FAQs
Why should I pre-register for a college fair?
Basically, when you get to the college fair you have two options:
• Wait in long lines at every booth to fill out the same personal information on cards over and over and over again, wasting time and preventing you from chatting with more colleges
•Fill out your information—like your interests, special accomplishments, and extra-curriculars—one time by pre-registering, then skip the lines and the writers cramp by letting college reps scan the barcode you print at home.
While both options technically work, we certainly know which one we’d pick.
Where will my barcode work?
Your barcode from gotocollegefairs.com will work at any automated fair. Anywhere you see reps using our app, you’ll be able to easily provide them with your information.
Got a barcode by pre-registering somewhere else? No worries! It’ll still work, and your information will be captured the same way. No need to pre-register again here.
How does my barcode work?
When you pre-register the information you provide gets encrypted in our system, and a barcode is generated. Reps can then scan that code at any automated fair, and that information gets zapped over to them in a secure electronic format so they can follow up with you afterward.
This system keeps your information secure; only people you allow to scan your code can peep your profile. You’re in complete control of your personal data.
What if my parent(s) want to come to a fair with me?
Bringing a wing(wo)man to make sure you can hit every table you’re interested in is always a good plan. We suggest printing your barcode out twice so you guys can divide and conquer all you want.
Another tip, set up an email account specifically for the college admissions process. You will be getting a lot of correspondence from these folks. You want to make sure to handle emails quickly and not miss anything. On the other hand, because you will get a lot of admissions office emails, you might want to keep them untangled from your everyday inbox.
What if a fair I’m attending is not officially automated?
You may want to bring your barcode anyway. Sometimes individual colleges will have our app even if it’s not an “officially” automated fair. You can usually still save some time by keeping your code on you.
How do I register for a college fair?
Registering in advance for a college fair, whether virtual or in-person, is a great idea. Learn more about that process here.
Is my contact information secure?
Absolutely. Your information is secured using bank-level encryption and is only shared with the colleges you choose. GoToCollegeFairs is compliant with all regulations governing your data. We don’t sell, lease, or rent out your information– ever. Keeping craziness out of your email inbox is our top priority. Learn more about how we secure student data here.
What if I lose or forget to bring my barcode to a fair?
If you lose your barcode you can always get a new one by logging back into the event. Your registration confirmation page has the barcode. We suggest taking a screenshot on your phone or entering your cell in the registration form so that we can text your barcode to you.
If you forget to bring your barcode to the in-person fair, you’ll be stuck in the whole long lines, carpal tunnel scenario again: make sure to hold it close!
Please note: Barcodes are not necessary for virtual college fairs.
What if I want to edit or update my profile information?
Go for it! You can log in at any time with your username and password to make changes.
Can I register for another fair using my current username and password?
Yep. Log back in and select additional fairs.
What do I need to know about virtual college fairs?
Virtual college fairs are a great way to learn more about the college search process and specific colleges all from the comfort of home. Visit our fairs page to find one that works for you, and visit our knowledge base to learn more about how to register and attend a virtual college fair.
Will my barcode work when a college rep visits my high school?
Yes, we call those high school visits, and your barcode will work with the college scanning app there too. Remind your school counselor to set this up so that students and colleges can have an efficient exchange of info!
What is College Matchmaking®?
This service benefits students and colleges by helping them find each other more easily. During registration, students and colleges are asked 5 questions to find a match. Because we only match if there are four out of five answers shared (we call this a close match) or five out of five answers shared (we call this a best match), these are true matches that both parties can trust. Learn more here.