Idealist Grad Fairs FAQ: For prospective students

Yes, please RSVP for the fair. This will ensure that we have enough informational materials for our attendees. This will also allow us to send you a reminder email about the fair and tips on how to make the most of your time at the event.

To RSVP for a fair, pick the city you'd like to attend from the list below and click on the blue "RSVP" button.

September 16: New York
September 23: Philadelphia
September 25: Boston
September 30: Baltimore
October 1: Washington, DC
October 3: Ann Arbor
October 7: Minneapolis
October 8: Chicago
October 15: Miami
October 17: Houston
October: 22: Austin
October 23: Atlanta
October 24: Charlotte
October 28: Seattle
October 29: Portland
November 4: Denver
November 6: San Francisco
November 7: Los Angeles

The Idealist Grad Fairs are FREE and open to the public. You're still welcome to come, even if you don't get a chance to register.

We invite local and non-local universities with master's degree (and to a lesser extent, doctorate) programs in a variety of fields: public administration, public health, public interest law, education, social work, public policy, international affairs, conflict resolution, communications, counseling, divinity, nonprofit management, socially responsible business, urban planning, etc.

Be sure to check the list of registered grad schools and programs that are scheduled to exhibit at the fair in your city.

Anyone who's considering graduate degree programs that look to solve social problems is welcome to attend.

We typically attract a wide range of people at the fairs, including undergrads, recent college grads, community volunteers, interns, national and international service corps members and alumni (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as young, mid-career, and transitioning professionals from the nonprofit, public, and private sectors.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to the fair, especially if you are travelling by car. We wouldn't want you to miss our fair because of traffic or parking issues.

Standard dress is business casual. We realize that you may be coming straight from work or a prior appointment.

Leave your resume at home. Later, you'll have more time to fine-tune and tailor your resume to the specific graduate program(s) you're applying to.

If you have them, bring a stack of business cards or address labels (even homemade ones) with your full name, email address and areas of interest. You can provide these instead of filling out various information request cards. They are easier to read, which admissions recruiters really appreciate.

Bring a bag to carry the materials you collect from the grad schools.

Review the list of grad schools attending the fair in your city so that you can prioritize those that interest you most. This way, you'll have time to talk with the admissions representatives and make a good impression with well-informed questions.

No need to print out a copy of the participating grad schools. We'll hand one to you when you arrive and it will be the most up-to-date and the schools will be listed in the order that they are arranged in the venue.

Watch a short video on how to get the best out of your Idealist Grad Fair experience!

In addition to a core set of cities we return to every year, we survey participating schools about cities they are most likely to come to for a future fair. We consider regional representation and the demographics of the city to make sure we'll have enough interest and attendance from prospective graduate students. We also consider factors such as location, accessibility by public transportation, capacity, available break out space, and date availability.

Bring a friend, invite a co-worker, or tell a family member living in another fair city!

People find out about the fairs through your efforts, too. If you feel that these fair will be a good resource for your peers, colleagues, and relatives, send them a text or an email about the event.

Also, if you are well-connected in your community, we developed resource materials for each fair with short links, sample email and Twitter updates, flyers, postcards, and media advisories.