Why Attend an Open House?

Each year, MSP hosts a mix of in-person and virtual Open Houses to allow prospective students a chance to learn more about our programs and campus culture. Camron Combs (MA), shares his experience attending an Open House last year and advice for future attendees. RSVPs for all upcoming MSP Open House events are currently open.

Tell us a little bit about your experience at the MSP Open House last year?

The open house is where I first felt that MSP cared about putting people first. Being greeted at the door seems like such a small piece, but it really stands out as being a great example of what I like about MSP. I’m used to open houses being a space where people get funneled into a large room, and each person picks up a bag or a name tag, then the speaker addresses everyone at once. However, at MSP, each person was greeted at the door and then pointed towards the next station. Questions were answered honestly, even when the answer isn’t necessarily positive.

Why do you think prospective students should attend an Open House?

There is literally no better way to get a sense of how MSP feels as a college. There is a personal touch in every step of the process, and a lot of the experience will change depending on how much or how little you put in. It’s a school run by people who truly care about making the experience the best it can be.

Are there any questions you think prospective students should make sure to ask?

Ask every question. Make a list of questions and be ready to ask them. When you’re deciding to spend this amount of money and time on getting a graduate degree, ask every single question even if you feel like it’s dumb or should be obvious. The people at MSP respect how big of an investment graduate school is, and I’ve never seen someone dismiss or ignore a question.

Need to know about the living options in the area? Ask, we have a list we try to maintain. Curious about the coursework? Ask the faculty what they’re passionate about in the field or how the 2-year track is different from the 3-year track [for the MA program]. Want to know about something in the field of psychology as a whole? Ask, a lot of the faculty keep an eye on the larger systems impacting the field. Curious about the financial aid options? Ask.

More than any specific questions, I would strongly urge every open house attendee to ask every question they have and to listen to the questions that the other attendees ask as well. The staff and faculty are there to answer any question to help you make the right grad school decision.

Do you have any other tips for those attending an Open House this year?

Your goal should be to investigate if MSP is the right school for you; come with that in mind.
If you’re shy or nervous, travel around the stations with a small group; you never know when someone will ask a question that would have never crossed your mind.
Be open-minded; you don’t have to decide anything the night of the open house. It’s an event to get to know the school.
If you’re interested in applying, use the discount code!

Camron Combs is a MA student currently serving as MSP’s Admissions Graduate Assistant.