How to get the most out of Education Fairs

Education fairs are likely to be extremely crowded, especially if featuring multiple well-established universities, and you don’t want to end up wasting too much of your time strolling along the aisles at your own pace, not knowing what to do first. There are a few things, however, that you can do to ensure you make the most of your time there.

1. Research before going

Too many people attend education fairs without doing any research beforehand and end up treating the event as though they were going window shopping for universities. The very least you could do is find out which universities will be attending. This way you’ll be able to prioritise visiting the universities you have questions for and save a lot of time. If possible, obtain a copy of the schedule for the day. There might even be a special panel you’d be interested in attending.

2. Know your financial needs

With the ever-rising cost of education, it is more important now than ever that you decide how much you’re willing to spend on your education and, if necessary, take note of what loans are available. Don’t forget that tuition fees aren’t the only thing you need to worry about. You should also take into account transportation costs,accommodation costs, additional exam fees, and even air fare, if you’re planning on studying abroad.

3. Prepare a list of questions

The amount of time you’ll be able to spend speaking with a university’s representative might be limited due to a large number of fair goers present, so having a list of prepared questions will help prevent you from wasting your time. If you haven’t done any research on a particular university you decide to talk to, try not to ask questions that could be easily answered through their website.

4. Socialize with the other students

Speaking to other prospective students at the fair could give you a little more insight on things that could change your perspective on a particular course or university. They might have done a lot more research or be more experienced with asking the right questions. You can learn a lot just by watching the way they interact with the representatives from each university.

5. Keep an open mind

Though doing your research and coming to the fair well prepared, with which universities you’re planning to visit and which panels you know you’ll attend, is advised, it can’t hurt to have an open mind. A university might be offering a new course you’d never heard of, or perhaps a scholarship you know you’d be eligible for. It might do you good to keep your mind open and not dismiss courses or universities you’re unfamiliar with.