Visitations

Many graduate schools offer visitation events.  These events may be paid for by the institution and offer a variety of services to assist students in applying for graduate programs.

Campus Visitations and Application Preparation

  • Columbia University EngAGE – Engineering Achievers in Graduate Education (EngAGE) prepares students to purse degrees in Columbia University’s engineering and applied sciences Ph.D. programs. Students meet faculty and students; tour the campus and research facilities; and attend workshops that will prepare them for the graduate school application process.
  • Georgia Institute of Technology FOCUS Program – Participants receive application and funding information, visit classrooms and research labs in their interest areas and talk with current students and faculty. FOCUS provides travel, accommodations and meal costs for all participants.
  • Indiana University “Getting You into IU” Campus Visit – Students from a wide range of disciplines participate in sessions on preparing competitive applications for graduate admission and fellowships; individual and group meetings with IU faculty; attend classes; tour departments and research facilities; and meet with current graduate students.
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology – CONVERGE  – Participants attend CONVERGE, a four-day graduate school preview weekend on the MIT campus during the fall. Students learn about MIT’s graduate programs, tour facilities, interact and network with faculty and current students. All expenses (travel, hotel, meals) are paid.
  • North Carolina State University Scholar’s Visitation Program – If you are a sophomore or junior in college serious about attending NCSU for graduate school this program is for your. During the Spring semester, NCSU hosts an all expenses covered visit for McNair and other program scholars ( i.e. Gates, LSAMP, MARC, McNair, Meyerhoff, Mellon Mays, RISE, etc.) to learn about the faculty and graduate students’ research, various research opportunities and the graduate programs offered. Senior and master level students will not be admitted unless approved by the graduate faculty.
  • North Carolina State University Visit NC State Program – Participants interact with faculty in their respective disciplines, network with students, tour facilities on campus, and learn about the graduate school application process. All expenses (travel, hotel, meals) are paid.
  • Northern Michigan McNair Visitation Program – Participants meet with faculty and staff to discuss their research and graduate programs of interest, tour campus and find out about campus resources, and learn about the vibrant Marquette community.
  • Northwestern University Introduction to Graduate Education (IGEN)Introduction to Graduate Education at Northwestern (IGEN) is a program for diverse rising juniors and seniors interested in doctoral study. The 2021 IGEN program will be held either virtually or in person at Northwestern University. We expect to provide more information about the format by mid-July. IGEN includes a visit to Northwestern’s Chicago and Evanston, IL campuses, where prospective students will network with faculty, staff, and current students from doctoral programs. 
  • Pennsylvania State University Graduate School STEM Open House and visitation program – The Pennsylvania State University Graduate School will host a Fall STEM Open House and visitation program for prospective underrepresented and underserved students interested in  admission to Penn State-University Park.  Penn State Graduate School will provide travel, lodging, and meals for visiting participants selected for this program.
  • The Princeton Prospective Ph.D. Preview (P3) is a nationally recognized visitation program held on Princeton University’s campus in October that focuses on engaging scholars from historically underrepresented groups around the path to the Ph.D. The program prepares scholars for the graduate admissions process, provides skill and professional development workshops and provides a unique opportunity to learn more about graduate education at Princeton. P3 Scholars will also have the opportunity to connect with Princeton graduate students, faculty, and staff. All travel, housing, and meals are provided. Applications open in the spring.
  • Purdue University Graduate School Exposition — The Big Ten+ Graduate School Exposition is specifically designed for those interested in graduate study in the fields of Engineering, Mathematics, Science, Technology and related disciplines. Students from all institutions are encouraged to attend, and travel scholarships are available!
  • Rensselaer Diversity in Graduate Studies Visitation Program  – Rensselaer’s Office of Graduate Admissions has developed the Diversity in Graduate Studies (DIGS) program. The DIGS program is designed to offer prospective Ph.D. applicants from populations underrepresented in STEM and related fields, a chance visit our campus at no cost prior to submitting an application for graduate study. DIGS applicants should complete a Graduate Student Visit Form and submit the required materials noted on the form.
  • Tufts University, Prospective Graduate School Days – Tufts University holds the “Prospective Graduate School Days” every odd year in the Boston Metro area. It is for academically vetted students on the graduate schools track. Room and board are completely covered by Tufts University.  We have hosted Ronald. E. McNair programs and students over the last several year.
  • UC Berkeley – Berkeley Engineering Preview Day  –  Participants attend a three-day event where they are informed about the engineering doctoral programs at UC Berkeley, interact with faculty, attend graduate school preparation workshops, tour the campus, and learn about other engineering opportunities.  All travel, housing, and meals are provided.
  • UC Berkeley EDGE Conference – The Berkeley Edge Conference is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students who are competitively eligible for our Ph.D. programs to plan to apply to UC Berkeley. Approximately thirty students are chosen from the applications submitted.
  • University of Central Florida – The UCF Diverse Academic Opportunities Program is available to prospective Ph.D. applicants from populations traditionally underrepresented in higher education and within specific fields of study. UCF pays all the costs of the visit for accepted students – including transportation, lodging, local travel from and to the airport, and meals.
  • University of Chicago – Preview Day for Discover UChicago – The University of Chicago is offering talented individuals an expenses-paid opportunity to explore graduate education in the various programs UChicago has to offer. The experience will include workshops, informal socials and research presentations by world-renowned faculty and their graduate students.
  • University of Colorado Boulder – Colorado Advantage Graduate Preview Weekend  – Students, recent graduates, or masters students should apply to the event if they are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in a STEM field. Students participate in tours of the campus and research labs, and attend workshops about the graduate school application process. Travel and housing will be provided.
  • University of Florida’s Campus Visitation Program – Participants meet with faculty; tour campus and Gainesville; talk with current graduate students; attend workshops on succeeding in graduate school; and apply for admission. Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives (OGDI) pays hotel costs, some meals and partial travel expenses.
  • University of Georgia Future Scholars Visitation Program – Participants visit campus and their departments of interest. The Graduate School pays for participants lodging and most meals. Up to $100 reimbursed travel expenses (including airline, shuttle and/or mileage). Participants receive an application fee waiver.
  • University of Michigan Engineering Graduate Symposium – Participants tour departments and research labs, interacting with faculty, staff, and current graduate students. Attendees participate in workshops about admissions and funding; and attend presentations and poster sessions by current graduate students. Event includes lunch and refreshments. Travel Grants are available.
  • University of Michigan Recruitment Events for Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS) –  We have activities and workshops on applying and attending graduate school at U-M, one-on-one and group interactions with faculty from our PhD programs. Additionally, networking with current graduate students and peers from across the country, and finally a tour of campus, facilities, and the city of Ann Arbor. Visit expenses including travel, lodging, and on-campus meals will be covered.
  • University of Minnesota McNair Scholars Summer Visitation Program – The Office for Diversity in Graduate Education in collaboration with the Graduate School invites McNair Programs to our Graduate School Visitation Program held once a month on the Twin Cities campus.  The day consists of a presentation about the process of applying for admission to graduate programs.  The students meet with faculty and staff to discuss their research, and receive a staff-led tour of the campus.
  • University of Minnesota – Psychology Diversity Weekend –The Department of Psychology Diversity Weekend is an all-expense paid visit to the University of Minnesota campus for prospective graduate students interested in applying to one of our seven PhD programs in psychology. Selected participants will meet with relevant program faculty and graduate students, learn about the graduate application and admission process, and experience the diversity of the campus and Twin Cities. Undergraduate and masters students, as well as recent college graduates, from historically under-represented groups in graduate training in psychology are eligible to apply.
  • University of Minnesota – Graduate Diversity Recruitment Weekend – The Department of Anthropology and Department of Geography, Environment and Society are hosting a visit to the University of Minnesota campus for individuals who are historically underrepresented in Anthropology and GES graduate programs and who are interested in learning about graduate training in these fields, including at the University of Minnesota. Selected participants will meet with individual department faculty in their areas of interest, learn about Minnesota’s interdisciplinary Ph.D. structure by facilitated meetings with appropriate faculty in other departments, get a sense of life as graduate students and of each other as potential future colleagues, participate in department events such as joint colloquia, reading groups, workshops; and sit in on graduate seminars. Undergraduate and masters students, as well as recent college graduates, from historically under-represented groups in graduate training are eligible to apply.
  • University of Missouri Emerge Life Science Campus Visitation Program – Prospective graduate students from under-represented groups interested life science and in applying to the University of Missouri participate in UM’s campus visitation program, Tigerview. All costs of the weekend (travel, lodging, meals, and all scheduled activities) are paid by the MU Graduate School.
  • University of Rochester’s Graduate Visitation Program  – Students who are accepted into the program will fly to Rochester, tour the University and their chosen department, meet students, faculty, and administrators, tour the city and attend workshops and events, including a talk by Graduate School admissions guru Don Asher!
  • University of Southern California Engineering Preview Day– Preview Day is the Viterbi School’s graduate open house event for students interested in pursuing their Master’s degree at one of the top ranked graduate engineering institutions in the nation. We request that attendees have earned or are candidates to earn at least a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, math, or hard science (such as physics, chemistry or biology). Student interested in Ph.D. programs may want to consider attending REACH.
  • University of Southern California REACH Program– REACH is an all-expenses paid, doctoral preview program that takes place at USC’s University Park Campus near downtown Los Angeles. The Viterbi School actively recruits engineering achievers from all backgrounds into its doctoral degree programs, particularly students historically under-represented in the field (African-American, Latino and Native American) and females. Through REACH, under-represented engineering achievers get firsthand exposure to exciting research opportunities, world-class faculty, rich academic programs, and stellar student services and mentoring resources.
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Graduate Diversity & Inclusion McNair Visit Day– The UWM Graduate School, through its Office of Graduate Diversity & Inclusion, hosts an annual McNair Visit Day, where McNair Scholars have the opportunity to meet with faculty/staff in their area of interest to learn more about graduate research at the R1 UWM, hear from McNair alumni/current graduate students, tour the campus, as well as receive information on the graduate program application process and details on graduate funding opportunities.
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison Biosciences OPportunities (BOPS) – The Biosciences Opportunities (BOPS) preview weekend is October 8-11, 2015. This is an all-expenses paid opportunity for prospective graduate students to learn about opportunities in biological science graduate programs at UW-Madison. UW-Madison is a world-class university with many opportunities for graduate study. Approximately 146 programs offer masters degrees and 110 programs offer doctorate degrees. UW-Madison is one of the largest bioscience research institutions in the nation; ranking in the top 20 of all research programs worldwide for NIH funded biomedical research. It is a leader in stem cell research and in the top 10 for bioscience research in the nation. The application to apply is now available and is due on August 5, 2015. Contact us with any questions at biopreview@mailplus.wisc.edu.
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison Opportunities in Engineering Conference – Juniors and seniors with majors in physics, chemistry, math or other physical science interested in attending graduate school in engineering visit campus and explore graduate programs in engineering. Travel, food, and lodging expenses (except travel days and Saturday) will be paid by the conference.
  • Vanderbilt University VU-EDGE Ph.D. Recruitment Event – Underrepresented students interested in obtaining  a Ph.D. at VU have the opportunity to learn about the various doctoral programs; attend workshops; interact with faculty, students, and administrators about graduate school at VU. Food and travel expenses will be covered.