Go Chat! Tips for Students for the Online College Fair

 

Online College Fair™, a new college recruiting tool offered by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, provides you with access to over 180 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. From a computer with Internet access at school or at home, you can chat live with college representatives such as admission officers, current students, and faculty.

 

To register for these free events, go to www.OnlineCollegeFair.com. There, you can check out the list of participating colleges and view the complete schedule of upcoming fairs.

 

To prepare for the Online College Fair program, here are some tips to get you started:

 

What are Online College Fairs?
Online College Fairs are live, interactive, chat-based events. You and your parents can participate in these events from any computer with Internet access. Over 180 colleges and universities are participating in these events. The first event will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2000 from 12-3pm and 7-9pm (Eastern Standard Time).

If you are particularly interested in the sciences, engineering and technology or business, you can sign up for special interest fairs. There also will be specialty fairs for students of color and students with special needs.

 

There is a wide range of institutions--large and small, two year and four year, suburban and urban, etc.--participating in the Online College Fair program. The list of schools is available for your information.

 

Besides college admission representatives, you also can chat with others on campus, such as faculty members, current students, and student advisors, among others.

 

Register in Advance
You must complete a quick registration form in order to participate in the Online College Fair program. The registration form is very similar to a standard inquiry card. Registration should take about 1 minute. Several important reasons to register are:

·         You will need a username and password, which are set up in the registration process, in order to access the Exhibit Hall and chat with admission reps.

·         It allows you to add yourself to the mailing list of any school you are interested in with the click of a mouse.

·         You'll get reminders on future Online College Fairs as well as National College Fairs and Performing and Visual Arts Fairs being held in your region.

 

Privacy Policy: NACAC will keep the names of registered students and parents in strict confidence in accordance with the privacy policy posted on the site.

 

Prepare Some Questions Before You Enter the Exhibit Hall
Here are some suggestions:

·         How can I arrange a campus visit?

·         What are the applications deadlines for admission and financial aid?

·         How do you assign faculty advisors to students, especially those who are undecided about a major?

·         When do I need to choose a major?

·         How many students commute to your school?

·         What types of extra-curricular activities are there on campus?

·         How accessible are professors outside of class?

·         How are roommates matched up?

·         What additional academic services do you offer to students (tutoring, career counseling, study skills workshops)?

·         What types of internships or co-op experiences are available?

·         How safe is your school?

·         Where can I obtain statistics about crimes on campus?

·         Do you have a study abroad program?

·         Is housing guaranteed for all four years?

·         Who teaches most of the classes, professors or graduate assistants?

·         What types of intramural programs are offered?

 

Familiarize Yourself With the Online College Fair Site
Pre-register and check out the site. Make sure you are familiar with the Exhibit Hall, the search functions, and the chat rooms.

 

Make Sure You Are Comfortable With Accessing the Internet and Surfing the Web!
You must know how to access the Internet and find the site to participate.

 

Good Luck! Go Chat!