So you’ve walked the room with a map of the colleges you are interested in in your hand. You’ve asked the typical questions and added some of your own to stand out or be remembered by the college reps. You have covered things that are not on the college’s website. You have written down the names of the college reps you have met. Now your brain is on overload.
Does that mean you should go home and put your feet up?
Not at all. You might forget some important information and lose the advantage of the face-to-face contact you have just had.
Here is a check list of some things you might do after gathering information at a college fair.
Make a file:
You should organize all your materials. Make contact information and application deadlines the top, most obvious way to reference your materials on each college. Be sure to include pluses and minuses for each college you have learned about. You should also put the “favored” colleges and “least favored” colleges in separate categories to help you narrow down your college application list.
Schedule a campus visit:
This is the next step, especially for the colleges you have favored, but it may be a good idea to schedule one or two visits to a “least favored” campus to confirm your intuitions. Make sure you have questions, take advantage of tours, and arrange to meet with college admissions reps as well as attend classes, speak to students, and visit dormitories. If you would like to get more inside information, check to see of the college has alumni sponsored tours. Such tours give you a chance to talk with students and alums that have attended the college. If you have trouble getting to a campus that is far from your home, don’t forgo the visit, but check to see of the college has a fly in program.
Finally, write thank you notes:
If you met with a representative from admissions at a college you have an interest in and spoke with that individual for a few minutes, it is important to keep up that connection. Write a short note to or email that person and express both gratitude and a specific interest in the school.
Yes, it’s a lot to think about, but choosing a college and being admitted is important to your future.
Good luck!
