04/04/2006 | Newsletter, The Expert's View
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The Experts View - education fairs

By: Tim Rogers

Postgraduate education fairs like the QS Grad School Tour continue to be amongst the most popular ways potential grad school applicants find out about their preferred programme…

In today’s world of instant communication and access to an enormous amount of information regarding universities and subjects of study, what is the best way to find out about the best choice of university for your postgraduate degree?

According to QS Research, 73% of all those surveyed indicated that meeting representatives at an education fair was the most important aspect of their decision making process when choosing an international postgraduate programme. This begs the question, how do you as a potential postgraduate applicant make the most of attending an education fair? Here are some tips -

  • Preparation is essential. You must try and avoid just turning up with no clear idea of the questions you want to ask and the type of information you want to get. Make sure you know which universities will attend.
  • Explore the range of programmes on offer at the institutions participating in the fair at your local venue. Make sure you have either a paper copy of their prospectus or view book, or at least access to their online course catalogue. Pay particular attention to how the programme is structured, how it is taught – whether by lecture or by seminar - and who teaches on the programme.
  • Do your homework on costs. If financial aid is your primary concern, ensure that your background research has established which institutions offer financial aid and which do not. Fees for masters and PhD programmes vary enormously. Also consider the costs of living and explore whether you can take loans or offset some of the costs by working and studying at the same time.
  • When you’re at the fair, present your questions clearly and concisely – offer information on your background only when asked and take notes if you think this will help you. Don’t forget to take the opportunity to assess the people you are talking to – are they interested in you and your questions? Can they answer your questions? Do they seem professional?

There will be plenty of other things that you need to think about in addition, but follow these simple rules and your attendance will be more productive. Good luck!

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