10 Dos and Don'ts- College Fair Style

What a long overdue post about this subject! For all that have attended a college fair, you know how overwhelming the experience can be. There are sometimes hundreds of college reps and thousands of students to navigate through in order to get the information you really need. Hopefully a few pointers below can help you through the process. And remember, college fairs are fun and informative!

Do:

1.Fill out inquiry cards. This will ensure that a college can update your information, send you materials relevant to your academic and extracurricular interests. There are also a good number of schools (like Stonehill) that track a student's interest in a school. When we read your applicant file we can see that you met a representative at a college fair- we know you mean business!

2. Bring pre-printed labels. The savvy student knows that filling out inquiry cards can be a pain! Pre-printed sticky labels with your address, email, class year, high school name, DOB, academic and extracurricular interest will save you a lot of time and help avoid writer's cramp...plus it's easier for us to input in our computer system. Win win!

3. Ask questions- that's what we're there for! Your guidance/college counselor may be able to provide you with a list of good questions to ask or you could brainstorm on your own. Either way, it's never a bad idea to have a few questions in mind regarding academics, campus life, housing options, etc.

4. Do your homework! Most fairs will provide a list of colleges to expect at the fair. Try to come up with a list of schools that you want to visit to help make good use of your time. It's also not a bad idea to check out their websites to get some basic information and know what you want to talk about with the college rep.

5. Keep an open mind. Try to visit schools you may not have heard of and explore all that the fair has to offer. You never know what you'll find.


Don't:

1. Dress inappropriately, this may be your first and last impression! It's hard for us to take you seriously when you're wearing Sponge Bob PJ pants. Keep the sleepwear, sweatpants and other lounge wear at home.

2. Be afraid to speak up. While we love talking with parents, we want to interact with you as well. Introduce yourself and make sure we get to know you!

3. Hesitate to ask for the contact information of a rep. if the table is busy and you have more questions. We try as best as possible to speak with every student but this can be difficult at busy fairs. We never want you to walk away from our table with unanswered questions.

4. "Grab and go" a.k.a. take a brochure from every table- it's just wasteful! There is no possible way that every school will be a good match for you or that you'll be able to read every single one. Try to talk to a rep, see if the school is a good match and then take their materials. Consider this a good move for the environment as well :)

5. Travel in packs. Just because all your friends like a school, it doesn't mean it's the best place for you. Try to branch off on your own and go see the schools that you're really interested in attending.