The college fair has always had its share of flaws. It’s loud; it’s crowded; the booths run out of brochures; all of the presentations happen at the same time; only local universities attend; the most popular colleges leave too early; it’s too far away from home. However, the next generation of college fair has arrived. At www.collegeweeklive.com, students have convenient, online access to virtual college fairs that include over 200 colleges and universities from across the world.
Virtual fairs are usually held once every few months, and each lasts about two days. They feature live Q&A sessions with admissions representatives, digital college brochures, keynote presentations on topics ranging from financial aid to standardized testing, and many other interactive events. Additionally, the website frequently hosts regional fairs, such as the upcoming “Texas Day,” and presentations by individual colleges. Unlike the videos on other college admissions websites, most of collegeweeklive.com’s presentations utilize a videoconference-type format that allows viewers to interact directly with the presenters. The website also keeps a temporary archive of all of its events for students who are unable to view them live. Access to both live presentations and archives is free, and the site has minimal technical requirements (the interface is an Adobe Flash application that can operate on almost any web browser). The registration process also allows students to opt-into receiving news and scholarship offers from College Week Live’s partner college admission websites.
With more than 25,000 students attending its last virtual fair, www.collegweeklive.com is a fast-growing source of college admissions information. It is a convenient way for prospective students to either discover new colleges or narrow their existing list of schools before making campus visits.