Tips for College Fair
By Ty Anderson
COLLEGE FAIRS ARE AN EXCELLENT WAY TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR SCHOOLS OF INTEREST. HERE ARE 5 TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF COLLEGE FAIRS.
#1] Put your name and email on email lists, contact inquiries, student information pamphlets, and questioners. Get connected to the university! Make sure you don’t leave the table/booth without the university having your contact information in some way.
Why? One of the biggest things that universities look for is a student’s“level of interest.” You may not end up wanting to go that school in the long run, which is fine, but if you decide you are interested and apply, being on their contact list will be greatly beneficial, it shows that you are truly interested in their school.
#2] Make a personal connection with the representative at the booth.
Why? Often times this person is an alumnus, school representative, or current student. Regardless, they have personal experience with the school and can give you a student’s perspective about academic programs, campus life, residential life, clubs and organizations, etc. The point is, this person is the best source of info for that school outside of a student currently on campus. Garrett, this is your time to ask questions that may be more than surface level. (How big are classes? What is the longest walking distance class to class on campus? How clean/ new are the dorms? How safe is campus? How does your financial aid work? Is it need- based? Do you accept all outside scholarships? ) This person is a great source of information; don’t walk away without making a personal connection!
3] Pick up flyers, pamphlets, information brochures, and one-pagers.
Why? Now, don’t come home with 34,937.3 flyers, however have “hardcopy” sources of information, that way when you have a question about a school, or we are trying to organize information, it can be more quickly accessed rather than searching the internet to find it.
4] Make a list of school preferences BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE COLLEGE FAIR.
Why? College fairs present a lot of information in a condensed setting. You (like I did) will forget information or things you liked about the schools. I’m not saying that you should make your concrete list before you leave, but just jot down some pros/cons about schools you liked and ones you didn’t. I/we can take this information to create a profile of schools you may like. Example: if you list 10 schools, and one common theme you like is the small class sizes, then I/we know to start creating a profile for schools with smaller class sizes. Don’t leave the fair until you have this list going, it will help you a ton in the long run!
5 Bottom Line] This fair is a GREAT source of information. Use it to your advantage. Meet and connect with representatives, gather info about the schools, and ENJOY YOURSELF! Take time to form opinions and be particular about what you like and don’t like! After all, this is your college experience! This is really the first step to being on your way; we can start the process once you have some schools in mind! Feel free to call/text me if you have questions during the fair!
FOR A LIST OF UPCOMING COLLEGE FAIRS, CLICK ON THIS PHOTO FOR COLLEGE FAIR LINKS AND MAY MORE RESOURCES.
