College fairs offer a great opportunity to university hopefuls because they allow an exceptional level of convenience to explore different schools and universities around the country without having to travel or take costly tours. If you are ready to head to school next year, you may want to find out where your closest college fair is.
A college fair usually consists of a number of booths where different universities set up shop. In most cases, there is a representative who will present students with brochures and other information that will help you decide what colleges to apply to. If you are looking for a college fair near you, it can help to have a few tips and tricks.
Read Your Local Newspapers
One of the best places to look for college fairs is in your local newspaper. Usually, these fairs occur twice a year. By keeping up with your local paper, you will most likely be able to find a listing. Some college fairs advertise so you may see multiple listings leading up to the actual date. The best part is that many local newspapers are very cheap, so you can quickly browse through them and then toss them out afterwards. If you find a notice, you can jot down the date, the time and the place.
Look to See if Your High School is Hosting a Fair
There is also a chance that your high school is hosting a college fair. If this is the case, you won’t have to go anywhere at all. Many high schools host college fairs in the gymnasium – where there is typically enough room.
When this happens, colleges like University of Southern California visit and talk to high school students about all the perks of their school. In some cases, you may be too busy to attend the fair. You should try to fit time into your schedule somewhere because it will allow you the opportunity to bypass multiple days of travel to visit each school one at a time, which can be a huge inconvenience and cost. Plus, having a college visit you at high school will give you a head start on your top college picks.
Create a Google Alert
Another way to find a college fair is to place a Google alert in your email account. Whenever there is a mention of a college fair in your area, you will get an email notifying you of the website listing. This can be hugely beneficial because you will never miss news of a nearby college fair. In order to place a Google alert, you can simply go into your settings on your main Google account. Where it says alerts, you can type in all the requested information. You can even mark specific geographic areas so that you aren’t getting college fair news from across the country.
Broaden Your Search to Fairs in Other Cities
On top of everything, you may also want to look for fairs in other cities. If there is a city close by, you may be able to drive a few hours to visit the fair. In the end, college fairs can be really beneficial, so you don’t want to miss them – even if you have to drive a little out of your way.