SMU held its annual Graduate and Professional Day Fair on Monday. Sixty universities attended the event to promote all types of graduate education. Students who visited the fair received information about anything from health care education to law school.
Although the fair was moved to the Umphrey Lee Ballroom this year as opposed to Hughes-Trigg, a surprising number of students still attended. To attract students, the Graduate and Professional Fair provided pizza and even raffled off a free Kaplan course.
Eric Park, who attended the event with his class, found the fair very informational.
“I learned how important it is to focus on my grades so that I can be competitive when applying for graduate school,” said Park.
Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies Barbara Phillips has been working with a team of four staff members and six student workers for over six months planning the event.
“The Graduate and Professional Day Fair is good for upperclassmen,” Phillips said. “We hope to provide a large variety of graduate programs that appeal to many students’ interests.”
Barbara Phillips, along with the Hegi Career Center and The Office of Research and Graduate Studies has been working with the program for 15 years. Close to 350 schools were invited to attend the event, but in order to come, they are required to pay a $100 fee.
The graduate schools’ decision to come is based on the reputation of the undergraduate institution that has sent the invitation. Each of the graduate schools only goes to a campus where students show potential for success. This year, schools such as Princeton, Pepperdine and Tulane sent recruiters to SMU.
Last year, 270 students attended, asking various questions about general requirements, the application process and financial aid. The fair is so important to students because it provides them with information that cannot be found on the web.
Patrick Kobler assisted in the promotion of the event.
“It is pertinent that students of all ages attend the Graduate and Professional Day Fair, because the face-to-face information provided by the various recruiters can serve as a fundamental tool in applying to graduate school,” Kobler said.
