PARIS — Hundreds of students from Oxford and Androscoggin counties got an upfront view of college life Tuesday morning during the third annual college fair at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Students from Leavitt Area High School in Turner, Gould Academy in Bethel, Oxford Hills Christian Academy in Paris and the Poland Regional High School joined students from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School at the fair.

“They have something for everyone,” said Bethany Welch of Mechanic Falls, a senior at Poland Regional High School.

Welch found two schools represented at the fair who offered degrees in massage therapy, the area she hopes to pursue professionally.

Kyle Kohler, also a senior at Poland Regional High School and a resident of Minot, said he has not decided on his major yet but wants to minor in psychology. Tuesday’s college fair gave him an opportunity to look at colleges out of state that he has not considered yet, he said.

“I wish I had more of these,” said Kohler of the fair.

Close to 80 colleges from Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, Wyoming and Canada were represented.

“I try to have a real diversity of programs,” said Maureen Howard, director of the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School education exchange program. “It gives students a chance to start thinking about college and for seniors to have a face-to-face.”

The schools ranged from some of the more elite, such as Amherst College and Tufts University in Massachusetts and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York, to highly specialized programs, such as the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel Culinary Apprenticeship program, the Airline Academy of Florida and Mr. Bernard’s School of Hair Fashion Inc. in Maine.

“If I get two students who stop by, I consider it a success. I’ve already done that,” said Michael Madigan, international admissions counselor at the College of the Atlantic in Maine.

Madigan said one student he spoke to wanted to major in veterinary medicine but also wanted to combine her political activism and social justice values. Curriculum can be coordinated to wrap all three together, Madigan said he told her.

“The draw to the students is the freedom,” he said of the curriculum.

At Amherst College, Paul Chaffin said high school seniors appeared to be more concerned about what “life” is like at the college while younger students asked questions specific to the curriculum.

Lt. Scott Wels, a U.S. Army reservist from Waterford, said students showed a lot of enthusiasm and had great questions about West Point, but the school is very selective. “It’s a good chance for us to talk about it,” he said of the high academic and other standards set by the school for admission.

University of Massachusetts representatives had 25 cards already filled in by students interested in getting more information. “There’s a lot of interest in everything,” said Gregg Murray, admissions counselor. Murray said there are more females applying than ever before.

Howard said the number of schools represented at the college fair grows each year, but unfortunately budget cutbacks have prevented several, such as Telstar Regional High School in Bethel and Lake Region High School in Naples from attending this year due to the high cost of bus transportation.

“It really is a time for our students to start having their questions answered about programs,” Howard said.

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Amherst College representative Paul Chaffin talks to sophomore students Jill Jacobs and Jacob Newcomb about attending the Massachusetts school during a college fair at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris on Tuesday morning.

Margaret Staples, a student at Oxford Hills Christian Academy in Paris, and her mother, Connie, get answers to questions about Thomas College in Waterville from assistant director of undergraduate admissions Corey Pelletier. The conversation occurred Tuesday morning at a college fair held at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris.