Building My Support System
Making the Most of Fairs and Tours
College and Career Fairs
College Fairs are your one-stop opportunities to talk one on one with admission officers and alumni from schools that interest you and to learn about schools you may not have considered before.
Career fairs, oftentimes called “expos,” are designed for students who are interested in learning more about various careers and professions. They are also great events to attend if you seeking employment while currently in high school or after graduation. Some specialized career fairs offer opportunities to learn about high need career fields, such as allied health or are designed to target students’ interest in specific areas, like engineering, construction, or social work.
At the major college and career fairs, hundreds of college, businesses, and organizations are represented, so it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are some tips to make the most of your college and career fair visit. The more prepared you are, the less overwhelmed you will feel when participating.
College and Career School Tours
College, career school, and service academy tours let you see, hear, and feel what campus life is like. Getting a real sense of the classes, students, faculty, schedule, and location can help you decide if a school is a good fit. Baltimore City has many schools you can visit with an easy drive or MTA ride. Schools at a greater distance or outside of Baltimore City limits may have aid available for visits, so don’t let distance or cost rule out a trip.
Be serious and have fun! Have something to eat in the college cafeteria, talk with enrolled students about their experiences, visit the campus resource centers, like the writing center, and be sure to take lots of notes and pictures (selfies included!). After you leave the campus, talk with members of your support system as well as those who visited the campus with you to discuss what everyone thought. Sometimes they will share things or may know something about the campus and/or noticed something that you did not.
If you are unable to physically visit a campus, college and career school websites have photo galleries and sometimes offer online virtual tours. You can also take virtual tours on NAVIANCE. Talk to your school counselor and/or college advisor to learn how.
Did you know? Every year, City School students have the opportunity to attend the NACAC College Fair during the month of October. Also, CollegeBound Foundation and other City Schools partners host college and career fairs in various schools and community locations. Check in with your school counselor and/or college advisor to get this important information.
College Fairs are your one-stop opportunities to talk one on one with admission officers and alumni from schools that interest you and to learn about schools you may not have considered before.
Career fairs, oftentimes called “expos,” are designed for students who are interested in learning more about various careers and professions. They are also great events to attend if you seeking employment while currently in high school or after graduation. Some specialized career fairs offer opportunities to learn about high need career fields, such as allied health or are designed to target students’ interest in specific areas, like engineering, construction, or social work.
At the major college and career fairs, hundreds of college, businesses, and organizations are represented, so it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are some tips to make the most of your college and career fair visit. The more prepared you are, the less overwhelmed you will feel when participating.
- Before walking in the door, do your homework. Know which schools, organizations, and businesses will be at the fair. Use your fit factors and support system list to identify the ones you definitely want to check out.
- Visit various websites before the fair, so you will have general information before you talk with admission offices, organization, and career representatives.
- For each school, business, and/or organization personnel representative you plan to speak with, make a list of questions not answered on their website.
- You may not have time to visit every table, so make sure you pick up a map or floor plan for the fair and prioritize visiting the representatives of schools that meet your top requirements.
- Remember to fill out a card with your contact information, or let the representative scan your fair admission card or badge.Be advised that some of them do track your “expressed interest.”
College and Career School Tours
College, career school, and service academy tours let you see, hear, and feel what campus life is like. Getting a real sense of the classes, students, faculty, schedule, and location can help you decide if a school is a good fit. Baltimore City has many schools you can visit with an easy drive or MTA ride. Schools at a greater distance or outside of Baltimore City limits may have aid available for visits, so don’t let distance or cost rule out a trip.
Be serious and have fun! Have something to eat in the college cafeteria, talk with enrolled students about their experiences, visit the campus resource centers, like the writing center, and be sure to take lots of notes and pictures (selfies included!). After you leave the campus, talk with members of your support system as well as those who visited the campus with you to discuss what everyone thought. Sometimes they will share things or may know something about the campus and/or noticed something that you did not.
If you are unable to physically visit a campus, college and career school websites have photo galleries and sometimes offer online virtual tours. You can also take virtual tours on NAVIANCE. Talk to your school counselor and/or college advisor to learn how.
Did you know? Every year, City School students have the opportunity to attend the NACAC College Fair during the month of October. Also, CollegeBound Foundation and other City Schools partners host college and career fairs in various schools and community locations. Check in with your school counselor and/or college advisor to get this important information.
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF Questions to Ask at a College or Career Fair
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF Got Questions? Ask a College or Career Rep.