FAQ’s & Guidelines

FAQ’s for College Representatives

Q. Approximately how many students, parents and educators attend each of the in-person COSI Fairs?

A. While the number varies by location and type, there are typically 500 to 900 attendees per event.

Q. May I send my materials ahead to the venue?

A. Since our venues are multi-use, they do not have storage available. Instead, we suggest contacting your hotel directly for shipping and storage options.

Q. Do I have to sign up for all fairs in the series?

A. No, you have the flexibility to choose a combination of event dates. Registering for all events in the series provides you with a package discount and the best value.

Q. Do you provide a list of suggested area hotels?

A. Yes! A link to area hotels can be found on the “Hotel & Venue Map” page.

Q. Will you provide a list of educator contacts for each of the fairs?

A. Yes! A specific list of high schools and educators in attendance, including contact information, will be provided to all participating institutions after each event by StriveScan.

Q. Are you affiliated with NACAC Fairs?

A. While there is no affiliation, we endeavor to organize our fairs to complement the NACAC Fair travel season.

Q. Do your fairs typically sell out?

A. Yes, almost always! Our fairs typically reach capacity well in advance of the event date. We do, however, maintain an active waitlist process.

Q. What if I need to cancel my registration?

A. All payment and refunds are handled by StriveScan. We adhere to StriveScan’s policies, however, depending on the circumstances, COSI College Fairs may offer a front-page banner ad on the outofstatecollegefairs.org website if a refund cannot be processed.

Q. Do I have to purchase a separate scanner app?

A. All scanning is provided by StriveScan and is included in your registration fee.

COSI College Fair Guidelines for In-Person Events

Given the wide variety of institutions we host, for many students, this may be the first time they will come in contact with a representative from your institution. In order to ensure a positive experience for all participants, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Arrive on time at the fair and staff your booth during fair hours.
• Check-in time for college representatives is approximately 30 minutes before the posted start time.
• We like to avoid empty tables, so should you experience a last-minute emergency and need to cancel, please let us know so we can adjust the table spacing and contact those on the waitlist. Call or text: 714-310-5548
• Please stay for the entire program. Some in-person events may finish up to 15 minutes earlier or later based on school bus arrival times due to So Cal traffic
• Dress professionally to best represent your school.
• Pull-up banners and displays are encouraged as long as they do not interfere with other college’s table space.
• Small promotional items such as pens, key chains, etc. are permitted. Please do not give out candy, food, gum, or stickers.
• Fairs last approximately two hours, with some having the option to stay through lunch.
• An educator/counselor contact list by high school will be provided to all college representatives shortly after our last event.

Drive Times
Southern California traffic can be unpredictable! Please use a trusted site such as WAZE or Google Maps to plan your route and travel time and give yourself a cushion.

Scanning via StriveScan
Scanning is included with all registrations. We have asked all students to pre-register but cannot guarantee they have done so (teenagers!).

Materials
Please bring materials for approximately 400-700 for each individual fair event, with attendance closer to 800-900 for the Orange and LA County events  Our venues are multi-use and do not have storage capabilities, so we encourage you to make arrangements with your hotel should you wish to send materials ahead.

Additional Event Details

• Where permitted, light breakfast items, including coffee, will be provided as well as water and snacks during fair hours.
• Each college will have a 6-foot table and a chair. We encourage you to bring a tablecloth that represents your institution.
• The table configuration will vary by venue. Make sure to return your plastic table number to the event staff at the end of each event. In all cases, you will have some private space behind your table. To see examples of previous college fairs, please visit our photo gallery at: www.outofstatecollegefairs.org/gallery/
•  Convenient free parking is available at all fair venues
•  If needed, we will text event updates to you if you included your U.S. cell phone number at the time of registration.
• In the event of an emergency or cancellation, please contact Becky at outofstatecollegefairs@gmail.com or 714-310-5548 (cell). We typically have an active and anxious waiting list for most fairs.

High School Participants
Invited students will be provided with and/or have been directed to download informational materials from our website.  These materials include:

• College Fair Guide (detailed list of college participants and available at each event)
• Sample college fair focus questions
• Guidelines and expectations

Venue locations can be found at: https://www.outofstatecollegefairs.org/maps

Event details can be found at: https://www.outofstatecollegefairs.org/events

Last-minute questions? Call/text Becky at 714-310-5548 or email her at outofstatecollegefairs@gmail.com
We look forward to welcoming you to sunny Southern California!