One of the most important aspects of applying to graduate school is selecting the programs that are best suited to your interests and career goals. Graduate School Fairs provide you with an opportunity to gain in-depth information from school representatives that will help you evaluate programs and find the best fit for you.

• Come prepared. Before the fair, review which schools will be attending the fairs. Then, begin reviewing graduate school catalogues, directories, and websites to get a sense of the universities and their programs. Peterson's is a valuable resource in finding contact information for graduates schools. This will help you identify some of the programs of interest to you and which schools to target at the fair.
• Rank the schools according to your preference. Visit the schools you are most interested in first so that you have plenty of time to gather as much information as you need.
• Prepare a list of questions to help you determine if there is a match between the graduate school program and your interests and goals. Questions may address costs, financial aid, program requirements, course offerings, facilities, location, student life, faculty, and program reputation.
• Give yourself plenty of time, arrive early, and take a few minutes to review the map and directory of the fair.
• Be prepared to answer questions from the admissions representatives, such as, "Why do you want to attend graduate school?" and, "When?"
• Ask the representative for his/her card; this will provide you with a direct contact that can be used later on for asking follow up questions. Use this opportunity to not only network with the representatives, but also to collect materials for later review.

Events:

Graduate & Professional School Day - A great way to connect with a large number of graduate schools, located on the University of Minnesota campus. Typically, around 100 graduate/professional programs and 900 students participate in the event. The event is free.