Now that you're psyched about the opportunites offered by college fairs, make sure you're prepared to get as much out of the event as possible. It's easy to get distracted with a seemingly endless array of options or to get intimidated by the hordes of students in attendance, but you'll be able to network with the best of them if you go with a gameplan and keep in mind the following advice:

1. Go with some idea of schools to "visit", but stay open-minded. You don't want to show up with no clue about what to do or who to talk to, but don't limit yourself to a pre-determined list either. Make sure you get to talk to representatives from all the schools you're strongly considering, and leave some time to look around for interesting colleges you haven't yet considered (or perhaps even heard of).
2. Don't rely on your parents to ask questions, says one admissions counselor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. You're the one who's going to be attending college so you should be responsible for taking charge of your own future.
3. However, don't ask obvious questions either. The Inside Scoop asks, "Can you imagine the agony of being a college rep standing behind a table for two hours, being asked repeatedly: 'What SAT Subject Tests do you require?' 'Do you offer financial aid?' 'What GPA do I need?' 'How far from NYC are you?'" Make the most of the fair by inquiring about things you can't figure out on your own through a Google search.
4. Focus on whether the school fits your needs, not whether your transcript fits a certain criteria. The College Solution quotes several admissions officers who bemoan the number of students overly concerned with statistics on the average SAT or GPA needed for acceptance. Though college admissions can certainly get competitive at some schools, representatives can't tell you on-the-spot whether your specific academic history is enough to get you in, especially when high schools have different ways of weighing. A whole range of other factors, including how you do on the application essay and interview, will determine the school's eventual decision.
5. Check out the freebies. According to Dave Carpenter of The Associated Press, counseling and resource centers at the NACAC college fairs offer free advice to students looking for specific information on subjects like standardized testing and loan options. This is your chance to get the admissions counseling that can sometimes cost thousands of dollars.
6. Write down your contact information. If you have a great conversation with a representative and are really interested in their school, make sure you leave the necessary information for them to get in touch with you later. Chris D'Orso, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Stony Brook University, notes that many students nowadays prefer to take some information and to reach schools on their own, instead of writing down their contact information. This can be frustrating for an admissions officer who's interested in establishing a relationship with you.

For more tips on how to make the most of your college fair experience, check out this guide from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Image by Gould Library and used under a Creative Commons license.