More than 100 students flocked to NYU Abu Dhabi's first Graduate School Fair in mid-October to visit with representatives from 23 graduate schools. Hosted by the University's Career Development Center (CDC) with the aim to educate students on what graduate schools look for in their applicants, the fair saw students networking and learning about the research and programs of the participating institutions.
"The CDC did an impressive job bringing representatives from schools all over the world and offering a diverse array of programs," said Olivia Bergen, Class of 2015. "I discovered a public policy school at the National University of Singapore that I didn't know about previously. I've been US-school focused in my search so far, but it widened my horizons a bit to find that."
In addition to the National University of Singapore, schools included the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science, the American University of Sharjah, and the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.
The fair was open to students from universities throughout Abu Dhabi. Ikhlas Al Hussien, a first-year graduate student from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, explained the reason behind her attendance. "I wanted to know how to apply for a PhD as early as possible and to learn what are the things to look out for," she said. "The fair provided helpful information in terms of the most effective way to apply to schools and how to make a strong application. They also told me about research programs their professors are conducting."
Prior to the fair, students had the opportunity to attend a graduate school prep session, during which participants acquired information about the schools that would be at the fair, learned how to get the most out of the event, and were coached on how to best present themselves to make a lasting impression.
The day after the fair, the CDC hosted four panel discussions for NYUAD students. Covering topics including admissions, letters of recommendation, faculty connections, and personal statements, the panels involved admissions officers from a selection of graduate schools. Following the discussions, students were able to network and gather any necessary final information.
"The Graduate School Fair was great!" said Jaime Sutherland, Class of 2015. "It gave me an excellent chance to network and to find out more information about further educational opportunities. The panels were really informative, and the panelists' answers gave me great insights into the application processes of the various institutions."