Area high school students looking toward their collegiate future and parents worried about how in the world they’re going to pay for it flocked to Southwestern Michigan College on Wednesday, as its Dowagiac campus hosted its annual College Night that evening.

More than 300 students gathered inside the gymnasium of the student activity center, where they had a chance to speak with representatives from more than 50 college and universities, located in Michigan and other states in the Midwest. In addition, SMC also provided tours of resident halls and hosted two informational sessions on student financial aid.

This is the fifth year that the college has hosted the event at the Charles O. Zollar Building. The informational session, which is overseen by the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, allows students from Cass, Berrien and surrounding counties to get a better look at their options in higher education.

“It really exposes students in the area to possible college destinations,” said Jason Smith, director of admissions at the college. “It gives them exposure to these institutions, to see if they’re something they’re interested in.”

Students from Dowagiac, Niles, Decatur to as far  away as Kalamazoo came to the campus that evening, many of whom showed interest in possibly attending the community college in the future, Smith said.

“Over 60 students signed in at our table just to speak with us, and that doesn’t include the people who stopped by to grab a pamphlet or ask a quick question,” he said.

Smith said that as many as a third of the students in attendance showed signs of possibly attending the local college, whether as a back-up plan or first choice.

“It was a great night,” Smith said. “Anytime you can get that many students and parents on campus it’s well worth it.”