Please be aware that the National Association of College Admissions is having a college fair in Atlanta on March 19th. Although this fair can be overwhelming due to the number of college presenters, presentations, high school students, etc., this fair is well worth your time. Check out the registration site here. Read the list of college fair tips below which I have gathered from various college websites:
1. Visit at least 3 schools you’ve never heard of. You’re there to gather information, so gather as much as you can.
2. Print a sheet of sticky labels that have your contact information on them in order to expedite the information card process. Make sure that these stickers include the following: name, high school graduating year, high school name and state, home address, student email address, and date of birth.
3. Ask about the person standing behind the table -Don’t assume that the person standing behind the college fair table is an alumnus of the institution. College Counselors are drawn to representing universities for various reasons and many will work for schools they did not attend! If you’re looking for other ways to connect with current students or alumni, make sure to check out the school’s website.
4. Get business cards. Ask the college representatives for their business cards. You may want to get in contact with them again if you have further questions.
5. Attend information sessions. Many college fairs offer information seminars on topics such as financial aid, the search process, applications, etc. These sessions will give you the opportunity to ask questions about the college planning and admission process.
6. Follow up. Once the college fair is over, you should read over the college pamphlets that you received and the notes that you took. For the colleges that you are really interested in, follow up by taking virtual tours of the campuses and scheduling onsite college visits.In addition, if you have the Admissions Representatives information, send them an email and thank them for the information they provided you.
In addition to the above tips, try to learn the layout of the program. Be sure to know the programs that are being offered and where most of your colleges of interest are located. This information should be on the NACAC site. Be sure to post your experiences here!