What are college fairs and are they worth going to?
With over 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States and over 25,000 in the world, it can feel overwhelming to try to find the right fit for you. Even when you have a tentative list, traveling to every school to get face-time with the admissions reps can be time and cost prohibitive. That’s where college fairs come in! College fairs are definitely worth going to as they give you access to information about many colleges and to their admissions reps all in one place.
The purpose for attending college fairs is two-fold:
- Find your fit. This is your opportunity to “interview” colleges to see which ones meet the criteria you are looking for. This college doesn’t meet your standard? On to the next (that is literally next in line)!
- Make an impression. Many colleges still take demonstrated interest into account when making admissions decisions so speaking with a rep and signing in with their college at a fair creates a recorded touch point. Plus, in many cases (especially at regional fairs), the rep at the table may be the person who will read your application and make your admissions decision. Impressing them could help you down the road when you apply.
When should you attend college fairs?
Any time during high school can be useful, but the sweet spot for attending college fairs is junior year. You can (and should) attend as a freshman/sophomore to gain general knowledge to start your initial college list and gain comfort speaking with reps. As a senior, you might find use in a fall fair to add the last few schools to your list, ask reps application questions, or get one more touch point of demonstrated interest. Since junior year is when you solidify your list and begin preparing to apply, it is the prime time to attend and get in front of reps.
How do you find college fairs?
College fairs can range in size and scope, from ten tables in the courtyard at your school during lunch to huge events with hundreds of colleges at a convention center in a major city. Here are some tips on how to find a college fair to attend:
- Check with your high school. Ask your counselor or take a look at your school’s activities calendar to see if you have any fairs coming up this school year. Particularly in the fall when reps do their most traveling, either your school, district, or region may have at least one fair.
- Find your closest national college fair (or a virtual college fair) through the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC). These take place in major cities throughout the year, are free, and can bring in as many as 400 different college reps from across the country and globe.
- Do a web search for “college fairs near me.” Many local event websites will feature upcoming city, regional, or national fairs.
Are virtual career fairs worth it?
Virtual college fairs are a great option if you do not live close to a city that hosts a national fair and/or your school does not offer a quality fair. While these were very popular and well-attended by college reps during the height of social distancing in 2020, you might find less colleges participating now. The NACAC virtual fairs (linked above) are your best bet when it comes to virtual fairs that will have a wide representation of colleges. Be wary of any virtual fairs asking you to pay to attend as their motivation may be profit over the quality of colleges represented.
How to prepare for a college fair
While aimlessly walking around and browsing the college options may suffice as a freshman or sophomore, when it comes to junior year and beyond, you should have a game plan:
- Find the list of colleges attending the fair. If you have to sign up to attend on a website, they are usually listed there. If your school is putting on the fair, ask your counselor.
- Identify colleges of interest. If you have a lot, rank them in order of interest in case you are not able to see them all.
- Prepare your questions. This should include general questions for all schools that will help you decide if it is a good fit for you as well as school-specific questions based on your research of each school.
- Map your route. If a map of where each college location is available ahead of time, plan out the order in which you want to visit each school.
What to wear to a college fair
The good news is that this is not a career fair and you are not expected to wear a suit. It will likely look odd if you do.! However, this does not mean you should look like you just rolled out of bed or attend in sweaty gym shorts after basketball practice. The right balance between comfort and professionalism is key.
Choose khaki or dress pants/skirt and a polo, blouse, or other sharp-looking top. You can even get away with jeans, as long as they are nice, free from holes, and paired with a professional-looking top. If your school has a uniform, that works, too. Go for comfort when it comes to shoes. You are going to be spending the whole time on your feet, so flats, slip-ons, or even nice, clean sneakers are recommended. Avoid clothing that is too casual, like graphic tees, shorts, crop tops, anything with holes, flip-flops, etc. Whatever you choose, make sure you feel comfortable and confident.
What questions to ask and what questions to avoid at college fairs
At a college fair, you will have a limited amount of time with each rep, especially if it is a popular college with a long line of students waiting to chat. This means you want to make the most of the few minutes you do have with excellent questions that will help you judge the fit of the school and make a strong impression.
Don’t ask anything you can find easily on their website or their handouts, like their student/faculty ratio, tuition costs, or list of majors. You also want to avoid asking the rep to tell you if they think you would get in or not. This is not the time for that conversation as it requires a longer, private conversation with you.
Your questions should (again) not be Google-able and should relate to the factors you are looking for in a college in order to help you find the right fit. Some examples:
- What kinds of students do well/are happy at your school?
- What do students like the most about your school? What do they like the least?
- How would you describe the workload at your school? Are students stressed?
- What are weekends like at x university? Is there a lot to do or do many students go home?
- What mental health services are offered for students?
- What percentage of students are involved in Greek Life?
- Are certain majors harder to gain admission to?
- Does your net price calculator provide an accurate estimate of costs for most families? Does it estimate merit-based or only need-based aid? When was it last updated?
- What percentage of students are employed in their major after graduation?
- What career services are offered within your specific major or program?
- Are there any exciting new initiatives coming that I will have the opportunity to take advantage of?
The do’s and don’ts of college fairs
- DO bring a folder or bag to put all of the informational materials and handouts in. You don’t want to worry about balancing a stack of papers while talking to the next rep.
- DON’T approach a rep with a group of friends. While they may make you feel more comfortable, a big group can overwhelm a rep, make you less likely to stand out, and prevent you from having all of your questions answered.
- DO make a strong and confident first impression. No matter how nervous you may be, make sure what the rep sees is confidence and joy. Greet them with a smile and firm handshake as you proudly introduce yourself with your name, grade, and why you are interested in their school.
- DON’T let your parents do all the talking. You are the one who will be attending college, so reps want to talk to you, not them. Ideally, you will approach each rep on your own, but if a parent is there, have them stand back and let you take the lead.
- DO bring something to write on and take notes. You will receive a lot of information and likely won’t be able to remember all of it. If the rep doesn’t provide a business card or other document with their contact info, jot down their name and email. If needed, take a brief pause between each college to write down everything you learned from the last one.
- DON’T try to talk to every school at the fair. It can be exhausting and overwhelming. Focus on your top-choice school.
- DO give yourself the freedom to stop and speak with a school not on your initial list if it looks interesting. You never know when a school you had not previously considered might be the perfect fit for you.
- DON’T be rude. It’s pretty obvious that you should be polite and respectful to the reps, not cut in front of others waiting in line, and not answer your phone or text during a conversation with a rep. But, there is a common act you might not have considered. While some colleges may be giving away some cool swag, do not just grab the items and walk away without speaking to the rep. Blindly snagging freebies comes off as immature, and while you may not want to go to that college, the rep from a college you do want to go to might see it and change their opinion of you.
- DO have fun! While figuring out where you want to go college is serious and you might feel a little anxious talking to the reps, allow yourself to enjoy the experience interviewing schools and imagining the exciting future you could have at them.
What to do after a college fair
If you think your job is done when you exit the building, think again. As a college fair is just part of the college exploration and research process, it should be a springboard for next steps.
- Review your notes and all of the handouts provided to decide what colleges you want to continue to consider and research more.
- Send reps from the colleges that interest you a quick email to say thank you. If you have questions you didn’t get answered at the fair or thought of later, ask those in the email as well.
- For the colleges you like, try to set up campus visits (or do a virtual tour if it is too far away) to get a better feel for campus life.
- If your school has college admissions reps visit from schools of interest, go to those info sessions to learn more about the colleges without having to travel.
College fairs are a great way to start building or to narrow down your college list, but are just part of the extensive exploration and application processes. Let HelloCollege help you with the rest. Contact us today!
