THE BEST WAY TO GET COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OFFICERS TO NOTICE YOU: GO TO A COLLEGE FAIR!

By Peter Ratzan, Your College Concierge

Why Every Student Should Go To A College Fair

For starters, there will be a great variety of colleges in attendance: large and small, public, private, trade-specific, liberal arts – some of my favorites and many excellent options (with smaller marketing budgets) that you may not yet have considered, but should. Among those you’ll have a chance to peruse will be some of the most  generous “A” schools for “B” students – like, Marist College or Rollins College. Even reps from Tulane, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, Bentley, Ithaca, Muhlenberg and Morehouse have attended our . local NACAC fair in Ft. LauderdaleOf course, the major public universities will also be represented.

And then there’s the most important reason you should attend: more than likely the person representing the college at the Fair is the actual person (or certainly one of the people) who will some day soon be reading your/your student’s application and essay.

Without sugar coating it, I think it’s fair to say that there is much within the college application process that is unfair. This is true whether you’re rich or poor, attend the best high schools or not, are great at taking tests or freeze the second you see a bubble sheet. Like any forced choice process, where there are more qualified parties than spots available, there is something built into the process that seems to work against you. We can complain all day long about that, but that doesn’t move the needle in your favor. The better option is to identify opportunities to turn the process to your favor.

Attending a college fair and meeting with the admissions representative represents one such opportunity.

Here’s an example of what’s not fair:

Students work for over 3 years of high school to prove themselves, to study, earn good grades, study for and take SAT/ACT exams, AP/AICE exams, volunteer in the community, play sports, join clubs and other activities (it’s exhausting!), and then write essays and supplements, all so that their application can enjoy a thorough 12-20 minute review. Think about that: 3 years vs. 12 minutes. Doesn’t seem too fair and balanced to me. But that’s the process. Simply meeting with a college admissions rep can, in a small way, right the scale on this imbalance.

Despite the prevalence of technology in the college application process, decisions both about a particular applicant’s qualifications and their eligibility for grants and scholarships still ultimately comes down to a decision made by a human being (or beings). Imagine the advantage you (your child) will have at Purdue – or at any school they covet — IF a very tired, over-worked admissions counselor whom you met and then communicated with over the following months is that human being.  Imagine the opportunity that can happen when that human being, who is the reader of your child’s application, can actually attach a face with your child’s name on their next file.

We have a saying in our practice: ‘If they KNOW you, it’s much harder to say NO to you.’ Attending the local college fair is one of the best ways to break the ice with the person who may ultimately make the decision on where you (your child’s) will spend their post-high school years – not to mention how much it could cost to go there. So, begin by asking your high school’s guidance office for a list of schools who are visiting in the coming weeks. And then make plans to go to the local college fair! (visit this page to see when a NACAC sponsored College Fair will be coming to your area). And make the most of your time there!

Now, here’s how…

What you should do to maximize your opportunity at the Fair

Admissions officers are often young, fairly recent grads who can be on the road for weeks at a time. They LOVE to meet students (less so their parents) who are engaging and enthusiastic. Students (not mom or dad) should be the ones to introduce themselves, to ask the questions, and to inquire about their school. As you know, schools love students who demonstrate interest (for reasons detailed below), so much so that they often track it with software and metrics. So here’s a synopsis of what I tell my clients about attending a college fair:

Students should take initiative, allowing (helicopter) parents to play wing man at best.

Identify which schools are attending and research those where you have a particular interest. With numerous schools in attendance, a college fair can be overwhelming so break it down and focus on a much smaller subset – about a dozen.

Expect the usual suspects (all of the large public state universities) to attract a huge crowd – unless there’s an opening, you will probably not have much time in this setting to build a rapport with one of these schools. At a very crowded table, simply say hi, grab a business card, make sure they scan your badge so you get credit for being there, and follow up by email the next day.

On the other hand, the fair is a great time to explore a road less traveled. If you see a school you haven’t heard of but you notice something of interest, don’t be afraid to approach and inquire further. This may be your diamond in the rough.

While there, be conversational and welcoming. Often these folks are in from out of town. Make eye contact, try to make them feel welcome by engaging them in conversation about anything that might make them feel comfortable. If struggling for an opening, we always recommend ‘How’re you liking {insert name of your city here} so far?’

Before you go, you should have at least a general idea of your favorite academic subjects so that you can inquire about specific majors of study. Make sure the school offers what you desire academically (regardless of their success on the gridiron or hardwood). Ask – it’s another good way to start a conversation. As in, ‘I’m wondering about your communications program…’

Get business cards and send brief, follow up notes (email or letter) to those admissions officers who represent schools where you have interest. Very important. Make your notes brief acknowledgements of your conversation if you had one or if not, your desire to have one at the next fair or when you visit campus, etc. 

** Above all, remember that the college admissions and funding processes involves people making decisions about other people. In an admissions process that has become increasingly competitive, technology-driven and financially motivated, you DON’T want the admissions committee to first find out about your student when his application arrives at their office. Admissions officers face pressure, they have Admit Rates and Yield goals to meet, and they compete with other schools (see note below for explanation of these metrics). They have to be on because they want you to apply to their school, and they can be moody – they face quite a bit of rejection and disappointment. Many are recent college grads themselves who are very eager to talk about their schools. And many are away from home and on their feet (literally) a lot of the time. So if you want to improve your chances of receiving that acceptance email full of digital confetti some day (with a great financial offer to boot), go out there and show them some love!
 Short Note on why Admit Rates and Yields are so important in Admissions and Funding in today’s college process. Let’s start with the importance placed on Admit Rates (as in the number of students who apply to a school v. the number the school accepts).  The lower the Admit Rate, the more competitive the school is deemed (the higher the ranking assigned, the greater the perceived value in the market; the greater the perceived value, the more the school can charge, the better the story for fundraising and perhaps, the greater the access to capital in the financial markets). Schools are literally incentivized to entice you to apply so it should be no surprise that we’re seeing record numbers of applications combined with the lowest Admit Rates in history.   

Then there’s the Yield (or the percentage of those accepted students who actually matriculate). The higher the yield the better, since the school is deemed more desirable (the yield also factors into their ranking). It’s one reason for the emphasis on ‘demonstrating interest’ and binding Early Decision at some schools. And yield is why schools are so closely tracking student interest – an engaged student who has stopped by the booth at the college fair, visited, called, liked, followed, is more likely to say ‘yes.’ It’s one reason I plead with my students to keep their lists to a reasonable number of schools (approximately 10). Yield management can also be a very important, very effective ‘negotiating’ tactic when appealing a financial aid offer come spring of 12th grade. 

College fairs can be overwhelming to some, but they also represent a terrific opportunity for high school students and their parents to learn more about college options. So get out there, put on your best attitude, and keep an open mind.

Sometimes we only find what we’re looking for if we actually go out and look for it! 

Best,
Peter