When you hear the word "fair" your mind may immediately run to Ferris wheels, elephant ears and livestock competitions. But as a student trying to choose a Christian college, there's another kind of fair you need to check out—the college fair. At college fairs, representatives from several colleges and universities come to a single location for a couple hours to spread the word about their institutions.

A college fair gives you the chance to talk to representatives from many reputable colleges and universities in a short period of time. That way, you can get the information you need to create a list of schools you're interested in researching further. College fairs also allow you to discover specific things you want to know instead of just reading general information in brochures and online.

And, if you have a strategy in place, going to a college fair can be a good way to see schools "close up." This can really focus your college search by helping you figure out what schools might be good to consider and which ones aren't a good fit for you.

Although college visits are the best way to learn more about a school you're really interested in, a college fair can be the next best thing. It's a way to talk face-to-face with people from a school. That's something you won't get from a website, a brochure or even this college guide.

You can find a college fair in your area by visiting naccap.org/fairs.asp. Or just call a Christian college in your area, or even one you've already been in touch with. Ask an admissions professional at this school about when and where you can attend a college fair in your area.

I went to my first college fair during my junior year in high school. I was sure I'd know which college I'd be going to when the fair was over. I entered a large gymnasium full of people, tables and elaborate displays emphasizing how great each school was. Even though I had high expectations for the fair, I didn't have a good sense of what I wanted in a school. And I didn't have a plan for getting that information. I didn't know what I was supposed to do, so I walked aimlessly up and down the rows of displays, grabbing brochures and stuffing them in my plastic bag while avoiding eye contact with the representatives at each table.

I had a few brief conversations with school representatives, but I wasn't sure how to answer their questions and didn't have any to ask them. After nearly an hour in the information maze, I left discouraged and disappointed. I had a bag full of brochures, but I didn't have any answers or direction.

I wish I'd been more like one girl I met during my days as an admissions counselor. She came to a college fair in Wisconsin, and as she approached my table I noticed some things right away. She walked up with confidence holding an open notebook and pen. Her mom was with her, carrying a bag of brochures. Although they'd been talking as they approached, once we'd said hello, the mom remained quiet as her daughter asked me questions she'd written in her notebook. She listened carefully, asked follow-up questions, and recorded the answers under the name of my university. As I interacted with her, I found out she had done this with a number of schools.

So why'd this girl stand out? Well, most students who came to my table at college fairs walked up, said hi, and then kind of stared around the room while their parents asked questions. Sometimes I wasn't sure if the student was even listening and I began to think the parents were the ones going to college. Other students walked up, said hi, and asked, "Where is your school?" After that they'd leave it up to me to try and figure out what they wanted to know.

Admissions professionals will have a prepared presentation to give you, but it won't give you the same quality of information as some well-prepared questions. Based on her approach, I'm pretty sure that girl from the Wisconsin fair left with some useful information—information that helped her decide which schools to visit.

Here's how to make sure you get useful information: Write down your five or six non-negotiables—the stuff that is an absolute must for you in a Christian college. Think about what's important to you in a school. For example, is it important to you to find a college in a particular part of the country? Is there a major you're pretty serious about? What extracurricular activities do you want to be a part of? What kinds of spiritual development activities are important to you? Do you already know you'll need to attend a school that offers a lot of financial aid?

Make a list of issues like this (or use the College Choice Worksheet), and use that list to help you write questions to ask. That way, you can quickly find out which schools meet your needs. Finally, ask each representative a question similar to this one: "What key values are most important at your school? or "What makes your school unique?" This gives them a chance to tell you something you might not ask about. It also gives you some idea what is really important at that school.

Be sure to write down the answers people give you. After you finish talking to 15 or 20 (or more) representatives, you won't be able to remember the answers people gave.

After a college fair, sit down with your parents and sort through all the information you gathered. Make a chart with three columns: yes, maybe, and no. The "yes" list is for schools you're really impressed with and want to be sure to visit. Eventually, you'll have to narrow the "yes" list based on your ability to travel to the schools and the number of campus visit days allowed by your high school. But for now, don't worry too much about narrowing those down. The list is to help you decide which schools you're interested in.

The "maybe" category is for schools you might come back to but aren't currently your top choices. The "no" category, of course, is for schools you're not going to consider any further. Once you've made this chart, schedule visits with your "yes" schools.

If you know what you're looking for, ask good questions and take notes, and use the information you've gathered, a college fair can be an important and helpful part of your college search. The key is to prepare ahead of time to get the kind of information that can help you make a wise decision.

Trevor Lee is a former admissions counselor who worked for Huntington University in Indiana.

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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