7 Things You’ll Learn at a College Fair

A college fair is an event that brings colleges and universities to high schools so that prospective students (and parents) can find out more about them and ask questions.

Ask the Right Questions

It’s important to prepare for a college fair so that you can walk in knowing all the information you need to get. Take a pad and pen with you so that you can remember what questions to ask and write down information you want to remember later.

Financial Aid

This is probably one of the most important pieces of information for you and your parent to know about the possible schools you want to attend. You'll find out what financial aid programs the school offers and the average amount of aid they give to each student. This will give you an idea of how much in loans you'll have to take out as well. In addition, you'll also find out about grants and scholarships, and the application process you need for each one.

College Majors

By this time, you should have a sense of what you want to study in college. If you don't know for sure, have at least two options before going to the fair. Not all schools will have what you want to study so it's important to look at the majors they do offer.

Admission Requirements

You'll mostly likely have a folder full of pamphlets from each school you talk to with information such as admission requirements. These requirements can be things such as a certain SAT score, a recommendation or evaluation letter, a portfolio (mostly for performing arts majors) and an application fee.

Admission Deadlines

This is another important detail you need to know about the schools you want to attend. After the fair, go through your pile of information and organize it. This will help you and your parent/guardian keep track of all the information you received and what schools you should start the application process for.

Percent of Applicants Accepted

This is a good way to know the competitiveness of the university. The lower the acceptance rate, the more competitive the university is. These are also called reach schools. You should have a mix of safety and reach schools on your list to apply to.

Campus Life/Activities

At a college fair, you'll also learn about all the fun activities you can be a part of. You'll learn about clubs, organizations, fitness centers, libraries, etc. If there's a club you are currently a part of and want to continue through college, you can ask about it. Remember, if a certain club doesn't exist on campus yet you can always start it yourself. You can also ask what students like to do in their free time.