THE ROAD TO COLLEGE
A ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN
FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
#6 of 20:  March

Get up-close-and-personal contact with dozens of colleges all at once by talking with their reps at a college fair.

by Martha Green Quirk, M.A.

Now that you are about to finish the last two months of your junior year, you should be in the thick of researching colleges—finding out as much as you can about those that interest you. While the internet offers immediate helpful information on colleges—their programs, opportunities, and curriculum—it’s still just reading about a school. Wouldn’t you rather talk to a representative from the colleges that you are interested in?

Here’s a great suggestion: Attend a local college fair. Representatives from dozens of colleges from around the nation will assemble behind tables in a large conference room or local school gymnasium to talk to you. You can speak directly to reps from the colleges in which you have an interest. Your parents are also encouraged to come to ask questions themselves, but this is primarily a time for high school sophomores and especially juniors to meet college reps, show interest and intent in the school, and come away with some valuable information.

Here are some hints to help you have a successful visit to a college fair:

●  Bring a shoulder bag with you to collect the college literature from each table.

●  Get a list of schools ahead of time from the internet so you know which colleges are represented.

●  Mark those schools you want to connect with and get to those schools’ tables first.

●  Pick up a contact card from each school’s table. Either fill it out there or bring it home and complete it and mail it back to the school. A better use of your time while at the College Fair is to talk to the rep instead of filling out a card. You might even go with pre-printed sticky labels with your name, address and phone number. This will save lots of time!

●  When you meet the rep (usually an admissions officer from the school—sometimes it’s an alum who is representing the school)—shake hands and introduce yourself. (“Hi, I’m Johnny Jones, a junior at Mountaintop High School.”) This is really important as most kids don’t do this, and it’s a way for the rep to remember you.

●  Go prepared with two or three questions to ask like, “I want to continue with my focus on writing in college; help me understand how _____ College would support this goal.” or “How would _____ College encourage me to participate on abroad programs or focus on musical aspirations or get involved in athletic endeavors?”

●  Don’t ask questions like, “How big is your school?” or “Do you have an engineering major?” These are questions that are answered on the school’s website. Be sure to do your homework before you go to the fair.

●  Engage in the conversation, listen intently to what the rep has to say, and make sure that person knows that _____ College is one of your top choices of schools.

●  At the end of the conversation, again, shake hands, look at the rep in the eyes, thank him or her for their time, and tell the rep that you hope to see them when you come to visit the college (assuming you will visit your top choices).

●  Pick up the rep’s business card and as much literature as you want (usually it’s only two-three pieces per table). (That’s why you have the shoulder bag!)

●  When you walk away from the table, jot down a couple of notes down on the back of the card so you have some memory of the rep and a response or two that he or she gave you. Did the rep say anything that particularly sparked your interest? If you think you might take more notes than on the back of a business card, bring a small notebook from home.

●  When you get home, fill out the school’s card and mail it to the person you met (you have his or her business card) along with a short thank-you note. (“Thanks so much for taking a moment to visit with me at the ______ College Fair last Sunday. I enjoyed talking to you and learning more about _____College. I look forward to staying in touch, and hope to see you when I come to visit _____. ”)­ It’s that simple and that important! The purpose of the note sent with your card is that it will be filed in your folder in the Admissions Office, and you have a better chance of being remembered by the admissions rep—and this is good!

●  After you get home, while it’s still fresh in your memory, try to choose which 10 or 12 colleges stand out as good options for you. Look over their literature, decide if that might be a school to visit, and then pitch the rest of the stuff you got—especially if on further review you decide to eliminate schools from your “possible” list.

●  File the papers and literature from the 10-12 schools you continue to be interested in, and you’ll be prepared for the next step.

 

Martha Green Quirk, M.A., has been active in the college admissions field for over 30 years. In 2008 she founded her own independent educational consulting company, College Admissions Consulting (CAC), in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC).

Image courtesy of Newtown High School, Connecticut