Hello! As the new year is off to a start, so are college plans for high school juniors. Over the next few months, many of you will start to compile a list of dream schools, visit campuses & college fairs, take your SAT/ACTs, solicit recommendation letters, and complete college interviews. But don’t worry: we are here to help!
Throughout the next few weeks, we will be publishing guides to some of the most important first steps in the college application process. In honor of “Friends” being released on Netflix, we decided to enlist Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Joey, and Phoebe to help us down this path to acceptance.
STEP ONE: THE COLLEGE FAIR
Maybe your high school is holding a fair in the cafeteria one evening. Maybe it’s a big national fair that you can take the day off from school to visit. Either way, a college fair is a great way to get your first look at colleges and universities. Sometimes though, with so many schools represented, it can be challenging to figure out where to even start. That’s why first you need to…
1. Have a game plan.
Make a plan with your family before hitting the fair. What are you looking to do once you get there? Split up, or stay together? If this is your very first look at college, make a list of characteristics and types of colleges that you want to look for. If you already have some schools in mind, make a plan to visit their booths first.
2. Introduce yourself to the college rep and shake their hand.
College reps talk to a lot of students during these fairs, and you want to try and stand out. The best way to do this is to introduce yourself by name, and shake their hand while making eye contact. This shows that you are confident, professional, and ready to take the next step towards college.
3. Have a list of important questions to ask each college rep.
^^No, not that kind of important question. Something about the major you’re interested in, the size of school, the tuition, etc. Think smart when asking questions: the reps don’t have time to have an in-depth conversation with you (that will happen during your college interview). On the flipside, the reps are here to talk to you: so don’t feel embarrassed to ask about something that it important to you!
4. College reps are people too (and they can both see and hear you!)
Sometimes it can seem like there is an invisible wall between you and the college reps during fairs. This is not true. We can hear you, and we definitely see you deciding whether or not to come up and talk to us. Just remember, when your parent suggests you go talk to the rep from _____ University, if you’re not interested, don’t make a face or say “Ew, no way.” It hurts our feelings! We also don’t bite: it is okay to come closer and just look at the board without having any questions.
5. Fill out an inquiry card before you go.
This is a great way to get on the college’s mailing list, and keep up to date with their information. At universities that use demonstrated interest (more on that later), this is also a way to record that you met the rep at a fair. You can always call or email the college later and ask to be taken off the mailing list.
6. Make a folder for all of your college materials.
This might seem like an obvious tip, but you’ll walk away with a lot of material from a college fair. It’s good to keep it all in one place. Also feel free to take a break for a few days and then come back and look over your treasure trove of brochures and pamphlets.
If you’re interested in attending one of your first college fairs, there are a variety of national college fairs across the US throughout the year. You can visit nacacnet.org to get the complete list of fairs for 2015-2016. We hope to see you there!
The Yellow Brick Path 