The New York Times to Launch First College Life Fair

The New York Times will launch its first College Life Fair (nytimes.com/collegefair) in Chicago, on May 31, 2012, in conjunction with the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling (IACAC) and Chicago Public Schools.

The New York Times College Life Fair will provide students and their families with a comprehensive introduction to the college experience. The fair will incorporate exhibits and presentations on admissions, as well as on the broader college experience, including academic expectations, athletics, student life, technology, health and wellness, career counseling, tutoring and residential life.

The event will be an interactive one, where attendees will have access to colleges, universities and other exhibitors who will provide them with essential and timely information about the process of applying to college, paying for it, enrolling and attending. Registration is open to all high-school aged students and their parents and/or guardians. There is no fee for admission.

"For many high school students and their families, the path to college admission can be a bewildering experience, rife with anxiety, misinformation and missteps,” said Felice Nudelman, executive director, education, The New York Times Company. "The Times decided to create this fair to provide a unique, interactive experience for college-bound students that exposes them to every aspect of college life and aids them in the decision-making process.”

In addition to exhibits, students will have access to the Spotlight Stage, a forum that will feature a rotating lineup of speakers who will discuss various aspects of applying to college, paying for college and succeeding once there. New York Times senior editor Jacques Steinberg, creator of and lead contributor to The Times’s college admissions blog, The Choice (nytimes.com/thechoice), will serve as moderator of these informative sessions.

"Reporting and writing about education, and explaining these issues to readers with clarity and authority, have been a signature mission of The Times throughout its long history,” said Mr. Steinberg. "The New York Times College Life Fair will serve a ‘news you can use’ function. It is a natural extension of The Times’s existing education initiatives and deep coverage of the subject."

The Times is collaborating on the planning process for the fair with the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling, a non-profit membership organization for counselors, admissions officers and other professionals. The Chicago Public Schools plan to bus thousands of high school sophomores and juniors to the event throughout the day. Students from other schools in Chicago and its suburbs are also expected to attend, whether during the day or in the evening with their families.

"The Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling is happy to support the New York Times' College Life Fair. We hope to bring hundreds of college admissions counselors face-to-face with students to help guide them through the challenging college search and application process,” said Laura Docherty, president, IACAC. "In addition, it is our hope that the format of the program will help high school students to have a better understanding of what it is like to go to college.”

"The Chicago Public Schools is very pleased to join the The New York Times to provide more than your traditional college fair, but exposure to the entire college experience and journey that students and their parents are embarking on,” said Bernard McCune, GEAR UP manager for Chicago Public Schools. "This event will give a holistic representation of the exciting and sometimes confusing expedition into college life.”

The New York Times College Life Fair will take place on Thursday, May 31, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Navy Pier in Chicago. For more information and to register for the event visit nytimes.com/collegefair.

About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2010 revenues of $2.4 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, BostonGlobe.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

This press release can be downloaded from www.nytco.com