordination side of the event.

"On Wednesday afternoon, the college representatives will have arrived and we have planned what we call a `transfer day' at the Bermuda College where the representatives will go to meet with students who are finishing their studies at the College and interested in transferring to a four-year institution. That afternoon, there will be a reception hosted by the College for school counsellors, the university representatives and invited guests at Stonington Beach Hotel, at which time we will welcome the representatives to Bermuda, and kick off the actual fair which is set to begin on Thursday.'' Fourth and fifth year public school students have been invited to attend the College/University Fair, which is to be held at the Hamilton Princess, on Thursday.

"The Fair will be officially opened by the Minister of Education, Jerome Dill, on Thursday at 10 a.m. That evening, we will be holding a special workshop in the Adams Lounge of the Princess at 5.30 p.m. for parents, with a second scheduled for 8 p.m., to help them understand their role in the college selection process and give them information about helping their children select a college. The workshop will be conducted by the consultant we have brought down, Ron Ancrum of Ancrum & Solomon, Inc.

"The Fair itself will still be open while the two workshops are going on,'' added Mrs. Musson. "Between 6 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., the representatives will be available to parents. It gives them a chance to talk with them directly and have any questions of their own that they might have, answered.'' On Friday, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., the Fair will be open to all private secondary school students so that they might have the opportunity to learn about the selection process as well.

Education office for Life Skills & Career Eductation, Janette Musson COLLEGE--UNIVERSITY FAIR MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP