Regardless, this question is an important first step in approaching the increasingly complicated college admissions process. Students and families understandably get caught up in the details of the process and the illusion that it must be overwhelming. They do this at the risk of forgetting what is at the heart of their eagerness to take their education to the next level.

Over the next 12 months, I aim to address the intricacies of the college process and demystify the minutiae around searching for and applying to colleges. As a result, perhaps we can focus on what is truly important: why students want to go to college and what they hope to gain from ostensibly the best four years of their lives. In this monthly column, I will follow the admissions cycle from the start of the search for the “perfect” college in the spring of one’s junior year to the final decision when the deposit check has been sent by May 1 of the senior year. I hope you will come along on the journey and write me with questions and ideas that arise along the way.

As the warm weather creeps back into Northern New England and the birds start to migrate back to the Granite State, so, too, do college admissions counselors emerge from the hibernation of application reading and rendering admission decisions. Just as this year’s decision letters arrive to seniors in envelopes both thick and thin, representatives from the nation’s colleges start the dance all over again, enticing high school juniors with the spectacular and always unique offerings of their institution. April is the start of college fair season, presenting an opportunity not to be missed or taken lightly.

During my time as an admissions officer at Franklin & Marshall College, a selective liberal arts school in Lancaster, Pa., I spent many hours standing behind a banner-draped table in a long row of college representatives crowded into steamy gymnasiums and cafeterias. I did so not because I longed to relive my traumatic high school PE days, but because these “meat markets” allowed access to hundreds of ambitious college hopefuls in a one-stop-shopping venue. Some students took great advantage of this opportunity to make a first impression, while others, no doubt dragged to the fair by their parents or school counselors, loitered on the fringes conspiring with their classmates.

These fairs are, in fact, a potentially powerful tool. They are one-stop-shopping and can be used to get one’s foot in the door at some of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. What follows are some tips on how to squeeze the most out of the college fair experience.

• Plan ahead. Meet with your guidance counselor prior to the fair season (Ideally in March or early April). Often more than 300 colleges attend these fairs. It is helpful to talk with a counselor about your interests and hopes in order to develop an initial list of schools to research. Ask your counselor for a list of the colleges that will be present so that you can create a list of schools about which you want to gather more information.

• No flybys. Take the time to stop and speak with the representative at the table. Do not just grab a view-book or free pencil and run for the door. With the surge in applications that many colleges are now experiencing, more and more institutions are factoring “demonstrated interest” into their admissions decisions. They track contact with the admissions office and often prefer students who have shown interest in the college. By filling out the contact cards at the fair tables, your name will be added to the mailing list and the formal relationship with the college has begun.

• Know who you are talking to. Representatives behind each table vary depending on the institution. Often the individual is the regional dean of admissions who will likely be reading your application in a few months.

Other times, an alumnus of the college, current student, parent or faculty member will be assisting the admissions office by attending. It is in your interest to understand with whom you are talking and what their relative influence in the process is. Collect business cards so that you can write to the representative and thank him or her for taking the time to speak with you.

• Save time and avoid writer’s cramp. Before you attend the fair, print out a sheet or two of self-adhesive labels with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, high school and birth date. These can be applied to the contact cards, ensuring that your information will be legible and saving you from writing the information over and over again.

• Arrive fashionably late. Often the crowds are the thickest at the beginning of the fair, and it is difficult to have a meaningful conversation with the admissions counselors. While you do not want to wait to catch them as they are packing up, you will likely stand out more if you can have an in-depth conversation rather than elbow your way through the crowd.

• Highlight your interests. The flow of information goes both ways at fairs. It is an excellent opportunity for you to gather literature and materials from colleges, but admissions counselors are eager to learn more about you. If you have specific interests in terms of a major, sports team, or other activity, be sure to discuss these with the representative. Chances are, they will make a note on your contact card, and you might be invited to special events on campus or connected with a coach or faculty member.

• Ask thoughtful questions. Questions such as “Do you have a biology major?” or “Where are you located?” can easily be answered by glancing at the view-book. Instead, think of more probing questions such as “What makes your institution different from your peers schools?” or “How accessible are opportunities for research with faculty?” These thoughtful inquiries will distinguish you among the other students wandering through the fair.