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, login (or sign up if you don't have a profile on Idealist yet), and then click "Attend fair" on the left side of the fair listing. Your RSVP is not confirmed until you click on the "Attend fair" button.

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 RSVP.

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.

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.

Each grad fair includes a question-and-answer (Q&A) session that is optional to attend. The expert panel is made up of a few graduate school representatives from a variety of programs who can answer your general questions about admissions, financial aid, when to go to grad school, and what to study.

If you miss the Q&A, you can watch these videos of the sessions from a 2009 grad fair in Washington, DC—the questions tend to be similar across all Q&As at our fairs, so the recording will probably cover what you've missed. For more information about grad school, you can also check out our detailed Public Service Graduate Education Resource Center or get in touch with schools you're interested in.

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.