Why a counsellor’s work begins when the university fair ends

The exhibition hall is full. Students move from one table to the next, collecting brochures, scanning QR codes and asking questions about scholarships, rankings, campus life and admissions requirements. University representatives enthusiastically share what makes their institution unique, while counsellors introduce students, facilitate conversations and quietly observe the interactions unfolding around them.

By the end of the afternoon, the banners are rolled away, the exhibition stands have been dismantled and the hall falls silent. For most people, the event has ended.

For the counsellor, it has only just begun.

When the party (or university fair) is over

While a university visit may last only an hour, the conversations that follow often continue for weeks or even months. Students return with questions about affordability, career prospects and whether a university is genuinely the right fit. Parents seek reassurance, and initial excitement is often replaced by careful reflection.

One conversation, in particular, has repeated itself throughout my career. A student leaves a university fair convinced they have found their “dream university”, after an inspiring presentation or engaging conversation at an exhibition stand. A few days later, they return to my office with a different perspective. They have compared programmes, spoken with their family about finances, researched student support and reconsidered their long-term goals. That university may still be the right choice – or it may not. Either way, the decision has become informed rather than impulsive.

That moment reminds me why the counsellor’s role begins when the university visit ends. The exhibition may have sparked the student’s curiosity, but reflection is what ultimately shapes a meaningful decision.

It is during these follow-up conversations, not behind the exhibition table, that the most important guidance takes place.

The bigger picture

Our role has never been simply to introduce students to universities. It is to help them distinguish between opportunity and suitability, aspiration and reality, information and influence.

That distinction has become increasingly important as international higher education has evolved into one of the world’s most competitive sectors. According to Unesco’s Higher Education Global Trends Report, international student mobility has tripled over the past two decades, with nearly 7.3 million students studying outside their home countries in 2024. During the same period, global higher education enrolment has grown to 269 million students, reflecting the expansion and increasing internationalisation of higher education. In many leading destination countries, international students now represent a significant proportion of university enrolments, underscoring the strategic importance of global recruitment. 

At the same time, international recruitment is entering a period of change. As traditional destination countries tighten visa and immigration policies, universities are adapting their recruitment strategies and students are increasingly exploring a wider range of study destinations. 

Universities have every right to recruit talented students, and schools have every reason to expose students to diverse opportunities. The exhibition table has become more than a place to exchange information; it has become a space where educational aspirations and institutional priorities meet. For students, it represents possibility. For universities, recruitment. For education agents and pathway providers, partnership. 

Beyond the exhibition table

Behind every exhibition table are recruitment targets, regional growth strategies, institutional branding and, in some cases, commercial partnerships. Understanding these realities enables counsellors to help students interpret information critically and make decisions that are informed rather than influenced.

Our success is not measured by applications submitted nor by enrolment targets achieved. It is measured by whether students make decisions that genuinely reflect their aspirations, abilities, circumstances and long-term well-being.

The growing role of education agents further illustrates this balance. Education agents have become an increasingly important component of international student recruitment across many major destination countries, helping institutions connect with prospective students and supporting families as they navigate complex application processes. For many students, these services provide valuable assistance with university selection, applications, visas and transition planning.

At the same time, professional organisations such as the National Association for College Admission Counseling continue to emphasise transparency, ethical practice and informed decision-making within recruitment partnerships. The counsellor’s role is neither to discourage nor to endorse the use of education agents, but to ensure that students understand the context in which advice is offered and equip them to make independent, well-informed decisions.

Information – or persuasion?

The most important questions are rarely asked at the table. They emerge afterwards, once students have had time to reflect, research and return with the questions:

• “Is this university really right for me?”
• “Can my family realistically afford this?”
• “Do I need an education agent, and if so, how do I choose one?”

No presentation or brochure can answer these questions. They require context, reflection and understanding of the individual student sitting across the desk. The counsellor’s responsibility is to ensure that, once students step away from the table, marketing gives way to meaningful reflection.

That challenges us, as counsellors, to ask an important question: do our university visits leave students better informed, or simply more persuaded?

Fortunately, many university representatives understand this. The most memorable school visits I have experienced have not been those with the most impressive displays or polished presentations, but those where representatives openly acknowledged that their institution might not be the right fit for every student. They welcomed difficult questions, discussed challenges honestly and encouraged students to make decisions based on fit rather than prestige. Those conversations built trust not only with students, but with counsellors as well.

The strongest partnerships recognise that universities and counsellors contribute different – but equally important – forms of expertise. Universities know their institutions. Counsellors know their students. The exhibition table is where those perspectives meet.