Why should you go to an open house for graduate school? You went to college already. Been there, done that!
Not so fast.
You may have been an undergrad, but being a grad student is a very different experience. Graduate schools often ask for different things and you’ll have different needs. An open house it the perfect time to make sure the school you’re looking at will meet those needs.
Here are recommendations from Can (John) Ahtam, Bentley University’s assistant director of graduate admission, on why you should attend an open house and what you should do there:
1. Put a Face to the Name
You want admissions officers to know who you are. Email and phone calls just aren’t the same as face-to-face connections, which have the power to build strong relationships with decision makers. You could gain an upper hand in the application process.
2. Network, Network, Network
You’ll likely get to meet faculty, current students, alumni, program directors and maybe even career services reps. And who knows? That alum might be your next business connection or the person who will refer you to a colleague. (And make sure you follow up on LinkedIn!)
3. Check out the Facilities
Get a feel for the campus, classrooms, meeting spaces, labs and dining options. Do the resources match your expectations? For example, students enrolled in Bentley’s master in finance program have access the latest industry-standard software in the Trading Room; graduate students in accountancy use the ACELAB (Howard A. Winer Accounting Center for Electronic Learning and Business Measurement).
4. Feel the Culture
Use this open house opportunity to talk to current students about their experiences. The vibe that an admissions officer gives may be very different than that of an actual student who is immersed in a program. What is graduate social life, and are there student organizations that perk your interest? Is this somewhere you can flourish? What are their current internship and career prospects? You could be them soon.
5. Tap the Experts
Meet faculty who teach the courses, and find out if they have the kind of expertise that you’re looking for, and knowledge that will feed your soul and spark new interests. Program directors can provide insight into how curriculum bridges into broader industries, and help you connect with the right degree.
6. Clock the Commute
Driving to open house will help you gauge the timing and traffic patterns that you could be dealing with on your way to class. (And you can check out the parking situation too.)
“When you arrive at the campus, you’re introduced to the university culture,” Ahtam says. “You have to give it a try and see if the university is meant for you.”