Gauchos, Bruins, Trojans and other university representatives descended on Santa Barbara City College on Wednesday, hoping to convince students to consider them as the next stop on their academic journey.

SBCC held its annual College Transfer Fair at its West Campus Great Meadow, where students had the opportunity to speak to representatives from over 70 college programs including private schools, state schools and out-of-state universities.

Students gathered on the college’s lawn to meet a range of people flying colors of their schools and handing out candy, free swag, and, of course, plenty of pamphlets.

University Transfer Academy coordinator Angela Warren said around 1,600 students at SBCC transfer to four-year universities every year. The annual fair allows students to meet people from different schools, learn what majors they offer and discuss academic standards.

“It’s an opportunity for students to see out the advice that they need to be able to make an informed decision to transfer to their preferred institution,” Warren said.

Warren estimates that over 500 students attended the event.

Even though transfer rates are not as high as they were pre-pandemic, she said that the SBCC transfer rate has gone up compared to last year. Warren said that Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs), which are contracts between students, SBCC, and a four-year university, are up by about 15%.

One of the students at the event was Michael Campbell, who said he was looking for a college that would allow him to study public health or an equivalent major.

Campbell said he was surprised by the range of colleges represented, including out-of-state schools.

“(It’s) really cool that there are so many different universities are here,” Campbell said. “I was in the library, and I was talking to some people that had already been here. Everyone’s pretty surprised there’s such a big turnout.”

The schools in attendance at the fair ranged from nearby choices, like UC Santa Barbara, as well as University of Southern California, UCLA, Arizona State University, Syracuse University, and Columbia University.

One of the most popular transfer choices for SBCC students is UCSB, according to Warren.

In addition to traditional schools, programs at the fair also offered less conventional experiences for students.

One of the representatives in attendance was Semester at Sea, which is affiliated with Colorado State University. The program allows students to take classes on a boat and visit between 10 and 12 countries during the semester.

The program offers 25 different disciplines and 75 classes for students. Majors can include history, political science, psychology, business and engineering.

Amy Lepp, the director of enrollment and university relations for Semester at Sea, said that the program allows students to have a broader experience outside the United States.

“They’re able to see the coursework come to life in ten very different cultures around the world,” Lepp said. “As they’re going into their career, they have a much more global perspective on their subject, and just about people around the world.”

Students were enticed to visit the fair with free food and were given a “passport” with spots for every type of university. Students had to get a stamp from a school for each type, which allowed them to get a burrito, chips, drinks, and ice cream.