4 ways to prepare for a graduate school fair COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

4 ways to prepare for a graduate school fair COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The travel season kicked off in September, and things have really started to pick up. If youre planning to meet us while were on the road, then these tips from the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) will be useful. *** Research: Before attending a Graduate School Fair, research the participating schools. Prepare a list of questions that cannot be answered by their website. APSIA.org makes researching the leading international affairs graduate schools easy. At APSIA.org, you will find lists of degree programs, fields of specialization and other details on 60+ member s and affiliate school programs. Reading profiles will help you learn specifics about each program. Prioritize: After your research, prioritize which schools you want to speak with. Create a printed or digital list to focus your time. At the same time keep an open mind. Speak with other schools you might not know about. Schools you have overlooked may specialize in your area of interest or offer better financial aid. Engage: At the fair remember these three easy tips: show direction, convey your interests and express concerns. Showing direction helps counselors recommend specific programs or tracks of study. Sharing your interests helps you determine which schools share those interests. Expressing your concerns helps you understand what schools have to offer and what their expectations are of incoming students. These three easy tips will help you conduct a positive discussion with admissions counselors. After the Fair, follow up and thank the school representative. Find out if you can visit campus to continue the conversation. Apply: After you attend a Graduate School Fair, finalize your list of schools and apply. Before applying, we always recommend listening to our webinar on “Best Practices in Applying to Grad Schools” which highlights: an application timeline, common application mistakes, frequently asked questions, funding options and much more. Visit APSIAs website to find upcoming fairs and presentations.  To see where SIPA will be this travel season, view our Recruitment Calendar.