How to Find an Old Classmate

The date for the senior prom moved away after graduation. The sorority big sister went to grad school abroad. The class clown joined the military. Wondering about those who were so much a part of growing up? Use the following steps to find an old classmate.

Instructions

1. Contact the old school or college and see if they have a class reunion committee chair or old reunion directory. These may give good information on current location or hints of other places to search. Check if any teachers or professors are still teaching there. If so, they may have kept in contact with the classmate.

2. Check with campus organizations to see if they keep former student or alumni records. Many organizations keep tabs on past members. Sororities, fraternities, honor societies and marching bands, for example, are all possible sources of information.

3. Use an Internet search engine to search for the classmate's name. Search using all variables of the name, including full name, nickname and initials. Enclose the name in quotation marks to get a better search result. Add other distinguishing search parameters, such as a city, former school or state, to narrow the results effectively.

4. Join a class reunion website referencing the school in question. The classmate may also be a member or other classmates may have useful information.

5. Explore online directories and public records sites. The directories have addresses and phone numbers, and some have email addresses. Use location information, such as a city, state or zip code to narrow the search. Also check MySpace and Facebook websites to see if the classmate has a site there.

6. Search genealogical websites for modern public records. Many of these sites have modern information, such as marriage and divorce records and directories. Some will charge for the information; many are free.

7. Investigate people locating companies on the Internet. These will charge a fee so it is important to establish their policies for refunds and complaints. Check with online reputation sites to verify the company has no negative comments about it. While a company may provide good information, many of these companies merely offer information that is already available on the Internet for free.

Tips & Warnings

• Be creative when using search engines. Any unique information, like a silly nickname, may give good results when paired with the classmate's name.

• Ask a librarian for suggestions or help with Internet searches.