Fall is the time when many schools and organizations, including NACAC, sponsor college fairs. NACAC college fairs are held in cities across the country and allow the students and parents who attend to learn more about educational and career opportunities after high school. Admission and financial aid information, one-to-one counseling, and special information sessions are offered, as well as opportunities to meet with representatives from colleges, universities and other educational institutions. A college fair is a great opportunity to get more information about colleges that interest you and to ask questions of college representatives. But getting the most from a college fair takes a little planning ahead. Here are some tips from some high school and college counselors:

DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
If you have a list of institutions attending, decide which college booths you want to visit most, and research them beforehand. If a list is not available, know what kind of colleges-large or small, public or private-interest you. "You can't walk around like you're in a shopping mall, "says Steve Munger, director of college counseling at The John Cooper School. "Set up a game plan." Then you won't waste your time on institutions that may or may not fit your needs.

PREPARE YOUR OWN CARDS.

Most colleges will ask you to fill out a card to receive more information. Don't waste time during the fair filling our cards when you could be talking with college representatives ready to meet you. Print some cards of your own before the fair, including your name, address, telephone, graduation year, school name and code, academic and other interests, class rank, grade average, and PSAT, SAT, or ACT results. When colleges ask you to fill out their card, give them one of yours instead!

PREPARE YOUR OWN CARDS. Most colleges will ask you to fill out a card to receive more information. Don't waste time during the fair filling our cards when you could be talking with college representatives ready to meet you. Print some cards of your own before the fair, including your name, address, telephone, graduation year, school name and code, academic and other interests, class rank, grade average, and PSAT, SAT, or ACT results. When colleges ask you to fill out their card, give them one of yours instead!

DON'T JUST COLLECT LITERATURE.

Forget about trying to pick up as many color brochures as you can. If all you want is some basic information on a few colleges, you could stay home and request that by phone or postcard!

ASK QUESTIONS.

Write down any questions you have from your research and bring the list with you. However, advises Munger, "You shouldn't go to a college fair armed with questions that you can find by looking at the college handbook." And as Del Gustafson, dean of admissions at Gettysburg College, points out "You're talking to a real person, someone who has information at their fingertips. It's an opportunity for interaction-something you're not going to get from the written literature."

BRING YOUR PARENTS. Gonzaga College High School's Larry Griffith suggests that students take their parents, "but don't stay with them." Instead, go in different directions,then meet afterwards to compare notes.

MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION. Remember that the representatives you meet could be the same people who will see your application in a few months. An impressive thing to do, says Griffith, is to get business cards from the representatives, then write each one a letter to thank him or her for their time and reiterate your interest in their college. Also, get to the fair on time. It may seem a minor point, but being punctual gives you the time to get the most out of the experience.

HAVE FUN!

When you have seen the colleges on your list, go back and explore the other colleges there. You may find an interesting one that you had not considered before. Research some colleges before the fair, then ask if they're represented accurately in the guidebooks.