COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE:
College Fairs, Colleges Qualities, and
College Visits

Ferias de Universidades, visitas a universidades, y
las calidades de universidades

Attend college fairs.

Take the PSAT.



Review different kinds of schools and think
about what's important to you.
Plan and make college visits.
Learn the basics about financial aid and ways
to pay for your education.





Asistía la feria de colegios
Hace el PSAT
Examina los tipos diferentes de colegios y
piensa en que es importante para tu
Visita los colegios
Aprende los básicos de ayuda financiero y
métodos de pagando para tu educación
BEFORE THE COLLEGE FAIR:

Prepare and print your college fair “information
cards” (template available on School Fusion)

Review the list of schools attending the fair

Review the list of workshops available

Research schools of interest (Naviance and
resources listed at the end of this ppt.)

Pick your top 10 schools of interest

Develop questions for college representatives

Rehearse your “2 minute pitch” to college
representatives

Antes de la feria de colegios






Prepara y imprime feria de colegios “information
cards” (la plantilla esta en School Fusion)
Examina la lista de colegios que estarán en la feria
Examina la lista de clases durante la feria de
colegios
Escoge tu lista de 10 colegios que tiene mas interés
para tu
Desarrolla una lista de preguntas para los colegios
Ensaya tu “discurso de 2 minutos” para los
representados de los colegios
If you want to make the most of the college fair,
don't just talk to representatives from the
schools your friends are excited about. Do your
own research to find schools that are a great fit
for you.
Most students consider size, location, academic
environment, academic programs/majors
available, student life, extracurriculars, and
cost and financial aid. Think about what you
absolutely must have: (e.g.) a strong biology
program, small classes, “big” sports, etc.
Adapted from: http://www.princetonreview.com/college/find-your-best-fit.aspx



No es necesario a hablar a representados de
colegios que no tienes ningún interés
Habla a colegios en que tienes interés, haz un
investigación antes de la feria para encontrar
los colegios mejores par TU.
La mayoría de estudiantes consideran , el
tamaño , la colocación , programas académicas,
extracurriculares, el costo y la ayuda financiera.
Piensa en que es absolutamente necesario para
tu.
College Qualities to Consider and Research:







Size
Location
Academic Environment
Academic Programs/Majors available
Student Life
Religion
Ethnicity
Student Body Characteristics
Coeducation or Single Sex
Extracurricular Activities (including athletics)
Admission Difficulty
Cost/Availability of Financial Aid
Adapted from: Dr. Steven R. Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You





Tamaño
Locación
El ambiente académica
Programas académicas/ Majors
La vida de los estudiantes
Religión
 etnicidad
 Los dos sexos o solo uno
 Actividades extracurriculares (incluyen los deportivos)



La dificultada de admisión
El costo y la disponibilidad de ayuda financiera
Characteristics of Small Colleges/Universities:




Classes tend to be smaller, provide more
interaction with professors, discussion based
Teaching is usually the top priority of faculty, and
most classes are taught by professors
Students often experience a great sense of
community
Students often participate in a range of
extracurricular activities (“don’t have to be a
superstar to get involved”)
Tendency: “Significant fish, small pond”
Characteristics of Large Colleges/Universities:





Great range and variety of courses and majors offered;
may offer more pre-professional majors (e.g.
engineering, business, physical therapy, architecture,
etc.) ; more lecture based classes
Greater anonymity
Research is often the top priority of faculty, and classes
may be taught by graduate students
Students may find more activities from which to
choose
More likely to have nationally known and popular
sports teams
Tendency: “Smaller fish, bigger pond”
Be Cautious of Overgeneralizations and False
Assumptions!
Smaller colleges can be as diverse, fun, and
interesting as larger universities
Large universities may provide personal attention
and strong academic advising
How important is location? Is it the most important
factor? A relatively low priority? Something in
between?
Do you want to attend college close to home?
Are you considering a specific geographic region or
regions?
Do you prefer certain types of climates?
Would you like to attend college in or close to a city (for
internship, cultural opportunities, perhaps) or would
you prefer a suburban location, small town, or rural
location?
Other location preferences: close to outdoor activities
(skiing, hiking, golfing, surfing, etc.)?





Es importante ? Es lo mas importante ?
Que tipa de clima prefieres?
Quieres un región especifico ?
Quieres asistir a colegio cerca de tu casa ?
Quieres asistir a colegio cerca de un ciudad (
para un internship o otros oportunidades) o
lejos de un ciudad?
The academic environment of a college includes your
priority on academics, the amount of academic
pressure you desire, and the learning resources that
you need/desire.
How much academic challenge do you desire (rigorous
academics or a comfortable balance of academic/social
life)?
How do you respond to academic pressure and a
demanding workload?
Do you prefer a collaborative or competitive academic
environment?
Do you have special academic needs or desires (tutors,
academic resource centers, etc.)?
Adapted from: Steven Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You





La prioridad de académicas, los recursos que
necesitas
Quieres muchos desafío académicos o quieres
un equilibrio entre académicas y tu vida social?
Como respondes de mucho desafío académico?
Prefieres a trabajar en grupos o solo?
Tienes necesidades académicos especiales (
como ayuda , tutores ) ??
Most high school students do not know what their ultimate
career(s) will be. Some, however, already have a career
goal in mind.
Liberal arts and sciences includes humanities (English,
languages, philosophy, music, art, etc.), social sciences
(psychology, history, political science, etc.) , and the “hard”
sciences (biology, chemistry, mathematics, geology, etc.).
Career oriented colleges (often within the context of a larger
university) offer classes that directly lead to careers in fields
such as engineering, business, physical therapy,
architecture, etc. upon completion of an undergraduate
degree.
Your list of prospective colleges should consider your goal for a
more general education (liberal arts/sciences) or a career
oriented undergraduate education.
Adapted from: Steven Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You
Consider the importance of the following for you:

Most students live on campus

Lots of spectator sports / very spirited student body

Lots of students participate in intramural sports

Availability of fraternities and sororities

Lots of weekend activities

A safe campus

A beautiful campus

Good food

Availability of leadership opportunities

Nice residence halls / living spaces

Sense of community

Students “don’t feel like a number”

Community service opportunities

Specialized programs for women/gay/multicultural students
Adapted from: Dr. Steven R. Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You
Religion: Is religious life an important factor? Do you
want to attend a college in which many students share
your religion?
Ethnicity: Do you want to attend a college where many
students share your racial/ethnic heritage?
Student Body Characteristics: Are there any particular
characteristics (e.g. diverse, liberal, conservative,
traditional, alternative, scholarly, spirited, etc.) that
you would like to find in your future classmates?
Coeducation or Single Sex: Coed / Women / Men
Extracurricular Activities (including athletics): Are there
any specific “must have” activities that you are looking
for in your college experience?
Adapted from: Steven Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You
Religión – Es importante ? Quieres asistir un colegio donde los estudiantes
comparten tu religión?
Etnicidad- quieres asistir un colegio donde los estudiantes tienen lo mismo
etnicidad de tu?
Los característicos de los estudiantes- Hay característicos particulares que quieres
en tus futuros compañeros de clase ? ( estudiantes liberales , conservadores,
diverso)
Mujeres? Hombres ? Los dos?
Actividades Extracurriculares – Hay actividades específicos que requieres en tu
experiencia de colegio?
It’s never too early to begin thinking about how
you (and, possibly, your family) will pay for
college.
“Many students, however, make too many
assumptions about cost too early in the process
of choosing a college.”*
We will discuss financial aid and paying for
college in greater depth later in the Discovery:
College course; however, at this point, you
should know (or find out) whether cost will be
a major factor in choosing a college.
*Steven Antonoff, Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You
Think about the level of admissions difficulty you
desire and the category of admissions difficulty
that “fits” you.
Many colleges and universities admit the majority of
students who apply for admission.
The most selective colleges admit less than 10% of
students who apply.
The most important factors in admission, according
to colleges, include: GPA, strength of curriculum
and ACT/SAT scores.* Of course, your
extracurricular activities, letters of rec., essays, etc.
will also be considered.
From NACAC, 2011 State of College Admission




Piensa en la dificultad de admisión de un
colegio y decide si es apropiada para tu .
Muchos colegios se admiten la mayoría de
estudiantes que aplicaron.
Los colegios mas selectivos se admiten menos
de 10% de los estudiantes que aplicaron.
Los factores mas importantes para admisión
son G.PA. , tu currículo, los resultados de
SAT/ACT. * También, actividades, ensayos y
las cartas de recomendación
Which college qualities are most important to
you? Why? How does your self-knowledge
help you to identify college qualities that are
important to you?
Are there other college qualities that are
important to you that we haven’t mentioned?
What are they? Why are they important to
you?




Complete College Qualities That Are
Important to Me (in School Fusion folder)
Review the list of colleges attending the
Colorado Western Slope College Fair
Research colleges that you may wish to
explore at the fair (Naviance)
Construct a list of 10 colleges that you plan to
explore at the fair
Review general questions that you might ask a
college representative:
College Fair Checklist
5 fabulous Questions to Ask a College
Develop specific questions that are related to the
things that you most want and/or need to know
about your prospective college experience.
Develop questions that are related to a particular
college of interest.
APPEARANCE:
DEMEANOR:
Firm Handshake
Eye Contact
Body Language
PRACTICE: Practice your 2-minute pitch with a
classmate (you can also practice at home!)


Tu presentación
Tu comportamiento –
Un apretón de manos fuerte
 Contacto de ojos
 Tu lenguaje corporal


Practica tu discurso de dos minutos !
DURING THE COLLEGE FAIR:
**Tools to Carry:
Information cards
Stapler, paper clips
Pencil/pen
Name tag
**Attend College Workshops on Topics of
Interest to You
**Present Your 2-Minute Pitch to College Reps.
HAVE FUN! YOU ARE SHOPPING FOR
COLLEGE FITS AND MATCHES!
Consider sending a “Thank You” email to college
representatives with whom you spoke
Record your impressions of the colleges that you
explored (Use NACAC College Fair Checklist
form in Discovery: College – Class 5 folder)
Record college representatives’ answers to your
questions (Use NACAC College Fair Checklist
in Discovery: College – Class 5 folder)
Consider follow-up campus visits to the schools
that interest you


Consider taking a college trip during the
AHS October break (October12 – 15).
Other Potential Times for College Visits:






Spring Break
Ex. Ed. Week
Thanksgiving Break (possibly)
In conjunction with family trips
As an add-on to sports or other extracurricular
activities
Summer Break (late August is best)
“Every college visit should have at least two
dimensions, formal and informal.” To cover
both dimensions and to make sure you’re
able to see everything you’d like to, don't
forget to call or go online to the college ahead
of time and schedule your visit!
Janet Schneider, director of college counseling
at the University School of Nashville (TN).






Visit colleges in which you are most interested and
those where you are likely to be admitted. Create a
College Visit List that includes a balance of “very
likely,” “probable,” and “reach” schools.
Try to visit when schools are in session.
Check the website of each college you plan to visit for
tours, information sessions, interview availability, etc.
Register for information sessions and tours, if required.
If you plan to play a varsity sport, try to arrange a visit
with the coach.
Don’t schedule more than two college visits on any one
day.
Get directions for each destination, and plan to arrive
on campus early. Download campus maps from the
colleges’ websites.





Visita colegios en que tienes la mas interés y la
mas probabilidad de entrada
Crea una lista de colegios ( “reach” – hay
menos probabilidad de entrada y escuelas que
tienen mas probabilidad de entrada)
Visita el sitio de web del colegio, tour ?
Sesiones de información ? Una entrevista es
posible?
Si querría jugar un deporte (varsity) es
importante a conocer el coach
Obtenga mapas del colegio
FORMAL DIMENSIONS
 Take a campus tour
 Participate in a group information session
 Sit in on a class (or two!)
 Talk to a professor (or two) in your chosen
major(s)
 Talk to a coach in your chosen sport (if you hope
to play)
 Talk to a student or counselor in the career center
 Spend the night in the dorm with a current
student

Wander around the campus by yourself.

Read the student newspaper.





Find other student publications—department
newsletters, 'alternative' newspapers, literary
reviews.
Eat in the student dining hall.
Ask students what they like and dislike about the
college.
Read the bulletin boards in the student union and
in the academic department you're interested in.
Browse in the campus bookstore.
EXPLORE COLLEGES ON THE WEB
Naviance
Big Future: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/This is an excellent resource for
finding colleges, exploring careers, and learning the details about many colleges
and universities.
Colleges' Websites: Each college's website provides current information
regarding student life, admission policies, testing requirements, scholarship and
financial aid, etc. The easiest way to find a college's website is to Google the
college name and/or link through Naviance or Big Future.
Inside College: www.insidecollege.com. This website provides college lists of
all kinds. Search on anything from prospective majors to most beautiful campuses
to college fight songs.
College Prowler: This link provides subjective reviews of colleges from the
perspective of the students who attend: www.collegeprowler.com
Unigo: www.unigo.com. This website provides information that helps students
find, get in, and pay for college.
What is your College
Knowledge “take away”
tonight?