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In choosing a program, trust your gut. It knows better than your head.

Here's some things I've learned along the way (just got back from a second visit): Reach out to students! Even if the school introduces you to a couple of students, invite individuals out for drinks or coffee - don't hope. They are busy and often won't take the initiative, but many will accept (and bring friends you didn't meet). This is where you get the most valuable information. Group drinks lead to individual email addresses, which allows you to set up candid phone conversations a week later when you have more specific questions. Talk to as many faculty as possible - they are a department as a whole and your POI is but one pawn in the bureaucratic system. Interview them - you are committing to a multi-year job, so you should like your "management" and "coworkers". Know yourself - you will be asked about your interests and why this school, so be concise to give you more time to ask about them! It was far less intimidating that I had expected - good luck to you!

I have visited 2/3 acceptances (out of pocket) and have been really surprised how the trips influenced how I feel about the departments, programs and the towns. I can't say it's making my decision easier (I prefer one department & faculty but prefer the other town & program, and still have one more school to consider) but it has at least made my decision more informed. Personally, I think it was worth it paying my way, but I had also saved up for a year in planning of campus visits. Seeing how faculty and students are interacting with each-other is, I think, really important and I wouldn't have gotten that experience without visiting. If you can afford it, I say consider the trip it early "networking" in your field. That way even if you don't attend the school, you will meet students (your future colleagues) and faculty who you can get your name out to, and the trip wasn't a waste. Otherwise, the advantages of skype and phone conversations have already been covered. I suggest talking to as many people as you can stand.

While I wade through my exciting and unexpected options I am wondering about others' criteria for accepting a program and deciding to move. Mine include: program structure and design personality fit with faculty (I am treating this like accepting a job with a contract, so I'd better like my "bosses") skills to be learned number of faculty with shared interests faculty relationships with each other, with students and with alumni student culture city, local culture, politics walk-ability and public transportation What are your decisions based on?

If anyone is applying to Applied Anthropology programs or considering it, this webinar may help decision making. I thought there might be some interest here. Event status: Not started (Register) Date and time: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00) Change time zone Program: AAA Webinar Series Duration: 1 hour Description: If you are either a faculty member or a student interested in training related to professional anthropological careers, this webinar is for you! Interest in anthropological practice has never been higher. Students continue to seek greater job market preparation yet many faculty wonder how to help them. We will talk about: 1. Key differences between “traditional” anthropology programs and applied/practicing-oriented programs 2. Commonalities across high performing applied programs 3. Four distinct models of program effectiveness, highlighting the cultures of the University of Memphis, University of Maryland-College Park, Northern Arizona University, and the University of North Texas 4. If you are a faculty member: How do you build a program with a focus on application and practice? 5. If you are a student: How do you choose a program that will work for you? Elizabeth K. Briody, Ph.D. is Founder and Principal of Cultural Keys LLC, a firm that helps companies and nonprofits understand and address organizational and cultural-change issues. Briody has helped clients in many industries, including those at General Motors where she worked for 24 years. She is currently a member of the AAA Executive Board and just completed her service as Chair of the AAA Working Group on Mentoring.

I can't figure out how to edit old posts, but I just reread this thread and found my use of quotations to sound sarcastic, which I certainly did not intend. These professors have not accepted an official role of mentorship, but I unofficially consider them to be so. Probably an unnecessary clarification here, but I feel terrible for any misunderstandings anyway.

Thank you so much for this, trying to find anthropology program specific advice has been difficult and I cannot tell you how appreciated this information is!

Thanks for asking this, and thanks to all of you for replying. Basically, this thread has made me decide to suck it up today, send out emails and get it over with so I don't have to keep worrying about it, and worrying whether it is too late. I knew I was supposed to be doing this, but got talked out of it by older "mentors" when I asked how to do it appropriately. They didn't think it was necessary, so I didn't contact anyone. Since talking to graduate coordinators at the schools I'm applying, I have been told that it's not only a good idea, but that professors actually expect it. I have been really getting anxious and haven't sent anything out yet because I still haven't gotten the advice from professors for how to approach it. I've read a ton of threads here on how to do it, but I keep feeling increasingly intimidated and think I'm going to screw it up. I might, but I'd rather have someone reject me because we aren't a good fit rather than because I didn't show initiative.