What goes on at a university fair?
By Catherine Noonan
Special to SchoolFinder.com
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre was a buzz of excitement when the Ontario Universities' Fair was held on September 25-27, 2003. The three-day event, sponsored by RBC Royal Bank,
The Toronto Star and the Chartered Accountants of Canada gave students a unique chance to learn about the 20 Ontario universities that attended. Professors, representatives, and students were on hand to share program information, hand out literature, and answer questions.
The fair itself was well organized and well executed, and very informative. Whether it was through energetic presentations or the willingness of reps to talk with students and provide them with the latest information, students were able to focus on their top choices and increase their knowledge about each university.
One statement made by almost every university was to ignore the glitz and glamour of the fair and each booth, and to visit school campuses. Campus visits help students get a feel to see if they want to spend the next four-plus years at a given institution.
The Ontario Universities' Fair was launched in 1997 as a resource for high school students to collect information about various universities in Ontario with a personal touch. The fair is a fantastic opportunity to receive as much information as possible in one day. The most common topics of discussion were programs, residence, requirements, and campus living. Many students also had program-specific questions.
In 2002 there were over 65,000 visitors, and this year an estimated 70,000 attended the three-day blitz.
Besides the brightly-lit displays and glossy brochures, some universities attracted students by handing out free pens, magnets, lanyards, and even locker mirrors. Students were able to distinguish the character and atmosphere of each university through the knowledge of the representatives and by just how interested and comfortable they were discussing their school, instead of regurgitating material from the pamphlets. Some universities went out of their way to be approachable to students, and some did not.
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre was jam-packed, but it was fairly easy to get around, as long as you got there early. Some who arrived later in the day experienced a short wait to get in, but no more than 5-10 minutes. The larger universities were situated around the perimeter, but size did not necessarily matter when it came to which of the universities gave the best impression to students, parents and educators.
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