Graduate & Professional School Fair of Illinois

The annual Graduate and Professional School Fair returns VIRTUALLY on Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to speak with more than 100 graduate programs (encompassing all majors)!

For our Juniors and Seniors, you can ask the representatives about their admissions process to see what they look for in candidates (i.e. what kinds of internships, clubs, or experiences matter most), and what the day to day life of a graduate student at their school is like.

For our Freshman and Sophomore students, this can be a time to hear about what you could study down the road if you are interested in pursuing further education, and to see what types of activities you could focus on to be more competitive.

Here is a checklist to help everyone get prepared:

Register for the Fair as soon as possible. This is the only way to prepare for and attend the fair.
Read about virtual job fairs within the Handshake platform.
Set up your Handshake profile and upload your resume. You must set your profile to Public; this is the only way to sign up for sessions and for employers to see your resume.
Sign up for Group sessions and 1:1 sessions as early in advance as possible! This is the ONLY way to speak with representatives during the fair!
Be prepared to deliver your 30-second elevator pitch when meeting an employer.
After speaking with an institution, be sure to say “thank you” and follow-up with those that interest you.