I'm heading up to Portland later this week for my last trip of the season -- the big NACAC College Fair. We're talking huge. Two hundred and seventy-three exhibitors, to be precise. And it's pretty common to see parents and students walking around with glazed, deer-in-headlights expressions, trying to collect college brochures as if they're Monopoly properties. So I thought I'd take a moment to share a few tips for a successful college fair experience.
1. Come with a plan of attack. Do not plan on stopping at every table. Review the list of attendees ahead of time. You don't want to be that student walking from one table to the next asking, "Hi, do you have an engineering major?" And be realistic about how many schools you can visit during a fair without getting burnt out -- my estimate is twenty, tops. If there's a school you know well and really like already, maybe that's one to skip for the time being; focus instead on the schools that are on your maybe list.
2. Talk to the college representatives. If this point weren't important, we'd just send a box of publications to a designated location and stay home watching Glee. Talk to us! Please! If you're on the quieter end of the spectrum, it can be helpful to bring along a parent or relative, or even a chattier friend. If you followed rule #1, then you'll have a small enough list of schools to investigate at the college fair that you can actually spend five or ten minutes at each table. Take advantage of this. Just remember, if there's a line forming behind you, to be gracious and take turns asking questions. As much as I'd like to have long, leisurely conversations with each family individually, it isn't always possible, and if I can engage several people in conversation at once, that makes my life much easier.
3. Try not to ask yes/no questions or questions with an obvious answer. One common inquiry at a college fair: "Is X department strong?" Seriously, what representative is going to say no? If you tweak this to ask "What makes department X strong?" you'll get a much better answer -- maybe you'll learn about research, diversity of coursework, abroad opportunities, etc. Same goes for "are your professors accessible?" or "do you give financial aid?" Try to substitute "how" or "why" questions whenever you can.
4. Keep an open mind. You might find a liberal arts college that's a fantastic fit for your techy interests or a women's college that offers abundant coeducational opportunities. So if your parents, counselors, friends have all been telling you that college Y is a perfect match, go spend five minutes checking it out. What do you have to lose?
5. Remember, we can hear you. Oh, the comments I've overheard at college fairs. Students will stop all of three feet from my table and screech, "Harvey MUDD? What kind of a name is THAT?" "CALIFORNIA? Who'd want to go to college THERE?" "Oh, let's stop at this table, I need a safety school." (FYI: Mudd is not a safety school.) Even if you don't have any interest in a college, be polite!
Finally, what to say if you really want to irk a college representative: "Why should I attend your college?" What I will say in response: "Well, why should you?" Don't ask that. Please.
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