Questions to ask current students in PhD programs

[hejduk]

This forum helped me to realize that a great way to get true insight into a program is to email grad students at the schools I'm interested in. You can usually find grad students listed on the program's website, but sometimes I've had to email admins to get students emails.

The questions I ask are:

What is the atmosphere of the department?

Are people (faculty, staff, etc) friendly and collaborative?

What are the teaching assignments like?

While teaching, are you still able to properly attend to your coursework?

is there a strong support network for students' spouses? Monthly "potlucks"?

Is there a specific focus of the department (political, digital media, etc)?

Are students supported in pursuits in publishing and conference attendance?

What are the department and library facilities like?

Any strengths/weaknesses of the program that stand out?

Anyone have any questions or suggestions to add to this list?

[socialpsych]

Those are great questions. Now that I know a bit more about grad school, I'm trying to think of other things that might be important but that people might not think to ask...

Advisor questions:

- How often do you meet with your advisor? Is your advisor fairly accessible to you?

- Do you publish together with your advisor? Do you get to be first author?

- Do you work primarily with one person or can you work with multiple people?

- In case of an unforeseeable personality mismatch, is it possible to switch advisors? Do people ever do that?

- Are there any PhD research seminars/workshops that are focused on explicitly giving you research skills, or do you primarily learn by doing?

(if applicable:) - Are there opportunities to collaborate with faculty in other programs/departments?

Funding questions:

- Where does research funding come from? What grants (if any) do students apply for? Are they generally successful? Does it ever feel like your research is limited by the amount of funding you have available (rather than how much research you can or choose to take on)?

- Is your funding tied to your advisor or does it come from the department/program, or from the school?

- Do you spend a lot of time worrying about/searching for/applying for funding?

- Is your stipend sufficient to live in the city where campus is located? (I think I avoided asking this as an applicant because I thought it would be awkward, but a few applicants have asked me now that I'm a grad student, and it's totally fine)

- How long does it typically take to finish the program? If longer than the guaranteed funding, where does your funding come from?

Location questions: What's the city/town like? safe? fun? expensive? Where do students typically live?

Do you feel stressed about finding a job after graduation?

What is the hardest part of grad school for you?

Is there a particular type of student who does well in this program? A particular type who does poorly?

What percentage of students leave the program, and why?

Family/lifestyle questions (if applicable): Are there students in the program who have kids? Do the faculty understand and support family obligations? Is the atmosphere generally family-friendly?

...I could probably think of more, haha.

[hejduk]

Feel like an idiot now! I had been emailing specific people from different programs websites, specifically those with similar research interests. I didn't end up having much luck in getting responses back, so I just decided to email 10-15 students I could find at each program I'm interested in.

I got an email back from one of my "blanket" emails, with the responder informing me she had been out of the program for a year, and to contact the admin office for current students emails. When I contacted the admin and told them I had emailed 10-15 students, they recommended I not continue doing that.

I take criticism quite well, but I felt so embarrassed! This whole application process is so confusing, and I hope that I didn't burn any bridges. I apologized for the mistake I had made, and while the conversation ended good, I still can't help but feel like I'm a candidate sticking out in a bad way.

No more mass emails for me...

[American in Beijing]

Feel like an idiot now! I had been emailing specific people from different programs websites, specifically those with similar research interests. I didn't end up having much luck in getting responses back, so I just decided to email 10-15 students I could find at each program I'm interested in.

I got an email back from one of my "blanket" emails, with the responder informing me she had been out of the program for a year, and to contact the admin office for current students emails. When I contacted the admin and told them I had emailed 10-15 students, they recommended I not continue doing that.

I take criticism quite well, but I felt so embarrassed! This whole application process is so confusing, and I hope that I didn't burn any bridges. I apologized for the mistake I had made, and while the conversation ended good, I still can't help but feel like I'm a candidate sticking out in a bad way.

No more mass emails for me...

Don't feel bad. I honestly wouldn't worry about it. I don't think people are going to consider it a bad thing that you wanted to be well-informed about the program before you apply. Maybe next time you should just e-mail the administrator and ask if there are any students who are willing to field such questions.

[fuzzylogician]

Everything socialpsych said.

Also:

Degree requirements questions:

- How many classes are students required to take? How much choice, how many required classes?

- Are required classes offered on a regular basis or do students sometimes find themselves taking a required class in their 5th year b/c it wasn't given earlier?

- Are there language requirements? How long does it usually take students to meet them?

- How long does it take students to pass qualifying papers / exams? Do students feel that the load is reasonable and that they have enough time to prepare?

- How long does it take students to become ABD? How long do students usually take to write their dissertation?

Cohort / student body questions:

- Do you collaborate with your cohort on assignments?

- Have you published with anyone from your cohort / other students?

- Do you go out with other students after class? are there regular activities organized by the students for the students?

- How do you choose offices? can you change offices after some time?

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have free time to engage in hobbies?

What would you change in the program?

What is the program's best feature?

Are you happy?