What to do at College Fairs?

<p>Our school has the occasional college fair for seniors who are interested. If I plan to go, what sort of things should I bring with me? I have been to one before, and have seen people walking around with no materials, some with notepads to take notes, while other people brought parts of their application to ask about their chances. What sort of thing should I ask at a college fair? I was thinking about asking about everyday life at the college and asking what sets their school apart from the others. Is that what you generally would do? It seems to me that bringing your application and asking about your chances is not the way to go.</p>

<p>Any advice from people who have gone to these before?</p>

<p>What kind of colleges will be represented at this fair?</p>

<p>If the colleges you are really interested in are represented then you can do more than just learn about them. It is an opportunity for you to tell them about yourself. This is not always possible if gets too crowded and everyone is vying for attention. You can ask them what they look for in applicants.</p>

<p>People still want pamphlets, stickers, freebies but more importantly these college fairs are often the first contact with specific colleges’ representatives.
In the olden days, you would pick up school catalogs but websites are more user friendly.
Emailing Admissions is better than trying to talk to a college rep. who is surrounded by people trying to do the same.
If you decide to go to a college fair, go early to the booths that are important to you and then get out before it gets too crowded.</p>

<p>Prepare to follow up. Get a business card from the people you talk to and send them a follow-up email a day later if there’s even a small chance that you might apply. “I appreciated the opportunity to speak with you at the myHS college fair. blah blah blah.” If you have any unanswered questions that aren’t easily obtainable from other sources, add them to the email.</p>