Spring Into College Fair Season With These Tips

Although the current forecast would have you believing otherwise, spring will be here soon. With the welcome rise in temperatures also comes the spring college fair season! With lots of exciting events popping up this spring, we in Admissions thought it would be a good idea to provide some helpful tips on making the most of this college fair season.

Before the Fair

1. Research, research, research!

Find out which colleges will be in attendance and research accordingly. Most college websites provide a wealth of knowledge regarding admissions, housing, and student life. This will help you narrow down which colleges to home in on at the fair.

2. Create a list of questions

College fairs are more than just tables and brochures; they provide the rare, real-time opportunity to ask colleges anything you would like to know. This is a great opportunity to ask about anything you couldn't find the answer to during your research phase.

3. Make a game plan 

After you're done researching colleges, make a list of the colleges you want to meet with. Be sure to leave time to explore too — you never know, a college not on your radar may just end up being your perfect fit!

During the Fair

1. Take Notes

Jot down clear, organized notes during and directly after meeting with each admissions representative. This way, all the schools' information won't be jumbled together when it's time to review and narrow down your favorites. 

2. Vibe check

It's easy to get so hung up on each college's admissions requirements that you forget to consider what attending that college would actually be like. What's your gut telling you? Does the school provide the ideal learning environment for you? It's these tougher questions that are crucial to ask yourself when finding your college.

3. Get their contact info

Don’t forget to ask for the admissions representative’s business card! Take a photo of it too, in case you lose it amongst all the other materials you will likely acquire at the fair.

After the Fair

1. Rank schools

Rank schools immediately after the fair. Focus on your top three and file the remaining schools’ materials to eliminate clutter for the time being.

2. Follow up

Remember that business card you snagged? Now it’s time to use it. Send your admissions representative an email with any additional questions that may have come up after the fair.

3. Visit

One of the best ways to get to know whether a particular college is for you is to visit. Reach out to the admissions representatives of your top schools to see if there are any events or opportunities to visit coming up.

We hope these tips help you navigate this spring’s college fairs like a pro. Our Admissions team will be representing Drexel University at a number of college fairs and events this spring, so please feel free to stop by our table and say hello!