For the College Bound, A Chance to Browse Hundreds of Schools In One Spot

New York City students aiming for higher education will the have a chance to meet face-to-face with hundreds of college admissions counselors on Sunday.

More than 350 colleges and universities and 12,000 students are expected to attend the New York City National College Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, an annual event organized by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Last year, 71 percent of New York City high school graduates enrolled in college, according to the Department of Education. Many started the college process at fairs like this.

To streamline the process of going from booth to booth, the N.A.C.A.C. has a new tool this year for attendees: the barcode.

Students can pre-register for the fair online. When they do so, they will receive a barcode to print out and bring to the fair. College representatives can scan the barcode to obtain all of the student's contact information. Organizers say the process will allow students to spend less time filling out information cards and more time asking questions about schools.

The N.A.C.A.C. also offers some tips to students to navigate a large fair successfully:

  • Research some schools ahead of time based on your interests and geographically where you may want to go.
  • Go prepared with a list of college booths to visit, but leave time for browsing.
  • Bring list of questions to ask representatives, such as admissions requirements, financial aid options and average class sizes.
  • Check application deadlines.
  • Find out how much the school costs.

The organization provides a checklist that students can print and take with them as well.

The fair, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is free and open to the public.