College Fairs - Are they helpful?

<p>We had a so-so experience at a large college fair and a great experience at a smaller, targeted college fair (CTCL). The smaller one allowed DS to ask a lot of questions. Schools that were on the initial list came off and others made it to the final decision round. He went to them his junior year. at the large fairs it seemed like the reps didn’t care about juniors so he got turned off at a few schools. </p>

<p>Our high school is having one next week. Since it’s only open to our students, it’s not terribly crowded. I went with my older daughter years ago, and will be going to this upcoming one with my 9th grader. Just looking at it as an opportunity to grab some brochures to look through later on.</p>

<p>My son and I went to one at our school last year when he was a sophomore and it was incredibly helpful. It wasn’t too crowded and we were able to really speak with the reps, who were also very familiar with the school. We’re going to another one at the school in April.</p>

<p>ExpatSon & I attended a college fair last year. I don’t think he found it helpful, but I took the time to speak with reps, and found that the conversations offered a world of insight. It’s as good a place as any to start the process. That said, I think only one of the schools we saw there (the state flagship) made it to his application list. </p>

<p>Our 19 college visits – now those were helpful. Cut the potential applications from 17 to 8. (Two of the visits were ‘after the fact’, acceptance in hand.)</p>

<p>No</p>

<p>Agreed, expatCanuck–college visits can make all the difference (College #1 on my list was dropped after a terrible experience on our visit). I know that college fairs try to provide something of the visit experience–the fact-finding part–for those who are unable to visit, but it seems from this thread that they’re failing miserably. I wonder what improvements can reasonably be made to change that. </p>

<p>Out daughter (who is a junior this year) has been more impressed by the single-school outreach efforts from the college reps. For example, one of D’s friends dragged her along when the Vanderbilt rep came to our suburban Chicago school. There were only five kids at the presentation, but, from what D says, all of those who attended were impressed and are either planning a visit or have already applied. That seems to be a better way of identifying potential applicants and making an impression than the cattle-calls that college fairs have become in our area. (We’re making the trek to Nashville over spring break primarily because of that 45-minute meeting.) </p>

<p>I attended them with two of my kids and I think they were somewhat helpful. One of things I did was talk to each of my kids before we entered the room about what they wanted to know. Together we settled on just a few questions that were not on the colleges website, or a particular interest. I also told my kids that it was extremely important that they talk to the reps, not me. This wasn’t easy for either one, but by the third college rep, they got the hang of it and it was much better. Here are some sample questions: <a href=“http://www.studentawards.com/stacks/articles/40-questions-to-ask-college-university-reps.aspx”>http://www.studentawards.com/stacks/articles/40-questions-to-ask-college-university-reps.aspx&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>We went to our local college fair when D was a freshman (she had the day off from school.) Our encounter with the Vanderbilt rep at the fair made a lasting impression on both of us. Surprisingly it stayed on her list even though she had never visited and it is likely she will be attending in the fall. Sometimes it’s just meant to be!</p>

<p>“Walkinghome” - thanks for the link to questions. They would have been very helpful for my older son to get the most value out of the short time one actually gets to talk with a rep - we’ll make use of them with my younger son.</p>

<p>The best thing we got out of a recent college fair were two business cards from two admissions representatives, both of whom said “Call me and I’ll give you a code to waive the application fee.” Figured it saved us some money and was therefore worth it. By the way, if an admissions rep doesn’t offer to waive the application fee, ask them at this event if that is a possibility. </p>

<p>While it pays for Vandy to send reps to target rich suburban high schools many colleges are not able to do so and it far more reasonable for them to do a college fair that ALL can attend. Also less class conscious. </p>

<p>College fairs are one tool in the toolbox. My oldest child and I went on a college tour, and the admissions counselor who met with our group told us that coming to a college fair is one good way to demonstrate actual interest in the school. So if “demonstrated interest” is something that a college will be considering as part of its admissions criteria, then attending a college fair may have some definite benefit.</p>

<p>We’ve been to two, both open to students throughout the larger metro area. The first featured predominantly in-state uni system schools and for profits like Phoenix, and was a colossal waste of time. The second featured primarily smaller LACs and state uni schools, and a few larger private and name publics like George Mason, VMI, and Clemson. It was equally crowded and understaffed, and my son spoke to a grand total of three recruiters. One was (gratifyingly) very enthusiastic about his prospects because he has a niche interest that their school is known for; sadly, they do not offer his intended major. Overall, we found out very little that couldn’t be discovered online and without a hefty parking fee.
My son’s school doesn’t have its own college fair. Would that it did, but the reality is that it’s a decent, not stellar, community high school in a smallish town an hour from a major airport. There’s no reason for anyone from Hopkins or Stanford or even the University of Michigan to bother.</p>

<p>we attended 2 recently. </p>

<p>1 was intimate where only about 50 ppl sat and listened to presentations from a panel of 8 schools, then we asked questions. that was very productive.</p>

<p>we attended a 2nd fair in a nearby town with some of the same schools. there was no comparison, walking around in a crowd and trying to think of a question to ask the person manning the table was so inadequate. I’m glad our HS arranged the 1st kind.</p>

<p>There is one annual college fair in our community, in the fall, that wasn’t particularly helpful for my oldest last year. Partially because we weren’t completely prepared, and didn’t take full advantage of the opportunity, and partially because of the schools that were there. It was a mix of state, small LAC, and profit schools. </p>

<p>I’m looking into finding one to attend closer in towards LA, rather than our semi-rural area, for D15. She will also be better prepared to ask questions. I would love it if college reps came to our school, but they don’t – the graduating class averages 75 students each year, so probably not worth the expense of sending a rep out.</p>

<p>Completely agreed that college fairs are a great way to see a lot of colleges quickly. However, as with all of these processes, the challenge is that your student is talking to admissions reps whose job is to “sell” their school. Often the best understanding of the true inside scoop at a school is to actually visit the school and try to talk to students. Recognizing that this process is not always feasible, Campus Insider (<a href=“http://www.campusinsider.org”>www.campusinsider.org</a>) connects high school students with current college students at their target schools for confidential and candid insight into what student and academic life is really like at that school.</p>

<p>There is a large Fair in Pasadena in the Spring on May 1.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/SpringNCF/Pages/Los-Angeles.aspx”>http://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/SpringNCF/Pages/Los-Angeles.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Before the fair, go onto the website, print a map and know where you want to go. Ask the questions that you want answered, even if the rep squirms and tries to give programmed answers. I asked everyone for specifics on merit aid because that is so hard to find. How much, what are the minimum test scores, how many full rides, how many full tuition etc. Some, like Alabama, have hand outs with that info, others seem shocked, as if nobody would discuss that in polite company. Also, I want to know the true personality of the school. Would my son feel comfortable there?</p>