Families navigating the college application process can attend a free four-part workshop series at the Bala Cynwyd Library starting Oct. 6.

The series, titled "Understanding & Demystifying College Admissions," runs on four consecutive Tuesdays in October from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the library, 131 Old Lancaster Road, according to the Lower Merion School District's community events calendar. The sessions are open to students and parents or guardians. Registration is recommended, and snacks will be provided.

Cigus Vanni, a Wynnewood-based college counselor known as "The College Fairy," will lead all four sessions. Vanni has more than 40 years of experience in college search and selection, according to a 2022 Project 440 profile. He earned his bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and his school psychology certification from Bryn Mawr College. He has been running college admissions workshops in local libraries since 1999, according to a 2020 biography on the PMAY Artists website.

The library's Facebook page describes Vanni as "an experienced college counselor & former college admissions officer & dean."

Each session covers different ground.

Attendees can come to one or all four. The Oct. 6 opener focuses on an overview of college admissions, how to conduct a meaningful college search, forms of admission including preferential-date admission, and the importance of authenticity.

The Oct. 13 session addresses the role of athletics, what colleges look for, high school profiles, grades, grading scales and testing. On Oct. 20, topics shift to letters of recommendation, essays, personal statements, interviews and "demonstrated interest."

The Oct. 27 finale covers the junior and senior timeline, what the application looks like and financial aid basics.

In a June 2018 interview with Project 440, Vanni described his core philosophy for students beginning the college search: "The higher one's level of self-awareness, the more meaningful one's college search and selection will be."

The Bala Cynwyd Library is part of the Lower Merion Library System. Families can call the library at 610-664-1196 for more information or to register.