Post-Acceptance, Pre-Visit

[la_mod]

6 minutes ago, Wabbajack said:

I have different sheets for general goals and specific ideas. I just started one for Minnesota. It helped me quite a lot with figuring out some questions to ask!

I totally understand that "itching to plot." NC has hundreds of breweries, so I'm trying to plan out the best way to visit as may as possible before I leave for as little money as possible... and then rank the breweries on specific categories in their own sheet. 

that's a level of preparedness that i'm not sure i'll ever reach, so i applaud you! 

[Wabbajack]

17 minutes ago, la_mod said:

that's a level of preparedness that i'm not sure i'll ever reach, so i applaud you! 

I quickly pass the point of its usefulness and drive it right into an obsession.

[jrockford27]

I'll share the narratives of my two campus visits, which were on opposite ends of the spectrum, and which might help you in planning your visit.

School A: I was admitted and attended a "Recruitment Weekend" with every other admitted student. In groups we met with one faculty member for lunch, who may or may not have been in your area (mine was not). The planned itinerary consisted primarily of events with grad students, apart from a party which was attended by grads and faculty.  It was only after I arrived that I discovered that it was incumbent upon me, beforehand, to have set up appointments with professors of interest if I wanted to meet with any faculty individually!  Since I had not made arrangements ahead of time, and at the time I was quite shy and nervous, I had very little interaction with faculty.

School B: Prior to my visit I was issued a (pretty much) to the minute itinerary for a two full day visit which included scheduled appointments with professors I'd mentioned in my statement, and even some professors I was unaware of who happened to be interested in my application, a brief meeting with the department chair, as well as some seminars to attend, lunch and dinner with grad students, etc.  I didn't really need to prepare at all.

It would be worthwhile, once you start talking to the DGS of programs you were admitted to about your visit, to ask if the visit will be more like School A or more like School B!  Keep in mind that everything may not be taken care of, and you may be in charge of planning your own visit to some degree.

My other advice would be: if you attend you'll have 5-8 years to sit with these folks and show off how much Lacan you've read, but you may only have a day or two to decide whether you like these people, this environment, this city.  You've already been admitted, so you don't need to prove how smart or well read you are, focus on getting to know whether or not you want to live and work in this place.  Likewise, your future colleagues are more likely to want to find out who you are as a person; while research interests are a good conversation starter, yours are likely to change a half-dozen times in the next few years anyway!

By the way, I attend School B now.  While School A is a fine program, B definitely made me feel more like they were invested in me, and cared about who I was, which was an important factor in my final decision. These are things to think about as you visit a campus, as I'm sure you've heard enough tales about grad students who feel adrift, neglected, or abandoned by their programs (and if you haven't, believe me, it happens).

   

Edited January 31, 2018 by jrockford27

[Wabbajack]

1 hour ago, jrockford27 said:

My other advice would be: if you attend you'll have 5-8 years to sit with these folks and show off how much Lacan you've read, but you may only have a day or two to decide whether you like these people, this environment, this city.  You've already been admitted, so you don't need to prove how smart or well read you are, focus on getting to know whether or not you want to live and work in this place.  Likewise, your future colleagues are more likely to want to find out who you are as a person; while research interests are a good conversation starter, yours are likely to change a half-dozen times in the next few years anyway!

   

I especially appreciate this advice!

[unicornsarereal]

22 hours ago, jrockford27 said:

I'll share the narratives of my two campus visits, which were on opposite ends of the spectrum, and which might help you in planning your visit.

 

Copying and saving this, so helpful!

[mk-8]

On 1/31/2018 at 2:37 PM, jrockford27 said:

My other advice would be: if you attend you'll have 5-8 years to sit with these folks and show off how much Lacan you've read, but you may only have a day or two to decide whether you like these people, this environment, this city. 

I've been reflecting on this over the past day, and this is so important. Only one of the programs I was accepted to for MAs did a visit for MA students, and I felt like I needed to show off and impress them. This might have been partly because I was insecure etc etc, but the people there also made me feel like I needed to do that as (In particular, one really awkward conversation with a POI stands out..) So, just another thing to think about. Someone in the pinned thread put it like this: this is a school's time to impress you. You've already impressed them with your application materials!

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

11 hours ago, mk-8 said:

I've been reflecting on this over the past day, and this is so important. Only one of the programs I was accepted to for MAs did a visit for MA students, and I felt like I needed to show off and impress them. This might have been partly because I was insecure etc etc, but the people there also made me feel like I needed to do that as (In particular, one really awkward conversation with a POI stands out..) So, just another thing to think about. Someone in the pinned thread put it like this: this is a school's time to impress you. You've already impressed them with your application materials!

I second this. I may try to talk shop via email either before or after the visit with future profs (My normal thought process speed is "medium" and when I'm nervous I just buffer" so emails help me out a lot anyway) and leave the trip to friendly chat. Obviously, shop talk will occur but I think it is important to note if you are asked personal Qs and if you leave with a sense of who your dept is as people as well as scholars.

[klader]

Hi all! I'm excited for campus visits -- I'm visiting Purdue's English prospective student event Feb 19th & 20th and U Michigan's open house on March 22 & 23 (for English and Education, not literature or English & Women's Studies). 

I went on 2 for my MA, but I definitely recognize how important these visits are as I'm deciding where I'll be spending the next 5 years or so of my life! 

Anyone else currently still in school while planning all of this? I had to make classes I'm teaching online and will have to make-up missing a grad seminar. This will require a lot of work, lol. 

Edited February 3, 2018 by klader

[wnk4242]

On 2018/1/30 at 11:49 AM, Wabbajack said:

I'm going U of M the first week in March, and I have so many questions!

I'm am an OBSESSIVE over planner. I looked through all of the requirements and made a rough sketch of what my semesters could look like. I want to see if it's possible to double minor in Early Modern Studies and Conservation Science without extending my time there. I told them in my SOP that I wanted to compare these two subjects, but I want to make sure it will work out in practice.

I'm also going to ask about neighborhoods, clothing recommendations, and if they have any advice for my husband when he looks for a job.

Frankly, I'm a little worried about overwhelming them when they see my spreadsheet for the next 5 years.

LOL!!!!

[bumbleblu]

Hey folks, I'm looking for some advice/input. 

Currently, I live/teach in Europe, so going to a campus visit wasn't really something that I was considering. However, on Friday I heard from UW-Madison that they'd managed to increase the reimbursement for international travel to $1,000. So now it's financially feasible, and I'd just have to see about getting my classes covered. However, it seems an awful lot of bother just for 4 days. On the other hand, this is the school I'm leaning toward, so I might be spending the next 5 years of my life there and it would be good to get a feel for the department and the city.

What do you guys think? Did anyone not go to their program's open house and wish they had? Or did go and think it wasn't really necessary? I haven't seen an itinerary or anything, so I don't know what to expect in terms of interaction with faculty members (I'll probably ask about this tomorrow -- I really wouldn't want to deal with international travel for an experience like @jrockford27 had at School A.)

Edited February 4, 2018 by bumbleblu

[Glasperlenspieler]

2 hours ago, bumbleblu said:

Hey folks, I'm looking for some advice/input. 

Currently, I live/teach in Europe, so going to a campus visit wasn't really something that I was considering. However, on Friday I heard from UW-Madison that they'd managed to increase the reimbursement for international travel to $1,000. So now it's financially feasible, and I'd just have to see about getting my classes covered. However, it seems an awful lot of bother just for 4 days. On the other hand, this is the school I'm leaning toward, so I might be spending the next 5 years of my life there and it would be good to get a feel for the department and the city.

What do you guys think? Did anyone not go to their program's open house and wish they had? Or did go and think it wasn't really necessary? I haven't seen an itinerary or anything, so I don't know what to expect in terms of interaction with faculty members (I'll probably ask about this tomorrow -- I really wouldn't want to deal with international travel for an experience like @jrockford27 had at School A.)

I think that if it's feasible to visit the programs before you make a decision, then it's a good idea to do so.

One thing you might consider doing is waiting until you've gotten all your acceptances and then trying to visit the programs you're most interested in back-to-back. If you are open with the programs about this, they may even help coordinate it. I did this when I was applying and it made for a crazy week but I felt a lot more at ease making a decision than I think I would have if I'd had to choice without visiting. 

[midwest-ford]

On 2/4/2018 at 4:59 AM, bumbleblu said:

Currently, I live/teach in Europe, so going to a campus visit wasn't really something that I was considering. However, on Friday I heard from UW-Madison that they'd managed to increase the reimbursement for international travel to $1,000. So now it's financially feasible, and I'd just have to see about getting my classes covered. However, it seems an awful lot of bother just for 4 days. On the other hand, this is the school I'm leaning toward, so I might be spending the next 5 years of my life there and it would be good to get a feel for the department and the city.

 

I don't have any insight on whether you should go, but if you want more info about Madison, feel free to private message me. I'm a Wisconsinite and I lived and worked in Madison for 2 years between my BA and MA.

[bumbleblu]

Thanks @midwest-ford!! I haven't decided yet whether I'll go to the visit, so I might hit you up!

[more.truly.more.strange]

I’m anxious about saying yes to a recruitment weekend now only to be invited to another conflicting (first choice school) one later this month. Is this a real concern? 

[JustPoesieAlong]

32 minutes ago, more.truly.more.strange said:

I’m anxious about saying yes to a recruitment weekend now only to be invited to another conflicting (first choice school) one later this month. Is this a real concern? 

YES. I'm holding off in hopes that I get invited to another event for one of my other schools, but I'm super worried about not going to the one I know about. They want me to make my reservations by Feb. 15, but I'm not likely to hear from anyone else by then! They'll reimburse me, but I'm suuuuuper limited on vacation days for my work, so I'm sure I wouldn't be able to swing any others...

Edit: I'm realizing this might not be exactly what you're asking. Did you mean you're afraid another event would take place at the same time?

Edited February 7, 2018 by JustPoesieAlong

[more.truly.more.strange]

1 hour ago, JustPoesieAlong said:

YES. I'm holding off in hopes that I get invited to another event for one of my other schools, but I'm super worried about not going to the one I know about. They want me to make my reservations by Feb. 15, but I'm not likely to hear from anyone else by then! They'll reimburse me, but I'm suuuuuper limited on vacation days for my work, so I'm sure I wouldn't be able to swing any others...

Edit: I'm realizing this might not be exactly what you're asking. Did you mean you're afraid another event would take place at the same time?

Not exactly what I was asking but still relevant--as in, how many Thursday afternoon classes and tutoring gigs will I have to be skipping....? 

But yes, my primary concern is what if one of my top schools accepts me (which would be amazing!) and it happens to be the same recruitment weekend as the one acceptance I've gotten so far, which is not my first choice school. Do schools make an effort to avoid overlaps? Even if I have to miss another recruitment weekend, maybe a separate individual visit would accomplish the same thing? Probably not that big of a deal, just wanted to vocalize my anxiety to help diminish it 

[punctilious]

3 minutes ago, more.truly.more.strange said:

Not exactly what I was asking but still relevant--as in, how many Thursday afternoon classes and tutoring gigs will I have to be skipping....? 

But yes, my primary concern is what if one of my top schools accepts me (which would be amazing!) and it happens to be the same recruitment weekend as the one acceptance I've gotten so far, which is not my first choice school. Do schools make an effort to avoid overlaps? Even if I have to miss another recruitment weekend, maybe a separate individual visit would accomplish the same thing? Probably not that big of a deal, just wanted to vocalize my anxiety to help diminish it 

We're a bit concerned about this too. Already UDel and UMD have visits in the same week, so we are nervous about the possibility of other schools falling on that week. Thus far we haven't had to commit to any visits yet, though, which is good.

[JustPoesieAlong]

Feeling doubtful about my other schools, so I think I'm going to go ahead and put in a time off request for TAMU...They want us to confirm by Feb. 15 that we'll be there if we want to use the hotel rooms they've reserved for us. I only have like two leave days left so this would use them up. If only all my other schools would just update me right now (with news of how much they desperately want me in their programs)... /whine 

[E. Coronaria]

So I have a few weeks before my first recruitment activities. What is the attire like for these things? Confession: I don’t own a suit. 

I’m reviewing my research (I haven’t meaningfully engaged with it since September, for obvious reasons), reviewing my SOP, reading monographs authored by my POIs, prepping questions about TA responsibilities + daily life. What else do I need to do? I feel like I’m overlooking something. 

[maengret]

On 1/28/2018 at 2:52 PM, Mellowyellow said:

Is there anyway to find out info about visiting weekend dates before acceptances? It seems like most websites keep that info under wraps, but maybe there's a past thread I'm missing? I'm curious and it could take my mind off this week's decisions...

Search the websites and site calendars or maybe call a department admin. I found one visit day through a site search

[mk-8]

22 hours ago, E. Coronaria said:

So I have a few weeks before my first recruitment activities. What is the attire like for these things? Confession: I don’t own a suit. 

I’m reviewing my research (I haven’t meaningfully engaged with it since September, for obvious reasons), reviewing my SOP, reading monographs authored by my POIs, prepping questions about TA responsibilities + daily life. What else do I need to do? I feel like I’m overlooking something. 

There's a pinned thread about visits and stuff, and I was freaking out about what to wear, too. Someone told me that it shouldn't stress me out that much because this is the the school's part to impress you. You've already been accepted.

I wore a skirt and a plain white shirt my first visit as an MA. Most people were in jeans and t-shirts (and even tank tops because the visit was in FL). You don't need to wear anything super fancy, I'd say. The most important thing is comfort. Recruitment events are likely to mean long days with a lot of walking (you'll probably go on a tour of the campus at some point). Wear comfortable shoes and something you'd be okay with wearing all day. I'm planning on wearing jeans and a blouse to most of my events along with my keds (lol). A suit may be overkill anyway, so don't worry about it. 

[E. Coronaria]

31 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

There's a pinned thread about visits and stuff, and I was freaking out about what to wear, too. Someone told me that it shouldn't stress me out that much because this is the the school's part to impress you. You've already been accepted.

I wore a skirt and a plain white shirt my first visit as an MA. Most people were in jeans and t-shirts (and even tank tops because the visit was in FL). You don't need to wear anything super fancy, I'd say. The most important thing is comfort. Recruitment events are likely to mean long days with a lot of walking (you'll probably go on a tour of the campus at some point). Wear comfortable shoes and something you'd be okay with wearing all day. I'm planning on wearing jeans and a blouse to most of my events along with my keds (lol). A suit may be overkill anyway, so don't worry about it. 

Thank you! You make an excellent point about shoes. Flats it is!

[punctilious]

So we are waitlisted at Maryland and Boston College. Maryland invited husband to their visit day, but Boston College didn't mention theirs. I wonder if that means the DGS doesn't expect that the BC waitlist will move? Should we ask about a visit day at all?

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

7 minutes ago, punctilious said:

So we are waitlisted at Maryland and Boston College. Maryland invited husband to their visit day, but Boston College didn't mention theirs. I wonder if that means the DGS doesn't expect that the BC waitlist will move? Should we ask about a visit day at all?

I'd guess you're well within your rights to ask? If you're high on the list, it'll help you guys out to go and see the place.

[clinamen]

12 minutes ago, punctilious said:

So we are waitlisted at Maryland and Boston College. Maryland invited husband to their visit day, but Boston College didn't mention theirs. I wonder if that means the DGS doesn't expect that the BC waitlist will move? Should we ask about a visit day at all?

Hi @punctilious ! Idk if this helps you guys but there isn't an official visit day for BC! They have just sort of invited us to come when it works for our individual schedules :)