Meet the Admissions Reps, At Your High School

During the fall, college admission representatives travel throughout the country each spring and fall to visit high schools and host receptions in major cities. If you aren't aware of it yet, your high school guidance counselor will have the colleges and dates when representatives will be available to meet with prospective students in a high school setting. This face time with admissions reps is a win-win for all. Students get a chance to  ask  first-hand about universities that may, or may not have been interested in. The schools get a chance to give their school's story in an effort to carve out their niche in the higher education arena. As a student, you need to be aware that these sessions are just for informational purposes. Similar to a sales meeting with a time share, you are able to ask all the questions you need and receive lots of information, but with no guarantee for admission, although you may receive an application waiver. There is that a great amount of information can be gleaned from college admissions officers who visit your school, if you are listening. Don't know what to be looking for or what to say? Here is a few of tips for when the college rep visits:
1.  Make a point of going up to a college representative who visits their school and introduce themselves.
2. Ask for a business card so they have a name to contact should they have further questions. Colleges are interested in students who are interested in them
3.  Ask  questions that won’t be answered in their brochures like, “What are the biggest strengths at your school and can you tell me any weakness?” or “What kind of students seem to really like your school?”
For more questions to ask, check out this list 
4. If the opportunity exists, you might be able to present your transcript and test scores to get a tentative idea about your eligibility for admission.  This is particularly helpful in determining if a school is a good overall match for your abilities and interests or in learning how you might improve your chances for admission in your state institutions’ application pools.
5. Meeting with a rep from a college you may not have considered may open up the possibility of a school not on your radar. Be open to unknown of schools. But don't use this chance as just a reason to miss class. Be serious in your interaction with the College Admissions rep and they will keep you 

Each high school handles the college rep visits differently. Some may send personal invites to students and some may only restrict the visits to seniors.  Each high school announces their upcoming college visits in various ways and schools have their own policies regarding student contact with college reps.High school visit appointments are announced on admissions Web sites and through college offices at your school. Request to be added to the mailing lists of your prospective schools. Explore admissions Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, blogs and virtual tours.  If a school you are interested in is not yet on your schedule, talk to your counselor about requesting their presence at your school. Most importantly, keep in mind can provide you with knowledge that the website and view books can't. High school visit appointments and reception announcements are announced on admissions Web sites and through college offices at your school. Request to be added to the mailing lists of your prospective schools. Explore admissions Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, blogs and virtual tours.