Representing WVU at a College Fair

Undergraduate Student Recruitment receives hundreds of invitations to college fairs nationwide. The National Alumni Recruiting Network (NARN) Coordinators will usually contact you and ask you to represent West Virginia University at a college fair in or near your hometown.  If you find out about a college fair in your area, and have not been contacted by us to attend, please alert the NARN Coordinators of the fair, and arrangements will be made to have WVU represented at the fair.  You may either attend a college fair with a WVU Admissions Counselor, or you may be the sole representative of WVU.

What is a College Fair?

A college fair is an event that gives high school students and their parents a chance to speak with college representatives, and to obtain detailed information about various higher learning opportunities.  Fairs may be sponsored by a high school, a school district, school boards, or professional guidance associations.  For the undecided student, the college fair offers an excellent opportunity to “shop around.”
The primary purpose of attending a college fair is to allow students and their parents a chance to meet a representative of WVU, and to receive information.  As an Admissions Volunteer, you are in the unique position of selling WVU to prospective Mountaineers.  Please keep in mind that your friendliness, enthusiasm, and professionalism reflect upon the University.  Please dress professionally.
Attendance can vary widely at college fairs.  If a fair is sponsored by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), participation by colleges and universities will be very high, and thousands of area high school students will attend.  In contrast, a fair sponsored by one high school may only have a few hundred in attendance; participation is largely determined by the population of the area and the size of enrollment at the school.  WVU’s popularity in the community will also determine how many students will stop by the University’s booth.  In a traditionally strong recruiting area, expect to have high traffic.  In a new recruiting area, response may be slow.

What is the student information card or the TUMAY (Tell Us More About Yourself) card?

When attending a college fair, urge each interested student to complete the TUMAY card, and then collect it from him/her.  Students do not have to specify a major if they are undecided.
These cards are the foundation for the subsequent flow of information from WVU to the student.  Immediately after the fair, return your cards in the large postage-paid envelope.  Timing is crucial.  As soon as your cards are received, they are entered into a database, and follow-up information is sent.  The student will receive a personalized letter, an application for admission and academic scholarships, general university information, and other admissions materials.

What is the College Fair Contact Record?

The College Fair Contact Record provides the NARN coordinators with essential data for analyzing the productivity of each fair.  The Contact Record should be completed immediately following the fair.  Please return it and the completed TUMAY cards to Undergraduate Recruitment in the large postage-paid envelope.  The contact Record is also used to ensure that enough supplies are sent to the volunteer recruiter.  By accessing past records, the NARN coordinators can compare how many students visited the WVU table in years past.

Before the College Fair

• Review your College Fair Guide and WVU Viewbook.
• In advance, make sure you know the exact location, date, time, expected attendance, and physical arrangements of the fair.  Ask for directions if necessary.  These details will be forwarded to you by the NARN coordinators.  You may, however, need to contact the college fair host for additional information.  College fair fees will be paid by the Office of Undergraduate Student Recruitment.  If you must cancel due to an emergency, please call 304-293-6871.  Attempt to let the school know that WVU will not be present.  Otherwise WVU might be considered a “no show” and may not be invited back next year. 
• Bring the appropriate amount of the following materials, (materials will be provided by the NARN Coordinators):
• Recruiting brochures (all seniors who complete a TUMAY card will receive an application for admission plus additional materials)
• TUMAY cards
• WVU Viewbook
• College Fair Guide
• NARN business cards
• WVU Tablecloth

During the College Fair

• Plan to arrive 15-30 minutes before the fair.  Register with the appropriate college fair officials upon arrival.  You will usually be assigned a specific location.  If there is no registration booth, proceed directly to your table or booth.  The tables are often arranged alphabetically.
• Place the tablecloth on the table.  Arrange your recruiting brochures and TUMAY cards, attractively on your table.  The TUMAY cards should be placed at the front of the table where they can be easily accessed by interested students.
• Students will stop by your table with questions.  Answer as many inquiries as you can, drawing on your personal experiences with WVU, and the knowledge you gained from the training materials.  Refer to the WVU Viewbook for specific questions.  Please contact the NARN Coordinators if you receive any questions you are unable to answer.  Demonstrating a true interest in the students is important.  They need to know you are glad to be with them, so make an extra effort to welcome them to your table.
• Please ask each student to complete the TUMAY card.  If a student does not want to fill out a card at the table, the card is postage-paid and they can complete it and send it in later.  There is also a postage-paid card in the recruiting brochure. 

After the College Fair

• Clear your area at the conclusion of the program.
• Gather leftover publications, cards, etc.  You may leave extra brochures with the guidance counselor or on your table if you are at a school.  Additional leftover materials may be dropped off at local high schools.
• Complete the College Fair Contact Record.  Send it and the completed TUMAY cards in the large postage-paid envelope.

College Fair Do’s and Don’ts

• Be positive, enthusiastic, and professional.  Remember, YOU ARE WVU!
• Arrive on time to all sessions of the fair and check in with the registration table.
• Remain until the end of the fair, even if other schools are packing up to leave early.
• Never speak negatively about another college or university’s academic programs or athletic teams.
• Be courteous to college representatives at tables near you.
• Do not allow students to fill out WVU TUMAY cards at the tables of other colleges.
• Always stand behind your table at a college fair; never stand in the aisles.
• Allow students to freely choose the college they would like to visit.  Never call them to you table.
• Volunteer personal information based upon your experiences with WVU.  Be positive, but honest!
• Do not guarantee admission to a student.  Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
• Do not leave your booth unattended.
• Do not allow more than three representatives in your booth at one time.
• Do not distribute bags, pens, candy, posters, pennants, football schedules or any other promotional materials.
• Treat student athletes like any other students; you may provide them with coaches’ names and numbers.  Please remember there are strict NCAA rules and regulations in regards to student athletes.
• HAVE FUN!!!