College Fairs happen throughout the course of the year and can be invaluable to the college review process. Benefits include:
- Listening to a presentation to begin to understand the scope of college life and the multiple facets of the academic, social, and activity-related aspects of the college or university
- Creating a connection with a representative in a college admission office which is valuable if you have follow-up questions
- Comparing programs through information gathering and conversations with representatives
- Gathering materials to review to help decide if visiting the college will be value-added
If there are colleges that you might be interested attending a college fair, do some careful research before you attend the fair(s). When you are there,
- Be prepared to ask some questions about a program or another aspect of campus life
- Let the representatives know that you are very interested in their school and be prepared to tell them why. These conversations can be very meaningful and your contact with representatives is often recorded by the college/university as demonstrated interest.
- Consider preparing a resume or personal information sheet to give to the representative and to use as a conversation starter
- Collect the business card of the representative and follow up with a hand-written note or brief email
If you cannot attend because you are playing a sport or involved with work/activities, reach out to the representative after the fair to say that you were unable to attend but would like to have some information or be prepared to ask questions. Take advantage of these opportunities to begin to put the college planning process into motion. Your school counseling office will share details about local college fairs.
Be sure you connect with your McMillan Education consultant after your college fair visits and actual visits to campus!
Learn More about National College Fairs from NACAC
