Tips for making the most of College Night

Taken from "Faring Well at College Fairs" by Jennifer Gross

Copyright 2007, National Association for College Admission Counseling

In order to make the most of this opportunity it helps to plan ahead. Here are a few ideas:

  • Questions
  • What is it that you want to find out from the colleges? Create a list of questions. Ask the same questions at each table you visit to make the comparison easier.
  • Ask questions unique to your interests. Good questions might be: What are the 2 or 3 most popular majors? How many students are majoring in _? What type of research are faculty members involved in & what opportunities exist for undergraduates to participate in research? What courses are required freshmen year for _ majors? What services are available to help me explore majors &/or careers? Also ask about: extracurricular activities, the type of students is the college looking for, the percentage of students receiving financial aid, the percentage of freshmen return for sophomore year.
  • Before moving to the next table jot down quick notes about your impression of each school.
  • What to take:
  • Pen
  • Notepad with your questions & a place to take notes.
  • Address labels. If you have time, you can create labels with your name, address, phone number, email address, high school, year of graduation & intended major(s). Use the labels on the information cards that the colleges ask you to complete. It will save you lots of time!
  • Map it out:
  • You'll be given a map at the door. Step to the side, locate the schools you want to visit & plan a strategy to get to them all. If you just wander through you may run out of time before getting to some colleges you'd really wanted to see.
  • Browse:
  • Sure, it is important to get to those colleges you've chosen, but leave time to browse. You may be surprised to find a school that is exactly what you are looking for even though you didn't know that they exist!
  • Follow up:
  • Once you get home, set your information aside for a day or two then get out your brochures & your notes. Throw away what doesn't interest you & do some additional research & then plan college day visits to those who do!