Is there a charge to participate in the Virtual Fair?
There is not a fee for students and alumni to participate.
Is the virtual chat room open continuously during the fair, or only during assigned times?
The virtual chat room is always open; however, the hours schools are present are defined by their representatives. Schools’ chat hours can be found with the list of registered schools by clicking on “Event Details” for that fair, when logged into your account.
Is uploading my resume into the virtual fair system required? What do I need to do to participate?
Uploading your resume and/or cover letter is not required; however, it is the first step in making your materials available to participating schools. After you upload your documents into the system, they are visible immediately for review by schools. Schools may begin screening resumes prior to the event and also invite you to visit their specific chat sessions and/or schedule video interviews before, during, or after the event hours.
Do I need to be invited to attend the chat sessions by a school?
Not all schools will send email invitations to their chat sessions, so join the event and visit schools that interest you. You are welcome to visit any chat sessions during the fair.
Do actual interviews take place during the fair?
This event is not specifically related to interviewing. It provides an opportunity to learn more about participating schools/programs and interact with various school representatives to gain valuable insight, which sometimes includes an opportunity to participate in a video chat. However, this is strictly optional (for both schools and prospective students) and may occur on a school-by-school basis.
I don't think I'll be able to get a webcam in time for the fair. What if a school wants to hold a video conference?
Webcam access and interview rooms may be available at your Career Services department at your school. Please contact them to see if they may assist you. Also, Google Chrome or Firefox are required to participate in video chats or receive their audio/video broadcasts.
If there are a number of attendees trying to chat at the same time, will there be a waiting list in order of who joined the session first?
There is not a waiting list, just a natural ebb and flow of visitors. School representatives may have a lot of traffic (just as in a live fair) and cannot reach everyone immediately. Remember that patience in the chat room is highly appreciated by the school reps and the right school is worth the wait.
I have a video conference scheduled with a school – what should I be wearing?
You should be dressed as if you were going on an interview. Make that first impression a good one! We also recommend you check what is visible behind you so that there is nothing to distract the school rep.
Why do some schools use more than one chat room?
Some schools may have different chat rooms to manage various departments (i.e. Admissions, Faculty, Financial Aid, etc.).
What happens at the end of chat hours? Is everything just cut off with a certain university/school?
Nothing happens until the school stops using their room. If they are engaged in active chats, they may continue past the planned hours if they wish. If they close their room, the chat session will be automatically ended and all visitors will be exited from their session.
I am having difficulty connecting to my chat room. What should I do?
Make sure you are using an updated version of a major browser. Please add the Virtual Fair url to your list of trusted sites. We highly recommend Google Chrome or Firefox (Note: They are required to receive video/audio broadcasts in the chat room or engage in direct video chats with schools). Safari is also supported. If using Internet Explorer, you must update to Version 11 (previous versions are not supported in the chat rooms).
