This year, the Northern Valley Old Tappan Library Media Center hosted the high school’s annual Alumni Return Day on January 5, 2017.

The alumni are all college freshmen who participated in a panel discussion on “transitioning to college” to a rapt audience of juniors and seniors. Guidance Counselors lobbed questions to the panel that one or, often, several students answered, providing multiple perspectives based on their experiences.

What was the biggest surprise?
What was your greatest challenge?
What was your college search process?
How accurate was your perception of college life as a high school student versus the reality?
How accurate was your perception of your college?
How do you organize your time?

High school students had an opportunity to ask their own questions at the end of the session.

Mr. Matthew Spatz, NVRHS District Director of Guidance, and the entire Guidance Department organized the event.

The NVOT Class of 2016 represented: The College of New Jersey, U. of South Carolina, Ramapo College, James Madison University, U. of Maryland, Babson University, Quinnipiac University, U. of Hartford, U. of Delaware, Dayton University, Middlebury College, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and U. of New Haven at this program.

The biggest surprise for Media Specialist, Janice Cooper, listening to the students offer their best advice for time-management, were the two loudest former students who described how often they use their college libraries!