Open House Questions

[schwa-t'sup]

I am attending an accepted students event and am looking for suggestions of general questions to ask. What are some things to look out for/inquire about? What sort of things do you wish you had asked before making your grad school decision?

 For reference, I am hoping to specialize in voice and swallowing, as well as gain more experience in a hospital/clinical setting (rather than education). My undergrad program was focused heavily on SLP in education settings/working with children and I am trying to avoid falling into a program geared in this direction. Thanks!

[pbandj]

3 hours ago, schwa-t'sup said:

I am attending an accepted students event and am looking for suggestions of general questions to ask. What are some things to look out for/inquire about? What sort of things do you wish you had asked before making your grad school decision?

 For reference, I am hoping to specialize in voice and swallowing, as well as gain more experience in a hospital/clinical setting (rather than education). My undergrad program was focused heavily on SLP in education settings/working with children and I am trying to avoid falling into a program geared in this direction. Thanks!

Some questions I asked that were really helpful: How does a typical day or week look like in terms of didactic courses and practicum (for example, are classes held on certain days and clinical assignments on other days)? What does progression through the program look like? What are some additional clinical and/or research opportunities available, and how can I participate? How diverse are the clients who come to the clinic? Feel free to share your specific interests and ask about opportunities they offer in those areas.

I'll also throw in that if possible, try to get a sense of the work-life balance or "culture" of the program. I really appreciate my program's emphasis on self-care and a work-life balance now, but it was something I didn't think about before. Ask as many students as possible how supported they feel. If you can't ask students, you can try to get the information from faculty by asking about the workload and what resources are available to students to healthily manage their work. Grad school is intense no matter where you go, but I feel supported by both my cohort and the faculty and it makes it feel so much more manageable! 

Enjoy your open house and congratulations on your acceptance!