City of College Dreams - Live! (Eastern Regional Event)

Date and Time:
To Be Announced in 2009

Location:
Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Cost: FREE (advance registration required)

To Register:
Event tickets are not yet available, but you can pre-register today! Once you pre-register, we'll put you first in line to receive tickets and let you know as soon as they are available.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION PAGE

ABOUT THE EVENT

What if there was a single place you could go to realize your educational dreams? What if this place not only offered essential how-to wisdom, but also provided a real world, life-sized "database" of opportunities and resources that you could actually walk through, browse, and comparison shop to supercharge your future success?

Imagine no more.

We're taking the best parts of financial aid night, the traditional college fair, school success workshops, and high-energy motivational seminars and mashing it all up with audience involvement, experiential learning, technological magic, and plenty of theatrical flair. The result is a next-generation educational event: The world's largest and most dynamic "one stop shop" for all of your tuition funding, college admissions, school success, and personal growth needs.

First, students and parents participate in an interactive group learning session with Ben Kaplan, the acclaimed author, syndicated columnist, and speaker who has helped tens of thousands of families discover and afford their dream colleges, get admitted, succeed in school, pursue their passions, and save more than half a billion dollars in the process.

Then, each participant gets to put this new knowledge into immediate action by exploring our live "college city"—up to 100,000 square feet of essential education-related opportunities, services, and resources. Much like our City of College Dreams website, this "city" is divided into four key "neighborhoods":

COLLEGE FUNDING QUARTER

Open your eyes to the wonderful world of college funding options. Take a stroll down "Scholarship Boulevard" and collect scholarship applications that fit your goals. Drop by "Savings Street" and explore the best ways to invest for future college costs. And don't forget to browse "Financial Aid Avenue," "Student Loan Lane," and "Sports Scholarship Strip." On "Related Expenses Way," you'll even be able to secure discounts on student travel, insurance, dorm room furnishings, and more. It's easier than ever to comparison shop for the best deals.

ADMISSION HEIGHTS

Finding the college that has the best personal "fit" doesn't have to be a chore on "College Search Road." Not only can you explore leading institutions in the region, but you will also discover college matching tools that connect students with their dream schools. Then head over to "Test Prep Circle" to tap the brains of testing experts and browse resources that help you improve your SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, AP, and CLEP scores. On "Application Place," you can even consult with admissions gurus and private consultants on what it takes to gain the admissions edge.

SCHOOL SUCCESS VILLAGE

To make the most of your undergraduate experience--or better prepare yourself for college success while still in high school—visit "Academic Expressway" and pose your questions to study skills experts, tutoring providers, and those who counsel students with learning disabilities, substance abuse problems, or other special needs. On "Activity Boardwalk," you can even explore great extracurricular activities, summer camps, community service options, and student contests, too.

How about heading overseas for a semester? At "Study Abroad Square" you can compare some of the most exciting and enriching foreign study programs. And don't miss "Technology Highway," where you can get a great deal on technological solutions for students including computers, education-related software, calculators, cell phones, and more.

SELF-EMPOWERMENT ZONE

Get a leg up on your career goals by visiting "Career Crossroads" and investigating local and national internship opportunities, career exploration programs, and more. On "Personal Growth Trail," you can even check out organization and productivity tools, chat with self-help authors and life coaches, and explore other resources that can help you become your best self.

PLANNING YOUR EVENT TRIP

Due to the size and scope of this one-of-a-kind event, it is certainly one worth driving or flying from surrounding states to attend. If you are also planning on scheduling a college visitation tour, be sure to schedule your tour around the event date so that you can make regional campus visits on the same trip. This will certainly be an event you don't want to miss!

SPECIAL FEATURES

ABOUT BEN KAPLAN’S GROUP LEARNING SESSION

To maximize your experience in the four “college city” neighborhoods, you’ll want to pay close attention to Ben Kaplan’s groundbreaking group learning session. Some of the topics Ben covers in this special session include:

How ALL students can win scholarships, regardless of GPA.
How to maximize need-based financial aid.
How to save and invest for college even with a tight budget.
How to secure hidden tax benefits for higher education.
How to obtain student loan discounts and deals.
How to score a sports scholarship, even if you're not a superstar.
How to slash 25 percent off of college costs using "free credits."
How to save big on student travel, computers, and other expenses.
How to locate colleges that value and nurture what you have to offer.
How to improve your test scores without stressing yourself out.
How to “paint a portrait” in your college essay and application.
How to discover your optimal learning style.
How to get better grades in less time.
How to best cultivate a budding interest or special talent.
How to springboard your education to a dream career path.
How to live with greater character, energy, and purpose.
How to go from the person you are to the person you want to be.

For each of these topics, Ben doesn’t just present the material: He creates interactive group learning experiences that engage the audience with a wide range of visual, auditory, and physical cues.

Because Ben recognizes that all of us learn using multiple senses, he includes hands-on exercises, dramatic skits, and a unique “call and response” format—plus rock music, lights, and even dancing—to help audience members internalize, not memorize, important points. Additionally, Ben’s background in theatrical comedy makes even “boring” topics fun and entertaining.

With the energy of a sports event and the attitude of a rock concert, Ben’s high-octane presentation will have attendees up out of their seats, shouting things out, and having a great time making their college dreams happen.

GETTING THERE

Event Location and Driving Directions

From Rte 76 (Schuylkill)
Take Rte 76 to Exit 344/I-676 East. Take I- 676 East and exit at Broad Street/Rte. 611 (2nd exit). You will be on Vine Street. Follow signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center to 12th Street (4 traffic lights). Make a right on to 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center are located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.

From Interstate 95 North
Take I-95 North to Exit 22 Central Philadelphia / I- 676. Stay in the left lane of this exit. Follow signs for I-676 West to the 1st exit (Broad Street). This exit brings you up to 15th Street. Get into left lane and follow the sign for 611/Broad Street and make a left turn on to Vine Street. Follow signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center. Make a right on to 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center are located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.

From Interstate 95 South
Take I-95 South to Exit 22 Central Philadelphia/I- 676. Stay in the left lane of this exit. Follow signs for 676 West to the 1st exit (Broad Street). This exit brings you up to 15th Street. Get into the left lane, follow the sign for 611/Broad Street and make a left turn on to Vine Street. Follow signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center. Make a right on to 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center is located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.

From the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Follow Pennsylvania Turnpike to Exit 20/I-476. Take I-476 South to Exit 57/I-76 Philadelphia. Stay on I-76 East for approximately 12 miles to Exit 344/I-676 East. Take I- 676 East and exit at Broad Street/Rte. 611 (2nd exit). You will be on Vine Street. Follow signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center to 12th Street (4 traffic lights). Make a right on to 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center are located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.

From the New Jersey Turnpike
Take NJ Turnpike to exit 4 (Philadelphia / Camden Exit). Take Rte. 73 North and follow it to Rte. 38 West. Take 38 West to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, crossing into Philadelphia. Follow local traffic and the signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center. Go approximately 6 blocks and make a left turn onto 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center are located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.

Arriving via Philadelphia International Airport
Take I-95 North to Exit 22 Central Philadelphia / I- 676. Stay in the left lane of this exit. Follow signs for I-676 West to the 1st exit (Broad Street). This exit brings you up to 15th Street. Get into left lane and follow the sign for 611/Broad Street and make a left turn on to Vine Street. Follow signs for Vine Street/PA Convention Center. Make a right on to 12th Street. The entrances to the Convention Center are located two blocks ahead at the NE and NW corners of 12th and Arch Streets.