Q: My son is a junior and is going to a college fair next week. What questions does he need to ask and should he bring anything with him? How does he prepare for a college fair?

A: Spring is college fair time! When I was a college admissions rep, I always looked forward to fairs because I got to meet interested students and encourage them about higher education. There are basically two kinds of fairs: smaller fairs where 30 to 50 representatives from an array of colleges and universities come to a high school and set up information tables; and larger public events, where there can be hundreds of colleges represented. Students can browse and ask questions, pick up materials, and give their names to the reps as prospective applicants. College fairs are informal and fun, yet there is a certain protocol.

Here are some do's and don't's about college fairs:<!--more-->

  • DO look at the college websites before the fair so you can approach the tables in an informed manner. You might even prepare some questions in advance.

  • DO bring address labels to affix to the colleges' "interest cards"; this will save you a lot of time. These cards will ask for your contact information and the subjects you might be interested in studying. They may ask about your GPA, test scores, and ethnicity; you are under NO obligation to answer these questions. If you want to make your own labels, they should look like this:Your first name and last name

    Your street address

    Your town, state, and zipcode

    Your e-mail address (keep it dignified and professional)

    Your high school name and CEEB CODE (ask your guidance counselor for this)

    Class of 2010 

  • DO visit as many college tables as you can, even if you are not 100% sure about applying.

  • DO obtain business cards from the admissions reps of colleges about which you are most seriously interested. You may want to contact these individuals later.

  • DO ask questions that show you are thinking seriously about finding colleges that meet your needs and interests.

Some questions are okay to ask, and others should not be asked. Your questions can relate to your own interests, but not to your potential admissibility. For example:

DON'T ASK: I have a GPA of ___ and on my last SAT I got ___. Do I have a chance at getting in?

DO ASK: I love being in school plays, but I don't plan to be a drama major. Could I still participate in dramatics at your college?

Don't ask questions that sound as though you doubt the quality of a college's program. Ask a question in a way that will allow the reps to give you details. For example:

DON'T ASK: Is your biology department good?

DO ASK: I might be interested in majoring in biology. Would I have the chance to assist a professor in doing lab research?

DON'T ASK questions that can easily be answered by looking at the college website (majors offered, application deadlines, cost of attending). Can you imagine the agony of being a college rep standing behind a table for two hours, being asked repeatedly: "What SAT Subject Tests do you require?" "Do you offer financial aid?" "What GPA do I need?" "How far from NYC are you?"

The reps will be there to sell students on the idea of their school as a great place for them to spend their college years. Students should go with the aim of learning as much as they can about available choices in higher education. At a larger fair, there may be crowds around the tables of the most well-known schools, so move away for a while and go exploring. Stop by to visit a lonely rep who has no students to talk to, even if you have never heard of the school. He or she will appreciate the attention and you might learn about a "hidden gem" school that might be perfect for you!