JLV College CounselingQuestions to Ask At College Fairs
One of the first steps in the college admissions process is attending the college fair. Many colleges can seem cool and interesting, but not all of them will be for you. The college fair is a great opportunity to start making your interest list and/or taking colleges off your list. It’s a lot like window shopping – no commitments, just learning more and figuring out what you want (or don’t want).
Some college fairs will have a few hundred colleges attending. This, itself, can be very intimidating. But, preparing before the fair can take some of the intimidation factor away. After you’ve figured out what colleges you will talk to, what will you say or ask?
Before attending any fair, write down some questions that you want to ask the college representatives. Ask questions that are important to you. Below is a sample list of questions you can ask the college representatives to learn more about the college.
First, things first, make a good first impression. Extend your hand to the college representative and introduce yourself.
- What makes your college unique? This will be the representative’s opportunity to tell you what makes the college special. It also tells you what the college values. Sometimes, also hidden in the message, they will tell you why they think their college is better than a competitor.
- Please tell me a little about the ______ major. This is your opportunity to ask about the major or majors you are interested in studying in college. They will probably tell you what makes the program unique, opportunities within the major (internships, research, etc.) and what graduates are doing now. If they don’t tell you these things, you can ask.
- If you’re undecided on a major, ask the representative if you can apply undeclared and what services they have to help students choose a major.
- How many students return after the first year? The answer to this question will give you a glimpse into how satisfied current students are at the college. If the percent is low, ask why students are leaving.
- How would you describe the student body? This will tell you what the college atmosphere might feel like if you were on campus. This question is especially important when deciding if the college should stay on your list or not. If you are looking for a very lively campus and they tell you it’s quiet, it might not be the place for you.
- What is the surrounding community like? The representative will probably tell you about the things to do around the campus, as well how the college fits in with the city/town.
- Can you tell me about campus safety? By law, each university has to provide crime information on their websites. The representative might tell you specific statistics, or they might tell you the specific campus safety features the college offers, such as emergency phones, campus shuttles, escorts, etc.
- What are you looking for in an applicant? The representative will probably tell you the requirements for admission, as well as some things that might make your application stand out.
- How do you award scholarships and financial aid? Again, they will probably tell you the requirements to apply for financial aid, as well as information about institutional scholarships and how to become eligible for the scholarships.
The above are questions that most students should ask when talking to a college representative. After that, you should ask questions about things that are important to you. This can include information about a specific extracurricular activity, study abroad, fitness center on campus, etc. Ask your questions. Remember, you are the shopper and need to have your questions answered. This is your opportunity to ask your questions to a person face-to-face.
Lastly, get the business card of the Admission Counselor that works with students where you live. Keep in touch and ask questions as you have them about the college. Not only will you be getting your questions answered by a person, you’ll continue a good rapport with someone that will probably be making the decision on your application. This, in the long run, can help when they make a decision on your application.
Have fun at the college fair. I hope that the above questions can make the college fair feel a little less intimidating for you!
Photo Credit for Above Photo: “College Fair 48” by COD Newsroom licensed by CC BY 2.0 | Texted added to original
California State University, Monterey Bay
Orientation Map
On a quick weekend getaway with my family, I decided to stop by the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus. I had never visited this campus before, so it was a must see.
Campus Quad
CSUMB is located in the city of Seaside, California. The campus is approximately ten minutes North of Monterey – the city where many people might think it is located. It is also located approximately one hour South of San Jose and two hours South of San Francisco. The campus is just minutes away from the beach and the students on campus take advantage of this – while there, I noticed a few students drying out their wetsuits from the windows of the dorm rooms.
Visual and Public Art Buildings
The CSUMB campus is very unique. The school sits on a former Army base named Fort Ord. The campus has a unique blend of new and old. There are classes in the old airplane hangars and barracks, but there are new buildings on campus as well. Many of the residence halls are old office buildings from the base. In addition to being a unique fact, the rooms in the residence halls are much bigger than what might be found at other universities. The old buildings that are being used by the university have been updated. However, there are many unused buildings on campus and in the area that look dilapidated. The university will continue to make changes to the campus, so students that attend the university will be sure to witness changes throughout their time as a student.
Reminders of the Old Army Base
The school was founded in 1994, making it one of the youngest CSU campuses. The school is also one of the smaller CSU schools. With just under 6,000 students, the school has the feel that one might find on a small, private university. This makes the campus conducive to quiet studying. There are clubs, activities and sporting events on campus, but nothing too big. I found that this is one of the complaints of students. However, again, this can be used as an advantage if you’re looking for a quiet university (for studying) with the potential of building meaningful friendships because “there’s not much to do here,” as one student told me.
The surrounding community and area is great. The one plus that all of the students I spoke to said was the beaches. The school is literally within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Other activities students mentioned were the two California Missions within driving distances and the many hiking trails. The students did say that most things off campus close by ten, but if you’re looking for a more lively area, Cannery Row in Monterey is only a ten-minute drive away. Just off campus is The Dunes Shopping Center. The center has Target, Kohls, Best Buy, REI, Michael’s, Old Navy and Bed Bath & Beyond. There are plans to build up this area and add a movie theatre and restaurants, but no date of completion has been given.
Sunset at the beach near campus
The university currently offers 23 majors. The most popular majors are Business, Psychology and Kinesiology. The university calls itself a residential college. With 85% of first year students living on campus, that is quite a lot, especially for a public university. And, because CSUMB is a state school, students will enjoy in-state tuition. In addition, parking on campus is very cheap. To park on campus for an academic year, it is only $144. Although this might sound like a lot coming from high school, this amount is small compared to other public institutions.
I think California State University, Monterey Bay would be a good fit for students that are looking for a small school where they can make a name for themselves. Because the university is small, students will get to know many of their professors and other students. This school is also good for a student that wants to be focused on their studies because of the small amount of campus activities available. This is also a great place for students that love the beach and the outdoors because of it’s closeness to the ocean
If you’re interested in California State University, Monterey Bay, find out more information and sign up for a campus visit with he CSUMB Admissions Office.
For all of the photos of CSU Monterey Bay, visit Flickr. You’ll be able to find descriptions of all of the photos.
What NOT To Do At The College Fair
Attending a college fair is an important part of the college admissions process. The college fair is a great opportunity to jump-start your college research. It might be your first opportunity to talk to someone that is affiliated with the colleges you are interested in attending. And, it might open your eyes to other colleges you weren’t even thinking about researching.
Did you know that the impression that you make at the college fair could follow you through the college admissions process? Many colleges keep notes on their applicants. With the acceptance rates going lower and lower at colleges, it is important to make yourself stand out positively to the colleges. This includes making a good impression at the college fair.
As a former Admissions Counselor and Admissions Director, I’ve attended hundreds of fairs. I know what will and WILL NOT impress the person on the other side of the table.
Here is a list of things NOT to do at a college fair:
- Don’t dress inappropriately. You don’t have to dress up in a suit and tie or a business suit. You can come to the fair in casual clothing like what you wear to school. But…
- Don’t wear clothing that is too revealing.
- Don’t wear clothing that has words or pictures that could offend someone. Wearing your favorite sports team, or even your favorite college isn’t bad; however, don’t wear something with curse words or inappropriate phrases or pictures.
- Don’t disrespect the person behind the table.
- Even if it is a college you’re not interested in attending, your actions could reach the college representatives at the colleges you are interested in attending. Many college representatives know each other and talk. You see, the college representatives were probably at the same college fair the previous night and they’re all going to another college fair the next night. They are probably friends, hang out outside of the college fairs and talk.
- If the person behind the table is “just” an alumni representative or current student, it doesn’t mean you can treat them with disrespect. They will go back to the Admissions Office and share their thoughts on the people they met at the fair.
- If you meet an Admission Counselor at the fair, they are probably the person that will make the decision on your application.
- No matter who it is at the table, treat them with respect. Keep in mind – they may be keeping mental notes that will eventually find their way to your file.
- Don’t Talk or Text on Your Cell Phone While Talking to the Representative.
- It’s rude and disrespectful.
- If you have to pick up your phone while talking to the representative because it’s very important, excuse yourself and let the representative know you have to take the call.
- Keep in mind that “important” doesn’t mean that your friend is calling to tell you where they are at the fair. Think before picking up the call – if it can wait, let it wait.
- Don’t Go Into The Fair Too Early.
- Many of the larger fairs, like the NACAC Fairs, will have “guards” at the door and will not let anyone in until the start of the fair. But, smaller fairs, like the ones held at high schools, don’t hold students back from entering the fair before the official start time. Give the admissions representatives this time to prepare their tables and prepare for a few hours of talking with interested students. They need this time.
- Don’t Stay After The Fair.
- College fairs have specific hours for a reason. Arrive at the fair at the beginning so that you can visit all of the colleges you want during the official fair hours. Don’t stay late and keep the admissions representatives after the fair.
- If the fair is in the day, the admissions representative might have to drive to another event and does not have much time to spare.
- If the fair is in the evening, the admissions representatives probably had a long day of college fairs or high school visits and needs the rest. Plus, they might have a long drive ahead of them after their fair.
- College fairs have specific hours for a reason. Arrive at the fair at the beginning so that you can visit all of the colleges you want during the official fair hours. Don’t stay late and keep the admissions representatives after the fair.
- Don’t Cut In Line.
- You’re not the only person in a hurry. Most people will have a list of colleges they want to visit before the end of the fair. Be respectful to the representative at the table and the other people at the fair.
- If the line at a particular table is too long, you might want to go to the next college on your list and return to that college a little later once the line has become shorter.
- Don’t Use A College Tables To Fill Out an Information Card for Another College.
- Only use a table if it belongs to the college you are getting information from. If you use the table of another college, you could be in the way of someone that is truly interested in that particular college. Be respectful of their space.
- Don’t Come Unprepared.
- Most college fairs are only a few hours. Although it may seem like a lot of time, once you’re there, it will go quick and you’ll be asking yourself, “where did the time go?” by the end. If you come prepared with the list of colleges you want to see and the questions you want to ask, you’ll leave feeling good.
- When you come unprepared, you’ll probably seem unprepared to the college representative. Being prepared when talking to college representatives will make a great impression; being unprepared will ALSO make an impression (and it will not be the impression you’ll want to make!).
- Don’t Let Your Parents Do All The Talking.
- It’s great that your parents are attending the college fair with you. But, you’re the one that will be attending college. Ask the questions you have for the representative. Your parents can ask questions too, but you shouldn’t stand back and be shy. Remember, the college fair is a great place to make a good impression on the college.
- Also, don’t be rude to your parents at the college fair. This could be very awkward for everyone, including the college representative you are trying to impress.
- Don’t Grab-and-Go.
- As I said before, the college fair is a great opportunity to speak face-to-face with someone on the “inside” at the colleges you are considering. Take the opportunity to ask your questions and make a good impression on the representative at the table. You might not have this opportunity again.
- Don’t Steal Pens or other Give-Aways.
- Even when you’re trying to be sly, most of the college representatives see you. I don’t know how many times people would walk by the table, not make eye contact with me, put their hand at the table, grab a pen and keep going. If they would have asked, I would have been happy to give them a pen. This behavior just upset me when I was a representative.
The college fair is an important part of the college admissions process. To make it a successful fair for you, don’t do any of the things listed above!
Good luck at the fair!
Above Photo Credit: “College Fair 27” by COD Newsroom licensed by CC BY 2.0 |Text added to original.
9 College Fair Tips
Attending a college fair can be intimidating, especially if you don’t come prepared. Depending on the college fair you attend, you could see anywhere from 15 to hundreds of colleges in attendance. Where will you start? Who will you talk to? What will you say? If you don’t come prepared, you probably won’t get the most out of the college fair. Here are some tips that will help you prepare for the college fair.
1. Get to know yourself and what you want in a college.
Depending on the size of the college fair, you won’t be able to go to every table at the college fair. Get to know what type of college you would be interested in attending. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What locations would you consider? Do you only want to be a certain amount of miles away from home? Do you only want to consider colleges in certain states?
- What majors are you interested in studying? It’s okay to have multiple interests or not know at all. If you have multiple interests, I recommend finding colleges that offer all of your interests in case you change your major in college.
- What size college do you want to attend? There are colleges that have only a few hundred students to colleges that have 50,000 students. What sizes are comfortable attending?
- Do you want to attend a college with religious affiliation?
- Is there an extracurricular activity that is very important to you that you want to participate in when getting to college?
2. Find out what colleges will be attending the fair.
You can find this answer by checking with your high school or the college fair website. Keep a copy of this list and highlight the colleges you want to make sure you talk to while you’re at the fair.
3. Do a little research ahead of time.
Find out what colleges offer everything you are looking for in a school. A great tool you can use is Collegeboard’s Big Future College Search function. You can plug in all of your preferences and you’ll get a list of colleges that meet your preferences. Definitely visit the colleges that met your preferences and needs.
4. Have your information ready.
- Many college fairs, especially the large fairs, are moving towards having students register before attending. Instead of writing out all of your information on the information cards at each college table you visit, the college representative will just scan a barcode that you print out after registering online. There will be stations to sign-up at the college fair, but save time (because the lines will be long) and do it before you arrive at the fair.
- In addition to registering before the fair, prepare labels with the following information: Your name, address, phone number, email address, high school, graduation year, intended start term (ex. Fall 2015 if you’re graduating in 2015), intended major(s) and extracurricular activities you have an interest. Small college fairs won’t give you the opportunity to register. In addition, you want to be prepared in case the scanner the college representative is using doesn’t work. These labels can be used to place on the information cards the colleges will have at their table. Instead of handwriting all of your information, these information labels can be placed on the information cards, and you can spend your time at the table asking the representative questions about the college.
5. Be patient.
- Again, depending on the college fair, you might have to wait in line to talk to a college representative, especially at a “big name” college. Be patient and wait your turn. Talking to the representative is very important when trying to narrow down your list of colleges you will investigate further.
6. Get the college information and Admission Counselor’s business card.
- Get the information the college is handing out at the college fair. The brochures are great help in your investigation into the college for more information.
- Get the Admission Counselor’s business card. The Admission Counselor will be a great resource to you in your college selection process. You will be able to contact them when you have questions about the college. In addition, the Admission Counselor is the person that might be making the decision on your application. Make a good impression.
7. Represent yourself well.
- Introduce yourself to the representative.
- Don’t ask general questions like, “What’s your school all about?” Go to the table with a little knowledge about the school. For example, you can ask, “What can you tell me about the ____ major?” or “What is your acceptance rate?” These types of questions are much more helpful to you, plus it shows the college representative that you are truly interested.
- Be respectful to the college representative, no matter how they are affiliated to the school. The college fair representative may be an Admission Counselor, Alumni volunteer or a current student. No matter who they are, they may be taking notes on you too. When I was an Admission Counselor, I always kept notes on students I met at college fairs. If they really impressed me, or if they were rude, I made a note of it. I also had student representatives come back after college fairs and share their thoughts on some of the students they met. These notes might go in your file and used later in the admission process.
8. Go outside of your comfort zone.
- There will be colleges at the college fair that you probably did not think you’d consider. But, there is something about their booth/table that is pulling you in. Go for it and ask some questions. You might be surprised and find another college or two that are worth looking into during your college search.
9. Do further investigation into the colleges after the fair.
- Don’t let the brochures you picked up just go in the closet or a drawer and forget about them. Go through the information when the information is fresh in your mind from the college fair.
Good luck at the college fair and have fun!
Above Photo Credit (College Fair 13 by COD Newsroom licensed by CC BY 2.0 / Text added to original)
Questions To Ask The Current Student
Current students at the colleges you are considering are very important. When you visit college campuses, the person that gives you a campus tour will probably be a current student. Ask them questions because they will give you insight that the Admissions Office will not. However, keep in mind, that these campus tour guides are trained, and sometimes employed, by the Admissions Office. They are there to sell the school to you. In other words, they might turn a negative into a positive or might avoid the negatives of the school – at least that is what I wanted my student tour guides to do when I worked in Admission Offices.
A very unique perspective can come from the random student or students you meet on campus. It’s okay to walk up to them and ask a few questions. These students, the students that are not trained and/or employed by the university, will give you real answers that are not “sugar-coated.”
Below are some questions that you should ask current students when visiting college campuses:
- Why did you choose this college?
- If you could go back in time and go through the college admissions process again, would you choose this college again?
- What is your favorite thing about the school?
- What don’t you like about the school?
- What are the classes like?
- Do you feel challenged in your coursework?
- How long will it take you to graduate? Why?
- How approachable are the professors? The college president?
- What is there to do on the weekend?
- What is your favorite place on campus and why?
- How is the food?
- How is the surrounding community? Is it friendly to the college students?
Also, ask the student about the things that are important to you. These things could be about:
- Fraternities and Sororities – What is the Greek life like on campus?
- Sports – Do a lot of students attend games? How much are the tickets?
- College facilities or services (fitness center, tutoring services, career center, etc.) – Does the school have _____? And if it does have it, how do you like it?
Asking the above questions will answer a lot of the questions that the glossy brochures, fancy websites and people employed by the universities cannot or will not answer. Have your list of questions ready when you visit the college. You want to be prepared to make the most of your college visit.
Lastly, if you are a little shy, here are some thoughts. And believe me, I completely understand being shy. I considered myself shy when I was in high school as well and going up to a random person would have stressed me out. Anyway, here are some tips:
- A college education is going to be one of the most expensive investments you make in your life. You would ask questions when buying a car, right? Pushing yourself to ask questions can be very important in the college selection process.
- If you just can’t ask questions of a random person face-to-face, consider being introduced by someone:
- Ask your high school guidance counselor or teachers if there are any former students attending that particular school. They might be able to introduce you to the student.
- Ask the Admissions Office if they could get you in touch with a current student. They will probably be able to provide you with an email address of a current student and/or have a current student contact you.
Enjoy your campus visit! Have fun “test-driving” the colleges!
Information about photo above – “Campus Tour” by Chuck Taylor is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
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