Make the most of college fairs with these tips

Fall in New Hampshire means fairs and more fairs! Being prepared doesn’t take much more than wearing good walking shoes that can hold up to a little cow manure and maybe tucking a roll of antacids in your pocket.  

But if you’re headed to a college fair this fall, it’s wise to do a little more legwork ahead of time. Here are some tips to make the most of them. 

• Know what to expect. Think of college fairs as the large end of a funnel (for funnel cakes, however, you’ll have to hit a state fair). They’re a chance to get a taste of many colleges at one time so you can start narrowing down the list of schools you want to visit and/or apply to. Most have diverse representation from various trade schools, colleges, and universities in the region – and sometimes, from outside the region. Some fairs offer workshops or activities in addition to the college booths. The atmosphere is usually crowded, and you’re likely to go home with a lot of free stuff.  
   

• Do your research. Get a list of the schools that will be in attendance at the fair so you can make a game plan for which ones you want to learn more about and what you want to learn. Make a list of questions to ask the college reps. Need help? Check out our Admissions Insider.  
  

• Be savvy. Brace yourself for a flood of email from colleges by making a separate email account only for this purpose. Make sure the email address sounds professional, and consider giving access to this new account to a parent/guardian or whoever is helping you with your college search so you can all stay up to date.  
  

• Make a good impression. It’s important to know that the college rep you meet at the college fair may be the same person who reads your application. Dress appropriately, introduce yourself, and ask for their business card so you can follow up.  
  

• Stay open-minded. While it’s smart to head into the fair knowing which schools you’re interested in, it’s also good to stay flexible at this stage of the game. You may encounter schools or programs you hadn’t heard about before that could be a great fit!