ATHENS, Tenn. — More than 2,500 area students and nearly 60 college and university representatives were on the Tennessee Wesleyan College campus Tuesday for a college fair sponsored by the Department of Enrollment Services.

The fair is one of several held in East Tennessee that give graduating high school students a chance to gather information about the schools and speak to school representatives.

“There are high schools from several counties represented here,” said Julie McCaslin, director of enrollment services.

She said most of the students were juniors and seniors from McMinn, Polk, Meigs, Monroe and Loudon counties. Some were home-schooled students.

The colleges and universities represented are mostly within a 250-mile radius, she said, but a Chicago school and one from Ohio were there, too.

TWC President Steve Condon said the program gives many of the students a first look at their future education. Mary Kefauver, guidance counselor at Monroe County High School, agreed.

“Many students are confused about where to go,” Ms. Kefauver said.

McMinn High School guidance counselor Heidi Ables said the fair works into the school’s training on goal-setting. She said the program is helpful because many students must choose a college or university by late fall.

The college representatives came from public institutions, private colleges and specialty schools.

“The fairs allow us to get our name out,” said Joe Ramzek of Sullivan University, a culinary school with campuses in Louisville, Lexington and Fort Knox, Ky.

He said Sullivan is considered one of the top culinary schools in the nation — some of its students worked providing food for the Summer Olympics in China. But because it’s a specialized school, it’s important to make contact with students seeking careers in food service, he said.

Joe Garner of Union University in Jackson, Tenn., said this was his institution’s fourth year at the fair. He said many students just pick up and look at printed information, although some ask questions.

He suggested students would learn more if high school counselors prepared them with some sample questions for the college representatives.

But some students knew exactly what type of school they are seeking.

McMinn High School senior Averi Simpson said she has looked at several colleges but the fair has given her more prospects.

“I’m looking for a pre-vet program and this gives me a chance to ask questions,” she said. “Also, their first impressions are important to me.”

TWC spokesman Blake McCaslin, who is married to Julie McCaslin, said the logistics of hosting the campus reps and 2,500 students “can be a scheduling nightmare.

Schedules were set so each school was told when to arrive and how much time its students could spend at the fair. But traffic and distances meant some unavoidable overlap.

Buses dropped students off and the parked offsite. TWC students helped by giving directions and information to visitors and college representatives.

The fairs are held on a circuit and college representatives travel from one to another for about two months each year.

A fair is scheduled for this week in Chattanooga and another one is to be held in Knoxville in October, Mr. McCaslin said.