Javascript Is Required
Please turn Javascript on.
Scholarships college Articles College Search Win Free Tuition Magazine
Continue your path to success or Register Free
Email: Password: Forgot Password
Your Path Articles Scholarships Colleges Bugs & Feedback
Article Categories > Attend College Fairs > Making The Most Of A College Fair
Attend College Fairs
Become A Student-Athlete
Consider A Community College Or Technical School
Consider A Gap Year
Consider An Online College
Consider Grad School
Consider The Military
Gear Up For College
How Can You Get Involved
Involve Your Parents
Make A Decision
Plan For College
Prepare For The SAT/ACT
Start Your Search For Scholarships
Survive Student Life
Take A College Tour
Write A Standout College Essay
Making the most of a college fair
A guide to college fairs for parents and students
Most college-bound high school students have at least one college fair in their futures. It's a chance to talk to many different schools — often from a wide geographic area — in one location.
While the opportunity is great, you want to leave a college fair with more than a fistful of brochures and a headache. Knowing what to expect can help you use a college fair to your best advantage.
Julie - A mom's point of view:
Have you ever attended a flea market? Usually there are different booths or tables set up, and each vendor offers its own particular type of wares.
A college fair is not unlike a flea market, only the vendors are selling something much different. Each one offers a different version of a college education and the college experience. And — just like at a noisy flea market — it's easy to get overwhelmed at a college fair. Here are some tips to help you get the most value out of the experience.
Have a plan.
A successful shopping trip often starts with a list, and shopping for colleges is no exception. Start by researching which colleges will be represented. With your child, make a list of the schools that he or she wants to visit.
It's also a good idea for both you and your child to have a list of questions to ask each school's representatives. Your list will probably include things like costs, campus safety and career services. Your child may be more interested in majors, dorm accommodations and class size.
But don't be afraid to deviate from it.
A smart shopper knows that when just the right item appears, it's time to deviate from the shopping list. It's the same with a college fair. Your child may stumble across a school that wasn't on his or her radar and want to find out more. After all, you're still in the comparison stage of your shopping trip.
Gently guide your child, but don't lead the way.
Researching and choosing a college can be an exciting time, not just for the students, but for the parents. After all, you know all of the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for your child, and you probably have some strong ideas about the kind of school that would be a great fit.
While your child will need you to be a partner and help guide them in this process, remember that it is your child's journey and not your own.
Know what you're looking for.
As my mom said, college fairs can be a lot like a noisy flea market, and with every flea market comes at least one very persuasive vendor trying to sell you something you don't want or need.
The same can be true with college fairs. The key is to recognize one of your deal-breakers when speaking with a school's representative and be able to walk away.
Everyone wants to be polite, but make sure to spend the majority of your time on schools that match your interests, not just humoring a friendly admissions rep.
Lindsey - A student's point of view:
For me, college fairs were one of the most exciting parts of the college selection process. It is an opportunity for universities from all across the country to gather in one location near to your home, and every school wants one thing — you!
It's an exciting event, but it's also important to get the most out of your time at a college fair. There's a lot to see, so here are my tips for how to leave the event with your focus still intact.
Be engaged and make contacts.
It's tempting to casually wander through a college fair to see what is out there, but what many students don't realize is that this can be a great opportunity for networking. Pay attention to who you're talking to at each booth and ask for their contact information at the end of your conversation.
Chances are this person is the designated representative for your hometown, and can be a great resource for you if you have questions down the road. A friend of mine who became very close with her admissions representative even ended up with more scholarship money because her contact went to bat for her.
Decide on each school's prospects sooner, rather than later.
During my junior and senior years of high school, even one college visit contained more information than I could process, so you can imagine how much information a college fair offers. Take the handouts and pamphlets of each school you talk to, but be sure to narrow down those options as soon as you get home.
Take diligent notes and try to come out of a college fair with two or three strong candidates on your radar. Each school offers its own enticing presentation, but really limit yourself to those that match your interests best.
The most important thing to remember about a college fait is to do your homework on each school that will be in attendance. Using that information and what you learn at the fair will assist you in making the big decisions afterward.
And finally, try to have fun! Expand your horizons beyond what you've found so far on college search engines and by word of mouth. Don't be afraid to explore something new, but in the end make sure you're able to separate the schools with good sales pitches from those that should be strong contenders.
Julie and Lindsey Mayfield are a mother/daughter writing team who blog regularly. Lindsey is a student at the University of Kansas (www.ku.edu) studying journalism and political science.
By Julie and Lindsey Mayfield; NextStepU 2019
Select a College Type:
Traditional College Online College
Select a State:
Select State Online Colleges Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana International Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Newfoundland and Labrador North Carolina North Dakota Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavit Ohio Oklahoma Online Colleges Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Prince Edward Island Puerto Rico Quebec Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Yukon
Select an Interest:
Select Interest Agriculture & Horticulture Animation/Video Game Programming Architecture & Design Art, Visual & Performing/Dance Athletics Aviation Biomedical Engineering Business Chiropractic & Acupuncture Commercial Diving Communications Computer Science/Technology Cosmetology/Esthiology Criminal Justice/Security Culinary Arts/Restaurant Management Education Engineering English Environmental Equestrian Studies Fashion Film, TV and audio production Foreign Language/Sign Language Graphic Design/Publishing Health History Hospitality and Tourism International Relations Journalism Law/Legal Liberal Arts Library Science Marine Sciences Maritime Transportation/Administration Marketing & Public Relations Massage & Holistic Health Mathematics Medicine Military Music Non-Destructive Testing/Industrial Inspection Nursing Oceanography Online Learning Other Pharmacy Photography Physical Therapy Physician Assistant Political Science Pre-College Pre-Professional Public Administration Religion & Philosophy Science Skilled Trades Social Sciences Social Work STEM Study Abroad Summer Programs Transfer Student Undecided Veterinary
NextStepU Fall'18 College Planning Magazine Link
STEM WINTER 2019 MAGAZINE
High School Counselor - LINK Magazine
NextStepU.com is a personalized resource for students, parents and counselors to find information about pursuing a career, joining the military, applying to and attending a two-year or four-year college or university and developing essential life skills.
For College:
college admissions essay
career colleges
military colleges
For Scholarship:
find scholarships for college
We strive to be a guide that will provide the essential tools to get students from where they are to where they want to be. We aim for you to get to your destination and succeed in whatever your next step may be!
Next Step Universe, Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. See our privacy statement and terms.
NextStepU - 1460 Broadway, New York, New York 10036 USA. • Tel:1-800-NSU-0315 • E-mail: webmaster@nextstepu.com
Register Step 1 of 2
Afghanistan (+93) Albania (+355) Algeria (+213) Andorra (+376) Angola (+244) Anguilla (+1264) Antarctica (+672) Antigua & Barbuda (+1268) American Samoa (U.S) (+684) Argentina (+54) Armenia (+374) Aruba (+297) Ascension Island (+247) Australia (+61) Austria (+43) Azerbaijan (+994) Azores (+351) Bahamas (+1242) Bahrain (+973) Bangladesh (+880) Balearic Islands (+34) Barbados (+1246) Belarus (+375) Belgium (+32) Belize (+501) Benin (+229) Bermuda (+1441) Bhutan (+975) Bolivia (+591) Bosnia and Herzegovina (+387) Botswana (+267) Bouvet Island (+55) Brazil (+55) British Indian Ocean Territory (+246) Brunei Darussalam (+673) Bulgaria (+359) Burkina Faso (+226) Burma (+95) Burundi (+257) Cambodia (+855) Cameroon (+237) Canada (+1) Canary Islands (+34) Cape Verde (+238) Central African Republic (+236) Chad (+235) Chile (+56) China (+86) Christmas Island (+61) Cocos (Keeling) Islands (+891) Colombia (+57) Comoros (+269) Congo (+242) Cook Islands (+682) Costa Rica (+506) Croatia (+385) Cuba (+53) Cyprus North (+90392) Cyprus South (+357) Czech Republic (+42) Denmark (+45) Djibouti (+253) Dominica (+1809) Dominican Republic (+1809) East Timor (+670) Ecuador (+593) Egypt (+20) El Salvador (+503) Equatorial Guinea (+240) Eritrea (+291) Estonia (+372) Ethiopia (+251) Falkland Islands (+500) Faroe Islands (+298) Fiji (+679) Finland (+358) France (+33) French Guiana (+594) French Polynesia (+689) French Southern Territories (+262) Gabon (+241) Gambia (+220) Georgia (+7880) Germany (+49) Ghana (+233) Gibraltar (+350) Grand Cayman (+30) Greece (+30) Greenland (+1345) Grenada (+1473) Guadeloupe (+590) Guam (+671) Guatemala (+502) Guernsey (+44) Guinea (+224) Guinea - Bissau (+245) Guyana (+592) Haiti (+509) Honduras (+504) Hong Kong (+852) Hungary (+36) Iceland (+354) India (+91) Indonesia (+62) Iran (+98) Iraq (+964) Ireland (+353) Isle of Man (+44) Israel (+972) Italy (+39) Ivory Coast (+225) Jamaica (+1876) Japan (+81) Jersey (+44) Jordan (+962) Kazakhstan (+7) Kenya (+254) Kiribati (+686) Korea North (+850) Korea South (+82) Kuwait (+965) Kyrgyzstan (+996) Laos (+856) Latvia (+371) Lebanon (+961) Lesotho (+266) Liberia (+231) Libya (+218) Liechtenstein (+417) Lithuania (+370) Luxembourg (+352) Macao (+853) Macedonia (+389) Madagascar (+261) Madeira Island (+351) Malawi (+265) Malaysia (+60) Maldives (+960) Mali (+223) Malta (+356) Marshall Islands (+692) Martinique (+596) Mauritania (+222) Mauritius (+230) Mayotte (+269) Mexico (+52) Micronesia (+691) Moldova (+373) Monaco (+377) Mongolia (+976) Montserrat (+1664) Morocco (+212) Mozambique (+258) Namibia (+264) Nauru (+674) Nepal (+977) Netherlands (+31) Netherlands Antilles(+599) New Caledonia (+687) New Zealand (+64) Nicaragua (+505) Niger (+227) Nigeria (+234) Niue (+683) Norfolk Islands (+672) Norway (+47) Oman (+968) Pakistan (+92) Palau (+680) Panama (+507) Papua New Guinea (+675) Paraguay (+595) Peru (+51) Philippines (+63) Pitcairn (+870) Poland (+48) Portugal (+351) Puerto Rico (+1787) Qatar (+974) Republic of South Africa (+27) Reunion (+262) Romania (+40) Russia (+7) Rwanda (+250) San Marino (+378) Saint Kitts and Nevis (+1869) Saint Lucia (+1758) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (+784) Samoa (+685) San Marino (+378) Sao Tome & Principe (+239) Saudi Arabia (+966) Senegal (+221) Serbia (+381) Seychelles (+248) Sierra Leone (+232) Singapore (+65) Slovakia (+421) Slovenia (+386) Solomon Islands (+677) Somalia (+252) South Africa (+27) Spain (+34) Sri Lanka (+94) Sudan (+249) Suriname (+597) Swaziland (+268) Sweden (+46) Switzerland (+41) Syria (+963) Taiwan (+886) Tajikstan (+7) Thailand (+66) Togo (+228) Tonga (+676) Trinidad & Tobago (+1868) Tunisia (+216) Turkey (+90) Turkmenistan (+7) Turkmenistan (+993) Turks and Caicos Islands (+1649) Tuvalu (+688) Uganda (+256) United Kingdom (+44) Ukraine (+380) United Arab Emirates (+971) Uruguay (+598) United States (+1) Uzbekistan (+7) Vanuatu (+678) Vatican City (+379) Venezuela (+58) Vietnam (+84) Virgin Islands - British (+1284) Virgin Islands - US (+1340) Wallis and Futuna Islands (+681) Yemen (North)(+969) Yemen (South)(+967) Zambia (+260) Zimbabwe (+263)
Apt/Suite
Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana International Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Newfoundland and Labrador North Carolina North Dakota Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Nunavit Ohio Oklahoma Online Colleges Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Prince Edward Island Puerto Rico Quebec Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Yukon
Zip & Country:* USA
Select country:* Close
United States Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa (U.S) Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Island Australia Austria Azerbaijan Azores Bahamas Bahrain Balearic Islands Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) Burma Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canary Islands Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana (France) French Polynesia (France) French Southern Territories (France) Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Grand Cayman Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong (see also China) Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland (includes both Republic of & N. Ireland) Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Madeira Island Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea (see also Korea) Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico (U.S.) Qatar Republic of South Africa Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Georgia and Sandwich Isl. South Korea (see also Korea) Spain Sri Lanka St. Helena St. Pierre and Miquelon Sudan Surinam Svalbard and Jan Mayen Isl. Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.) Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Yugoslavia Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe Africa England (see also United Kingdom) Scotland (see also United Kingdom) Wales (see also UK) Holland Great Britain Democratic Republic of Congo Cote D'Ivoire Europa Island Glorioso Island Juan De Nova Island Gaza Strip West Bank Midway Island Wake Island Montenegro Serbia Kosovo and metohija Johnston Atoll Northern Ireland (see also UK & Ireland) Ireland (Republic of)
Where are you now? *
I am... High School Freshman High School Sophomore High School Junior High School Senior College Freshman College Sophomore College Junior College Senior Graduate Student Transfer Student Adult Learner Counselor Parent
Where are you going next? *
I plan on going to... 2-year college 4-year college Career Military Gap Year Counselor
Current Job/Position: *
I am... College/Career Counselor Director/Coordinator Independent Counselor Principal/Assistant Principal School Counselor Other
I'm interested in...* Add Interest
By pressing the continue button, I hereby consent to receive autodialed and/or pre-recorded calls from NextStepU and their partners, regarding their products and services, at the phone number above. I understand that consent is not a condition for attending any school.
Oops! Seems there were some errors above..
Your Path
Get customized college, life and career planning with step-by-step instruction and resources, all catered specifically to you.
Register FreeSign In
Find over 2.2 million scholarships catered to a wide variety of your interests and strengths.
Search for more than 2.2 million scholarships!