The Choate College Office sponsors three college fairs each year to help students learn about approximately 100 different colleges. Twice each fall and once in the spring, students can talk to representatives from numerous institutions at the fairs. This helps students decide which schools to apply to and also allows the college admissions representatives to get a feel for what Choate is really like.

“This time of year, for juniors, is to do what I call window shopping,” commented Ms. Terri Burditt, Interim Director of College Counseling. “Just talking to different colleges, trying to get a sense of what might be a good fit or a good match for them. In the fall, for seniors, it can be more of a fine tuning of trying to decide for sure where they’re going to apply or to talk to someone to say they’re really excited because they’ve put in an early application or will be putting in a regular decision application and still have a few questions.”

At a typical fair, the college representatives set up tables with information about their colleges. They are also given dinner and musical performances by Choate singers. The same admissions officers who attend these fairs often read applications from Choate students later on, so the fairs sometimes allow students to meet with the future reviewers of their applications. Between the two fairs in the fall up to 120 colleges are represented.

The fairs also give the school an opportunity to let colleges know about new events at Choate, recently including the global studies requirement and the introduction of a course in Arabic. The students often show the visitors Science Research Program and Capstone presentations as well. At the last fair, the Kaprophones performed and twelve seniors dined with the college representatives in Ruutz-Rees dining hall.

Although students can learn a great deal at college fairs, it is essential that they also do internet and book research and visit the campuses of the colleges that interest them. “It’s too big a decision to do it based on something that is not an actual visit to the campus,” remarked Mrs. Burditt.

The most recent fair, on Monday, April 24th, featured representatives of 92 colleges. Six college admissions officers talked to groups of students about taking advantage of upcoming college visits this summer. The fair was packed for an hour and a half with Choate sophomores, juniors, seniors, and parents, as well as local high school families.

“None of the reps started to leave until about a quarter of nine and they were supposed to leave at eight-thirty, so that usually means you’ve had a really good fair. I love the fact that we invite all the local high school kids too because they don’t necessarily have an opportunity to talk to that many schools,” Mrs. Burditt proudly described the event. “The kids have been well prepped. Our kids are very polite and smart and ask really good questions. They [the college representatives] always get to hear some of our kids perform. They often get to hear our kids talk about special things that they are doing here. So it doesn’t happen in a vacuum for them; they actually come in and I think get a piece of what it’s like here.”

This year, students are required to attend meetings during conference blocks once a month and to keep notebooks for handouts on how to navigate the college fair. The sessions were first on a Tuesday, then repeated on Thursday of the same week to ensure everyone would be able to make each session at least once. The meetings involved group discussions about colleges in addition to two or three topics addressed by the college counselors. Admissions professionals also came in to help the juniors and seniors understand what they should be looking for when they visit a campus.

“It all just starts to pull together as a program that should help them all feel more informed, but also less intimidated.” Mrs. Burditt explained that if students feel comfortable speaking with the college reps at the fairs, they will find it easier to sit in an hour long interview with someone from the admissions office of a college. The fairs might also help students ask better questions when on tour at a school. “I call it eating the elephant one bite at a time. You have to get started somehow and I think that’s actually an easy way to sort of begin to work your way into taking real ownership of the process for yourself.”

“I think it’s just another piece of the puzzle,” she continued, “I don’t think anybody would have made any clear cut decisions. I think they would have moved closer to thinking that they were going to apply to certain places or closer to thinking that schools really weren’t the right fit for them.”

Sometimes if a college doesn’t have the program that a student is looking for, the representative will refer that student to other tables, which may offer the program.

“I think to be at a school where you have 92 colleges sitting there waiting for you on a Monday night for an hour and a half, not to take advantage of that is not judicious. They’re here. There has to be at least one school for you to talk to. Information is valuable no matter where you’re going to apply.”

“The college fair was a good experience. I really got to see a lot of schools that I otherwise wouldn’t have. It definately broadened my horizons,” said Brian Bottini ‘07, who attended the April 24th fair.

Mrs. Burditt believes that if students have a better understanding of what makes the schools they apply to right for them, then they will be able to show the colleges why those schools are good matches for them and will therefore be more likely to be admitted.

“I think that getting to know what a school has to offer and making a decision as to whether or not that is the right school for you is huge and the fairs are just another way to start to do that.”