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College Fairs

You need all the information you can get when choosing a college.  Preliminary visits to every college you are interested in would be ideal, however the time, travel and cost may make it unrealistic. That is why college fairs are so important and convenient.  The colleges come to you!  College fairs are held throughout the state of Iowa each fall and spring. Most fairs are held at the local high school, however check with your school counselor to confirm the exact location.  Attend a fair in your area.

Helpful Tips

Before the Fair

Prepare and bring:

  • Pen and small notebook
  • List of your questions
  • A bag to hold all the college brochures and information you'll get
  • Self-stick labels with your address, contact information, and graduation date to stick on college information cards at the fair. 

During the Fair

  • Review the list of colleges at the fair and plan to visit the colleges that interest you most.
  • If the fair provides a map showing where colleges booths will be, plan out a route to avoid back-tracking.
  • If the fair has information sessions with experts, block out time to attend those that interest you.
  • After you visit a college's booth take a few minutes to jot down what you've learned.
  • Take time to browse through some of the college booths you didn't plan to visit.  You may come across a great college you hadn't considered.

After the Fair

  • Keep the college materials out in the open in full view.  Do not tuck them away in a desk or closet.  You want them easily accessible when you are ready to review.
  • Look through the materials and your notes within the week.
  • Sort through the material and weed out colleges that aren't a good fit.
  • Do further research on the colleges that interest you. Explore websites, request more information from admissions offices, and make plans to visit the campus.