2023
Buffalo National College Fair
March 15-16 • Buffalo Niagara Convention Center

About the BNCF

NACAC10/13/22 - THE BUFFALO NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR WILL BE RETURNING - MARCH 15-16 2023. After a long pause due to the COVID pandemic, NACAC has confirmed the return of Buffalo's largest college fair which is free and open to the public. As we prepare, we will be posting information about the fair as it becomes available.

Who Will Be There?

Check out a list of the exhibitors and high schools that will be in attendance (check back as this will be updated)

Participating High Schools

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  • Akron High School
  • Alexander High School
  • Amherst Central High School
  • Barker Central School
  • Bennett High School
  • Bishop Timon - St. Jude High School
  • Brocton High School
  • Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts
  • Buffalo Academy of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Mgmt
  • Buffalo Academy of Science
  • Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart
  • Buffalo Seminary
  • Burgard Vocational High
  • Canisius High School
  • Cardinal O'Hara High School
  • Cattaraugus-Little Valley High School
  • Charter School for Appied Technologies
  • Chautauqua Lake High School
  • Christian Central Academy
  • City Honors School
  • Clarence Senior High School
  • Cleveland Hill High School
  • Depew High School
  • East Aurora High School
  • East High School
  • Eden Senior High School
  • Ellicottville Central High School
  • Emerson High School
  • Forestville Central High School
  • Franklinville High School
  • Frederick Law Olmsted School
  • Fredonia High School
  • Fredonia Upward Bound Program
  • Frontier High School
  • Gowanda Central High School
  • Grand Island High School
  • Hamburg Senior High School
  • Holland Central School
  • Hutchinson Tech High School
  • International Prep 198 @ 202
  • Iroquois High School
  • John F. Kennedy High School
  • Kenmore East High School
  • Kenmore West Senior High School
  • Lackawanna
  • Lackawanna Senior High School
  • Lafayette High School
  • Lake Shore Central High School
  • Leonardo DaVinci High School
  • Lewiston-Porter High School
  • Maryvale Senior High School
  • Math Science Tech Prep School at Seneca
  • McKinley High School
  • Mt. Mercy Academy
  • Nardin Academy *
  • Newcomer Academy
  • Newfane Central High School
  • Niagara Wheatfield
  • Nichols School
  • North Collins Senior High School
  • North Tonawanda High School
  • Oakfield-Alabama High School
  • Orchard Park High School
  • Pembroke High School
  • Pioneer Central High School
  • Portville High School
  • Research Laboratory School for Biology and Life Sciences
  • Riverside Institute of Technology
  • Royalton Hartland High School
  • Salamanca High School
  • South Park High School
  • St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
  • Sweet Home High School
  • Williamsville South High School
  • Wilson Central
* Evening

Sessions

  • First Day Wednesday 03/15/23
  • Day 9:00am to 12:00pm
  • Evening 6:00pm to 8:30pm
  • Evening Introduction Wednesday 03/15/23
  • Workshop Session 1 Wednesday 03/15/23
  • Workshop Session 2 Wednesday 03/15/23
  • Workshop Session 3 Wednesday 03/15/23
  • SECOND DAY Thursday 03/16/23
  • Day 9:00am to 12:00pm

Parking for the evening session on Wednesday night is available at both the Augspurger and Fernbach Ramps. You will have to pay the posted rate.

Resources

Useful information to help you prepare for the fair.

Workshops

  • How to Get the Most Out of the College Fair
  • Date Evening Introduction - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 5:45pm to 6:00pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterDavid Coates, Private Consultant, and Harry Gong, University Registrar, Niagara University

How to Get the Most Out of the College Fair

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  • Date Evening Introduction - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 5:45pm to 6:00pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterDavid Coates, Private Consultant, and Harry Gong, University Registrar, Niagara University
  • Pre-Session

Selective Admissions in Post-COVID Times

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  • Date Workshop Session 1 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 6:15pm to 6:45pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterJane Mathias, Director of Guidance, Nardin Academy
  • You've worked hard for outstanding achievement in and out of the classroom your freshman, sophomore, and junior years. However, once the application is in the hands of the institution, there is little you can do. Knowing what goes into the decision at highly selective colleges, and how things have changed since COVID may help you understand how to present your success in the best way possible.
  • Students Seeking Accessibility Resources
  • Date Workshop Session 1 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 6:15pm to 6:45pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterKristin Harte, Senior Associate Director of Accessibility Resources, University at Buffalo, SUNY

Students Seeking Accessibility Resources

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  • Date Workshop Session 1 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 6:15pm to 6:45pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterKristin Harte, Senior Associate Director of Accessibility Resources, University at Buffalo, SUNY
  • Learn how to request accommodations at the college level (including testing and note-taking). What should be in the IEP or 504 Plan to aid your transition? How to document the disability and need for accommodations. Who should you contact; when in the application process should you contact; what accommodations are available at the college level?
  • College Entrance Exams - SAT/ACT
  • Date Workshop Session 1 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterJonathan R. Augustyn, Senior Associate Director, Cornell University

College Entrance Exams - SAT/ACT

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  • Date Workshop Session 1 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterJonathan R. Augustyn, Senior Associate Director, Cornell University
  • An overview and understanding of how colleges and universities are using standardized tests (ACT/SATs) in the admissions process in a post-Covid world. A thoughtful conversation about submitting these test scores to these institutions and interpreting what Test Optional, Test Required, and Test Blind really mean in the college admissions process.
  • Financial Aid 101
  • Date Workshop Session 2 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterKatie Kocsis, Director of Financial Aid, Niagara University

Financial Aid 101

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  • Date Workshop Session 2 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterKatie Kocsis, Director of Financial Aid, Niagara University
  • You can never have enough information on financial aid. This workshop is designed to help answer questions that students and parents may have about the process of determining financial need and awarding aid.
  • College Athletics
  • Date Workshop Session 2 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room103
  • PresenterKelly Cruttenden, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, University at Buffalo, SUNY

College Athletics

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  • Date Workshop Session 2 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:00pm to 7:30pm
  • Room103
  • PresenterKelly Cruttenden, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance, University at Buffalo, SUNY
  • An educational session designed for athletes seeking to play collegiate sports at the DI, II, or III levels. Junior college participation will be discussed as well. Important topics include NCAA Division I recruiting rules, academic eligibility, athletic scholarships, and NCAA eligibility center registration.
  • The Right College
  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room103
  • PresenterDean Reinhart, PhD., Associate Director of Admissions, SUNY Buffalo State College

The Right College

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  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room103
  • PresenterDean Reinhart, PhD., Associate Director of Admissions, SUNY Buffalo State College
  • How do you find the college that is right for you? This workshop will help students and parents examine the important factors to consider when making a decision on where to go to college.
  • The College Essay
  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterAustin Brass, Director of Admissions, Niagara County Community College

The College Essay

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  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room106A
  • PresenterAustin Brass, Director of Admissions, Niagara County Community College
  • This session gives you the opportunity to learn about what colleges are looking for when reading college essays. You will leave this session with confidence in writing your college essay. Some of the questions that will be addressed are: How do I decide on a topic? What are the skills needed to start writing your college essay? How do I know if this is the right essay to submit?
  • Applying for Scholarships
  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterCheryl Goldstone, Independent/Retired School Counselor

Applying for Scholarships

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  • Date Workshop Session 3 - Wednesday 03/15/23 • 7:40pm to 8:10pm
  • Room106B
  • PresenterCheryl Goldstone, Independent/Retired School Counselor
  • Applying and competing for scholarships is a great way to help pay for college. This
    presentation offers a brief overview on private scholarships and tips for completing scholarship applications. Learn how to conduct scholarship searches using the internet and receive advice on what makes a successful scholarship.

Students

Be Prepared

The great thing and major difference between the National College Fair and local fairs is its sheer size. Over 200 colleges and universities from all over the world can be there, so it's a bit daunting. If you stroll up and down the aisles without a plan you may run out of time. That is why time management is so important. Each booth has a number which corresponds to the map in the locator which you will be given as you walk in. As soon as possible, we will begin posting a list of attending colleges and where they are to be located at the fair so that you can begin planning.

Lead Retrieval

The BNCF is one of NACAC's Lead Retrieval sites. You can pre-register for the fair at any time. By registering ahead of time, you will save time at the fair. After you register online, you will be able to print out a bar-coded sheet that you will bring with you to the fair. Many colleges and universities at the fair will be able to quickly scan this sheet and get your information automatically - without you having to fill out any cards. You can use this time to talk to those college reps and get all your important questions answered. The data collected in this process is confidential and will not be used or released to anyone except those colleges that you allow to scan your sheet. If you forget your sheet, there will be printing kiosks available at the fair.

Sponsors

The Role of Sponsors

Each year we seek both local and national sponsors to help make our fair successful. Because of the generous giving of the following sponsors our fair is able to promote this free event to the public, provide necessary services to students at the fair to assist in their search, provide superior hospitality to the exhibitors in attendance at our fair to make them want to come back each year, and most importantly... allow our local arrangements committee the ability to assist schools and districts in need to send students to the fair each year.

Why Be a Sponsor?

As a sponsor (and there are varying levels), we can offer a combination or all of the following: signage at the fair, placement on our website, placement on our fair shirts, presence at the fair in the resource center - if appropriate, logo placement in the fair locator, etc...

Exhibitors

Registration Details

Registration for colleges and universities to exhibit at the fair is done through NACAC itself. Members of NACAC, in addition to all the great resources and information available to them, receive a discounted rate on all National College Fairs. Registration for the fairs is ongoing and can even be accomplished on-site the day of the fair, however early registration allows for proper acknowledgement and printing on the fair maps and in the locator.

Lead Retrieval

Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, New York and several other fairs this year have been selected as pilot fairs for NACAC's Lead Retrieval service. Through lead retrieval colleges will be provided with a device they can use to scan student UPC's. This data will then be forwarded to the college automatically in a comma delimited file. Each year Buffalo is a leader among students pre-registered for the fair.

Why Buffalo?

Our local arrangements committee works hard to assure you a good turnout. We plan year round and have made it our goal to get any student or school that wants to attend to the fair. We have raised funds to achieve the goal of making the fair available to all and also to market our evening session to the community. We have had traffic of 8,000 or greater at all of our past seven fairs.

Counselors

Contact

If you have any questions about the national college fair please fill out the following form and we will get back to you shortly, or you can call for information at (716) 286-8716.