How to Navigate Your First College Fair
For many teenagers, a college fair may be their first step into the world of college exploration and admissions. Attending a college fair is a great opportunity to learn about several colleges in a short amount of time. However, I have seen many families walking away frustrated and overwhelmed. If this is your first time attending a college fair, here are my TOP 10 Tips to help ensure it is a positive experience!
TIP #1: Have your teenager create an email address to be used throughout their college admissions journey
Beginning with their first college fair or the first time they take the PSAT, teenagers will start receiving marketing emails from colleges. Now is a great time to set up an email dedicated to ALL things college!
TIP #2: Register
Using the email they created for college admissions, students should register for the college fair ahead of time. College fairs use digital systems to help students connect with colleges. Once students register, they receive a barcode that they can share with colleges they visit at the fair, so they can be added to the colleges’ mailing lists.
TIP #3: Plan your route
Look at the list of schools attending and work with your teenager to pick 5-10 schools that they’d like to visit. If you are provided a map ahead of time, locate where those schools will be and plan your route. I encourage teenagers to go to a variety of schools and explore some of the smaller schools from both in- and out-of-state. If you need help with planning for variety, take a look at the College Fair Bingo Board I developed.
A special tip to help avoid becoming overwhelmed: Typically, I recommend avoiding the large state flagship universities because of the crowds. If you absolutely must talk to them, go straight there upon arrival because they will be flooded with visitors within the first 20 minutes.
TIP #4: Research ahead of time
Spending 5 minutes researching each college you’d like to visit ahead of time will make the experience much more meaningful. Whether it is through watching a video on YouTube, visiting the college website, or looking up general information from a resource like College Scorecard, researching the schools before the college fair will help you become familiar with the basics and may help you think of questions you’d like to ask.
TIP #5: Discuss how you will approach each college representative
Talk with your teenager before you go about introducing themselves to the representative and what questions they might ask. Here are a few ideas of things you may want to learn more about:
Questions to consider asking representatives at College Fairs
What do students like most about your school?
What academic programs / majors is your college known for?
If you know what you want to study: Ask about that particular major!
If you are undecided: Ask what support and programs they offer for undecided majors!
When is the best time of year to visit?
Ask a question specific to your circumstance - meal plan for dietary restrictions, support for students who need accommodations, etc.
Questions about opportunities for merit aid:
Do you provide merit-based aid? What percentage of students receive merit-based aid? What is the typical range? Are there set parameters?
If a school is test-optional: Does submitting test scores help with merit aid?
Questions about admissions:
For public universities: Is there a difference between your in-state and out-of-state acceptance rates? If so, what is the difference?
Does the college admit by major? If yes, is there a way to see acceptance rates by major? Or, ask about the acceptance rate for your specific major.
If there is a specific major you are interested in: Are there any specific classes you like students to have taken in high school to prepare them for xyz major?
TIP #6: Get there early
Not only can parking get crazy at college fairs, but so can the college booths! You’ll want to be waiting when the doors open to avoid the largest crowds.
TIP #7: Be prepared to wait in line
There will likely be a line to wait to speak to the college representative. While waiting, feel free to politely eavesdrop on the college representative’s responses to questions from other families. They might be responding to a question you have or one you didn’t think of!
TIP #8: Bring a way to take notes & collect materials
Whether it is the tried-and-true pen and notepad or just typing into the notes app on your phone, you and your teenager will want to have a way to keep track of what you learn! And, although you’ll probably pick up a reusable tote at the fair, bring one with you just in case because you will gather a lot of college materials over the course of the fair.
TIP #9: Follow the lead of your teenager
If they start to feel overwhelmed, head directly to the perimeter and regroup. If they are 100% ready to go, leave. It is never worth it to stay at a college fair when they are miserable. Maybe head to a coffee shop to talk about what they experienced.
TIP #10: Take time to reflect
Make sure you find time within a day or two of the college fair to organize the materials you gathered and reflect on the conversations you had.
Do you want to make sure you are aware of the key milestones to navigate college admissions? Grab our free 4-Year College Planning Calendar!