What is a college fair?
Usually hosted by nonprofit organizations or a group of schools/districts, college fairs are fun events where admissions officers from many colleges and universities come together to distribute materials and answer questions from parents and students.
Why should I go to a college fair?
As you’re beginning your college search, college fairs are a great way for you to explore colleges that you may not have otherwise considered or even known about. Take the opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions rep, and get your questions answered.
How should I prepare for a college fair?
Usually a list of colleges that might attend will be posted on the event page. A week or so before the event, visit the website of each of the colleges and take a good 10-15 minute look around at what they offer. Locate their mission, vision, and values, and decide how they might fit what you’re looking for in a college. Take a few notes on stand out programs, opportunities, and anything else that catches your eye. If after that 15 minutes you determine this isn’t a good fit college for you, make note of it.
One of the biggest mistakes that I see students make here is that they gravitate only toward colleges with names they’re familiar with. Take the time to dig deeper, look beyond the name or the campus.
Reasons to cross a school off of the list:
They don’t have the program you’re looking for (or if you’re undecided, they don’t have a variety of majors for you to choose from).
They’re in a location that you’re 100% sure that you don’t want to be.
Otherwise, keep an open mind. The more you explore, the more you’re going to learn about what you want and what you don’t want out of your college experience.
We recommend that you circle or highlight the schools on the college fair list that you definitely want to talk to and then add a matching amount of schools that were unfamiliar to you before picking up the list.
What to Expect at a College Fair
Likely you’re going to be with a number of other families (sometimes it can get really crowded). We recommend that you not wait in huge lines for certain colleges. Instead, plan to stay at the college fair for a least an hour or two. Likely at some point (from my experience at the end of the night/afternoon) the lines will die down. Does this mean you should show up at the end of the fair? No. But don’t spend your entire visit in line for one college.
You’re going to be filling out a lot of interest cards for different colleges that will ask for your name, high school, email, phone number, address, year you graduate, and potential major. Some may also ask for your birthdate. Vanderbilt admissions had a great suggestion for students to print out adhesive labels (if possible) with all of this information on it to speed up the process a little (you can read more here).
You can order them here or pick them up at an office supply store. From there, print them up at home or at school so that you’re ready to put them on those interest cards, save your hand, and show how prepared you are. Don’t forget before printing to make sure everything is spelled and capitalized correctly!
NOTE: Some schools and/or fairs are now using something called StriveScan now instead of interest cards where you can create your own student registration with all of your information and each college can scan your personal barcode from your phone or tablet. TO check to see if your college fair is using StriveScan, click here and enter in your state and search for your event.
Make sure that you fill out any remaining information on that card after you use your adhesive information sticker.
Use our College Impressions Research Sheet to record the research you completed before arriving. Print it out and bring one for each school you’re planning to visit (might as well bring a few extra). Have it filled out with your questions. Use it to take notes and record your impressions.
What to Bring
- Adhesive labels with your information pre-printed or your StriveScan barcode on your phone (make sure it’s charged)
- A pen/pencil
- Your College Impressions Research Sheet with questions ready
- A small stapler, paperclips, or binder clips
- A clipboard
PRO TIP: Once you get an admission representative’s card, staple (or paperclip) it to your College Impressions Research Sheet so that you have their contact information. Later, reach out by email to thank them for their time and/or to ask further questions you may have.
Bonus Pro Tip: With that paperclip or binder clip, clip together the College Impressions Research Sheet with any school brochures or information for that particular school. This will help you keep organized and eliminate a huge pile of information to sort through later.
What else should I prepare?
Having a few questions for admissions officers is always a good idea. Try to avoid things that you could have found on the website (such as whether or not they have a particular major) and ask questions that help inform you on …
For example:
Don’t ask: “Do you have a business major?”
Ask instead: “What are some stand out opportunities in your business program that make it stand out from others?”
Or: “I read about your finance program and the Bloomberg trading room that the business department has. Could you tell me more about other opportunities that might not be on the website that I should look into?”
Don’t ask: “Does this school help students find jobs?”
Ask instead: “Do you have any partnerships with different companies for internships or work experience for students? How hands-on is the career center?”
Don’t Ask: “What do students do outside of class?”
Ask instead: “What does a typical Friday night look like on campus?
Here are some more questions you might want to consider asking:
How involved are professors with their students?
If you’re a science, engineering, technology (computer science, etc.), or math major: Are there extra requirements for STEM majors? (AP courses, applying directly to the engineering department or college with a separate application).
Are some programs more competitive for admissions?
I’m interested in participating in [insert activity that you might want to continue in college]. Are there opportunities to do that here?
Are there any scholarships available that I should be aware of and/or apply to?
What type of student do you feel really fits in here?
Any other advice or programs you would recommend that I look into?
Tips for Parents
What’s important is that your student has the spotlight. You’re there to support, which means that your student should be asking questions, be the first to introduce themselves to representatives and to share more about who they are and what they’re looking for.
Something that young adults often don’t have much experience in is how to talk about and introduce themselves. This is also a great opportunity to teach them how to properly shake a hand, to make eye contact, and professionally express themselves. A little bit of rehearsal can boost their confidence and keep them from getting flustered.
Sit down together when researching colleges and help them to develop a game plan. Often college fairs can be crowded and overwhelming, so developing a plan can keep everyone in good spirits and on task.
Remind them to pause after each interaction and jot down their notes. We can tell you that if they don’t do this by the time they get home, each college is going to sound the same in their head. Finally, help them to practice thanking the rep.
Follow Up
After the fair, be sure to use the contact information that you have and reach out to the representative. You should definitely thank them for their time and you could ask any questions you may have.
Finally, don’t be afraid to schedule an online information session at the schools you really are interested in, as well as a virtual tour. It’s a great way for you to start furthering your research on each school.