Why You Should Go to a College Fair and What You Should Do While You’re There
Last Updated on September 3, 2019 by Jill Schwitzgebel
I have a confession: Until last winter, I was anti-college fair. There were a number of reasons for that. The major one was that we were able to visit all the schools on Kids #1 and #2’s college lists at some point prior to college application time. We were not as fortunate for Kid #3 and there are some schools on his application list that he will only get to visit if an acceptance comes along with the right financial aid package. A college fair was a great option for him to learn about potential colleges for his list.
Additionally, with Kids 1 and 2, we did not walk into the fair prepared. It was crowded, it felt overwhelming, and we really had no plan. After my career change, I knew better the third time around and was determined that Kid 3 would make the most of it. He walked through the door of the fair knowing exactly what his goals were.
Why Attend a College Fair?
1. Budget Friendly If your child is interested in colleges far away, which would involve significant travel expense, the fair is a great option. You can “visit” many colleges all in one place.
2. “Insider” Tips The college representative may be able to give much better insight into the admissions and financial aid process for their school than what you read on their website. Sometimes, they may offer information and reminders about their application process that can be very helpful.
3. Demonstrated Interest Many colleges consider the level of a student’s interest as part of their admission. The more contact the student has with a school, the better. If you are unable to visit in person, the contact at a college fair is even more important. Remember, colleges want to accept students that they know want to attend.
4. Interview Practice Occasionally, you can schedule a real sit-down interview at a college fair. But, more typically, students will have the chance to talk to admissions representatives while visiting their table. They will frequently ask interview type of questions during these informal conversations though.
5. Information Sessions Frequently, college fairs will have separate rooms where they will hold information sessions on various topics, ranging from financial aid to preparing your child to be independent at college.
6. Free Advice Kid #3 was debating about the number of AP classes to take and which ones might be best for him. He was able to poll representatives from a variety of colleges to get their opinions. (All of them offered remarkably similar advice too!)
7. New Options Even when a student goes in to the fair with a plan of what colleges they really want to visit, other schools may grab their attention. You could learn about options that they may not have previously considered for their college list.
Preparing for the College Fair
1. Research This is the most important thing to do. Research what colleges will be at the fair. Students should go to the college websites to learn more about the colleges that they decide they want to visit at the fair. It will help to impress the admissions representatives if they already know something about the school.
2. Questions After doing some research, have your child write down some questions you have about each college. They shouldn’t be too general, asking questions like “How is your Journalism program?” Of course, they will tell you that it’s terrific! And remind them to avoid asking questions like, “Are there a lot of parties?”
3. Resumé This is not necessary, but it is a nice thing to have. Students can hand it to college representatives and they are likely to be remembered later. It can be a good way to spark even more in-depth conversation if the representative has it as a reference.
4. Attire No, students do not need to wear a suit. However, it is a good idea to look neat. Maybe khaki pants or shorts and a golf or button-up shirt for boys and a nice skirt or pants with a blouse or sweater for girls.
At the Fair
1. Arrive early Most fairs get crowded. Occasionally there is even a line to get in, so the earlier you get there, the better your chances of having time to talk to representatives at all of the colleges your student is interested in, without feeling rushed.
2. Sign in Every college will have a sign-in sheet of some kind at their table that they will ask students to complete. Make sure to do it! This helps the college to track who visited with them and will ensure they are on their mailing list too. Some fairs will have a way for students to sign in electronically now or have tickets with student information that can be scanned.
3. Be courteous Do not interrupt other students who may be speaking with representatives that you are interested in speaking to. And when it’s your student’s turn, try not to monopolize the representative’s time if there is a line behind you. Certainly, ask your questions and have conversation, but be respectful of everyone’s time.
4. Stay quiet This is NOT the time for parents to do all the talking. Certainly, it may be fine to interject a question or two about financial aid or something, but allow your student to take the lead and show that they are prepared for this.
And finally, after the fair is over, students need to follow up. Students likely received a business card from the people that they spoke to. Remind them to send an email to the representative, thanking them for their time, along with any additional questions they may have for them. That will help them to stand out among the dozens of students that representatives met that day.
