On June 3rd, the National Library of Romania becomes, for one day, the largest educational fair in Bucharest. The City Hall, in partnership with the School Inspectorate, has brought together under the same roof 93 high schools and 12 universities, and students can find out directly from representatives all the details about study programs, admission averages and available spots for the 2026-2027 academic year. It's an event that rarely happens in this format — everything concentrated in one place, in a single day.

And that's exactly why it's worth coming prepared. Most students arrive at fairs like this without knowing what to ask. They leave with brochures, polite smiles and the same question mark they came in with.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself, to make sure you choose the faculty that suits you best.

Start with yourself, not with the faculty

Before comparing universities, it's worth spending a few minutes with yourself. Ask yourself: what activities make me lose track of time? When did I last feel like I was doing something truly my own? What would I do if all faculties were free and all jobs paid the same?

The answers don't need to be perfect. They just need to be yours.

The questions worth asking at the stand

When you find yourself face to face with a university representative, resist the temptation to only ask what the admission average is. That's the last question. The first ones are those that will shape the real picture of the place where you'll spend three or four years of your life.

Ask what a typical week looks like for a second-year student. You want to understand the real rhythm — the balance between lectures, seminars and free time, the way the faculty treats students as people, not as student ID numbers.

Ask what graduates are doing six months after finishing their studies. A serious faculty has this answer ready. One that hesitates or speaks in generalities is telling you something important, indirectly.

Ask whether there are mentors, tutors or academic advisors accessible to students. Academic support is one of the strongest predictors of university success and the sooner you find it, the more solid your experience will be.

Ask what the relationship between professors and students looks like. You can put it simply: are there professors you can talk to after class, ones you can email and actually get a reply from?

Ask what practical opportunities exist in the first two years, before the thesis. Internships, real projects, partnerships with companies or institutions. Theory without practice is a map without a territory.

A question few people ask, but one that matters

What does the student community look like? Are there clubs, organizations, active student projects?

Students who feel part of a group experience university as something they live, not something they endure. Those who remain isolated lose motivation much faster, no matter how passionate they are about the field. When you talk to university representatives, pay attention to the student volunteers around the stand as well. Are they enthusiastic, or do they seem to be carrying out a task? Are they talking about their own experience, or reciting a script? The way a current student tells you about their faculty says more than any brochure.

The difference between choosing with your head and choosing with your heart

There's a real tension between the two approaches, and both are partly right. A purely rational choice, based only on statistics and salary prospects, ignores the fact that motivation and passion are the fuel behind any sustained performance. A purely emotional choice, based on a vague feeling or on what friends are choosing, can overlook the practical realities of the job market.

The best choice integrates both. Look for fields where you feel a genuine interest and where concrete opportunities also exist. Joy and usefulness can coexist, if you know where to look.

What to observe beyond words

At an educational fair, what you observe is just as important as what you're told. If you get the chance, walk around the university campus or past the faculty buildings after the event. The space where you learn influences your mood, your focus and your sense of belonging far more than we consciously realize.

In the end, one single question

If after all of this you're left with just one question to ask yourself before making your decision, this is it: can I see myself growing in this place?

The right faculty is the one where the version of you that exists today has room to become the version of you that comes next. Everything else is details that sort themselves out along the way.

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