College Fair Tips 201

Advanced College Fair Tips...

Check out the floor plan. When you arrive at the college fair, go over the floor plan so you will know where the college reps you want to speak with are located. Mapping out your route will give you time to talk with the college representatives from your top colleges first. If there's still time left after that, browse around other tables that catch your eye.

Pass out your resume. Handing out your high school resume at college fairs will show college representatives that you are a go-getter. College reps like to see students who have made the effort to compile a resume. Your resume will allow the representatives to see what kind of a student you are and allow them to take it back to their colleagues in college admissions for review.

Get business cards. Ask the college representatives for their business cards. You may want to get in contact with them again if you have further questions.

Attend information sessions. Many college fairs offer information seminars on topics such as financial aid, the search process, applications, etc. These sessions will give you the opportunity to ask questions about the college planning and admission process.

Follow up. Once the college fair is over, you should read over the college pamphlets that you received and the notes that you took. For the colleges that you are really interested in, follow up by taking virtual tours of the campuses and scheduling college visits.

To find out when local college fairs will be held in your area, contact your high school counselor.

Tips for First Generation College Students

Being the first person in your immediate family to attend a postsecondary institution may seem daunting. Without help from family members, you may not even know where to begin the college planning process, much less know what to expect once you get to college. The following info should give you a better understanding of the postsecondary route and help ease your anxiety of being a first generation college student.

College Planning

Planning for college is often more difficult for first generation college students because they probably don't have assistance from a knowledgeable family member. If you need help with the college planning process, here are some tips:

Get acquainted with your high school counselor. As someone who wants to be a first generation college student, you will need a lot of help from your school counselor. Throughout your four years of high school, your counselor will be there to answer any questions about the different aspects of college planning, so be sure to utilize him or her as a valuable source.

Look for outreach programs that can provide mentoring services to help you prepare for college. Your high school may even offer this service as an after-school program.

Get your parents involved in the college planning process. Since planning for college will be a new experience for them as well, you should try to keep them informed about what needs to be done. Encourage them to meet with your high school counselor too. Often, a parent's biggest concern is how to pay for college, so try to get your parents to attend a financial aid workshop in your area. Keep in mind that if you are a dependent student, your parents will have to sign the FAFSA (Free application for Federal Student Aid) in order for it to be processed. The FAFSA is the form you and your parents must fill out in order for you to be eligible for state and federal financial aid. It is very important to fill this form out as soon as possible after January 1st of your senior year of high school. And remember: you must reapply for financial aid as soon as possible after January 1st each year that you are in college by filling out a renewal FAFSA.

Stay on track. Make sure to do each of the following so you stay on the postsecondary path:
• Register for appropriate classes. Meet with your school counselor during your freshman year of high school (preferably earlier) to discuss what classes you should be taking for all four years.
• Keep your grades up.
• Get involved in extracurricular activities.
• Research colleges and careers.
• Take the PSAT.
• Take the SAT and/or the ACT.
• Attend college fairs.
• Visit college campuses.
• Attend a financial aid workshop.
• Research/apply for scholarships.
• Submit your college admissions applications. Watch out for deadlines.
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1st of the year for which you are requesting aid.
• Review your financial aid award letter and accept the awards you would like to receive.

Helpful Website for Your College Planning 1 of 5

Planning for college can be overwhelming. Where do you even begin? Here are some helpful websites that should make planning for college a little easier.

eCampusTours.com

Obviously you are somewhat familiar with eCampusTours.com since you are reading this article, but you may not know about all the resources this site has to offer. All of our services are completely free of charge, and we don't distribute your information to any companies or schools unless requested by you. Just register for an account to enjoy the full benefits of this site:

• Virtual tours. eCampusTours features 360° x 360° virtual tours of over 1,300 college campuses. From dorm rooms to classrooms, these tours allow you to see what college life is really like. If you like what you see in the virtual campus tour, you can search the college website, contact the college's admission office, or save the virtual college tour in your eCampusTours portfolio.
• Book-It-Now. You can schedule actual campus visits online with participating schools via Book-It-Now. Just search for the school to see if it has the option for online scheduling.
• Edadvisor. A monthly college planning e-newsletter, Edadvisor features articles about choosing a college, student financial aid, campus life, career exploration, student loans, scholarships, and more. It also provides monthly reminders for high school and college students.
• Scholarship opportunities. eCampusTours offers a free scholarship search to help you find money for college. You can also register for our $1,000 scholarship giveaway.

College funding guide. You can download a copy of "How to Get Money for College" and get updated financial aid information about Federal Pell Grants, amounts of aid, state aid, veteran affairs, vocational rehabilitation, student loan deductibility, and more.

For more information about planning for college, please contact your high school counselor or an expert, like me.

The Campus Visit

The campus visit is a crucial part of the college decision process. It is a time to ask questions, take a tour, sit in on classes, and obtain an overall perspective of the college's atmosphere. Visiting different colleges will give you a better understanding of which college is right for you. Since you may have various questions about the campus visit, the following should help you when you make each trip.

How should you prepare for the visit?

Before you visit a college campus, you should do a little research on the college. Look through brochures and view the college's website to find out basic information. This will give you more time on the tour to find out information that is not found in the printed material. You should also schedule a campus tour at least two weeks before you make the trip.

What should you bring along?

There are several items you should bring with you in order to make the campus visit a success. Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes since you will actually be taking a tour of the campus. You will also want to bring a journal so you can write down any notes that will help you remember the college. Since you may be seeing a lot of campuses, this journal will come in handy if you forget any details about certain colleges. Pictures will also help you remember particular details about colleges so be sure to pack a camera. This will allow you to look back at pictures that can't be found on the college's website or in the brochures.

Who should you talk to?

Try to meet with various members of the campus community. You will definitely want to meet with an admissions officer to discuss the school's requirements, deadlines, and financial aid programs. If possible, try talking to some professors to get a feel of what they expect out of a student. All professors are different so try to talk to as many as you can; you may even want to sit in on some of their classes to obtain a good perspective. Don't be afraid to go up to current students and start a conversation. Find out what they think about the college as a whole. Ask if they are happy with the college choice that they made. Since students are not employed by the college, they will not give you biased answers.

What questions should you ask?

Now that you know who to talk to, you may be wondering what questions you should ask these people. You will want to ask a variety of questions so you will go home with enough information to help you make a decision on where you want to go. Use the following questions as a guideline, and if you think of anymore, be sure to ask.

Academic Aspects
• What academic factors are considered during the admissions process?
• What is the average class size?
• Are professors accessible outside of class?
• What is the typical way to get in touch with a professor? Email? Phone call?
• Do you usually get in all the classes that you need to register for?
• On average, do professors or graduate students teach freshmen level classes?
• Are there academic scholarships available through the school?
• Are there tutoring services available on campus?
• What are the college's most popular academic programs?
• What is the grading system like at this college?
• What is the attendance policy?

Financial Aspects
• What is the cost of attendance?
• If you have financial need, will you be able to get a financial aid package that meets all of your demonstrated need?
• What percentage of students receive financial aid?
• Are there work-study jobs available on campus? Off campus?
• If you don't qualify for work-study, what other jobs are available near campus that you could apply for?

Housing/Food Aspects
• Are you required to live on campus your first year?
• What percentage of students live on campus all four years? Are the dorms single sex or coed?
• Are there community baths in the dorms?
• What are the rules for students living in dorms?
• Do the dorms have laundry facilities?
• Do the dorms have computer labs?
• What types of meal plans are available?
• What hours may students access food services?
• How many restaurants/cafes are on campus?

Social Aspects
• How do students spend their free time?
• What are the most popular extra curricular activities?
• What do most students do on the weekends? Stay on campus? Go home?
• Are there sororities and fraternities on campus?
• How many students participate in Greek life?
• Are parties allowed on campus?

Community/Transportation Aspects
• Do you like the surrounding city or town?
• Is the city or town big enough for your taste? Does it have a variety of restaurants, museums, nightclubs, parks, and movie theatres?
• Is the city or town small enough for your taste? Is it rural and peaceful?
• Will you have to have a car to live on campus? Can you walk to most restaurants, nightclubs, etc.?
• What is the city's public transportation system like?

Athletic Aspects
• Is the college considered an athletic school?
• Are there athletic scholarships available?
• What sports are played at the school?
• Do athletes have to miss a lot of classes in order to participate in games?
• Do athletes have their own dorms?

Safety Aspects
• How safe is the campus? How often are crimes reported?
• How are safety issues addressed?
• Is the campus well lit?
• Are there emergency phones on campus?
• Is there a pick-up service for students walking at night?
• What if you can't visit?

There are always circumstances in which a student cannot visit a college campus in person. If you are unable to make a campus visit but are still interested in finding out about the college, you have several options. You can call the school's admissions office to ask any questions you may have. If they do not have an answer, they will direct you to someone who does. You can also talk to your high school guidance counselor. He/she may have information about the college that you are interested in. If your guidance counselor knows someone who goes to that college, he/she may be able to get you in touch with that student so the two of you can discuss what the college is like. Finally, if you can't visit a campus in person, you can always take a virtual tour of the school.

Tips for Visiting College Campuses

The campus visit is an essential part of the college decision process. Visiting different campuses will help you better understand which college is right for you. Here are some tips to keep in mind when visiting the campuses.
Pick the schools you want to visit. Make a list of schools that you are interested in attending. If you can't visit every school on your list due to time constraints or financial reasons, try to narrow down the list to only your top choices. Pick the ones that you really want to see in person. If you find it hard to narrow down to your top choices, then pick schools that are very different from each other, e.g. small, large, rural, urban. This will help you compare and contrast schools so you can decide which type is right for you.

Research the schools. Before you visit a college campus, you should do a little research on the school. Look through brochures and view the college's website to find out basic information. This will give you more time on the tour to find out information that is not found in the printed material.

Pack a journal. Since you may be seeing a lot of campuses, a journal will come in handy if you forget any details about certain colleges. Write down academic, financial, housing, athletic, and social facts related to each college so you will not mix up information. You can refer back to this journal when deciding which colleges you want to send applications.

Meet with various members of the campus community. Meet with an admissions officer to discuss the school's requirements, deadlines, and financial aid programs. Talk with professors to get a feel of what they expect out of a student. Speak with current students to see what they think about the college as a whole. Ask if they are happy with the college choice that they made. Since students are not employed by the college, they will not give you biased answers.

Take the admissions tour. The tour guide will show you the main parts of the campus as well as answer any questions that you may have. Take advantage of this opportunity to find out history and other facts about the college.

Take your own tour. After the admissions tour is over, you may want to take time to tour the campus on your own. This will allow you to view areas that were not part of the admissions tour, such as the parking facilities or actual classrooms. Check out areas that will specifically pertain to your major. If you want to major in biology, check out the labs. If you want to major in music, take a look at the music rooms.

Don't forget to ask questions. You may want to prepare a list of questions to ask beforehand just to make sure that you don't forget anything. Ask questions regarding academic, financial, housing/food, social, community, athletic, and safety aspects.

For more information about visiting college campuses, see tomorrow’s blog. Remember, if you can't visit a campus in person, you can always take a virtual tour of the school.

Transitioning from a Community College to a Four-Year School

If you want to start out at a community college (or are already enrolled in one) and then transfer to a four-year school, make sure you have a plan. If you try to make the switch without mapping out your steps, then your transition will be harder. Here are the steps you should take to transition from a community college to a four-year school.

Make a list. Come up with a list of objectives to help you determine the right path for you. Think about where you see yourself in five or ten years. Here are some questions to consider:
• What career would you like to pursue?
• What academic preparation is required to enter this career field?
• Which four-year institution has a good academic program for your field of interest?
• What are some of the characteristics you are looking for in a four-year school?

Choose a transfer school. The earlier you can select a four-year institution to attend, the better off you will be. Universities and colleges differ widely in the courses they accept for transfer. By choosing a transfer school as early as possible, you will save a lot of time and effort because you will know in advance which courses will transfer to your selected school. When choosing a transfer school, check to see which schools have articulation agreements. Articulation agreements provide specific transfer policies that make it easier to transfer from one school to another. Be sure to visit schools and take virtual tours of campuses to help you pick a four-year school.

Meet with transfer advisors. Because not all universities and colleges accept the same courses for transfer, it is critical that you work with a transfer advisor at your community college as well as one at the school to which you want to transfer. These advisors will help you map out courses to meet graduation requirements at your community college and transfer requirements for your chosen four-year institution.

Focus on academics and extracurricular activities. Most community colleges operate under an "open admissions" policy, which means that anyone with a high school diploma or GED may attend, regardless of prior academic performance and extracurricular involvement. However, to be accepted into your four-year school of choice, you need to stay focused on academics, achievements, and extracurricular activities. Keep your grades up and become involved in your community. Your transfer school wants well-rounded students.

Research financial aid options. Four-year institutions are more expensive than community colleges, so be sure to look into your financial aid options. Look for scholarships by performing a free scholarship search (never pay for that service). You should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for state, federal, and institutional aid. Even if you don't think you'll qualify for need-based financial aid, you should still complete the FAFSA to be eligible for low-interest student loans. The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1st of the year for which you are requesting aid.

For more specific information on transferring to a four-year school, contact your community college transfer advisor.