My potential advisor has too many advisees already.

[Tanatsu]

I was recently accepted to my top choice program in humanities, and if I choose to go to this program, then I will be able to work with a professor who is well-established in their field.

But I have one concern. They have about 7 doctoral students already: two 1st-years, two 2nd-years, and one 3rd-year, one 6th-year, one 7th-year.
My concern is not just about the fact that they currently have 7 students, but more about the fact that he has about 5 less-advanced(not sure if this is correct wording) students. So by the time I am in my 3rd year preparing for the qualifying exam, then there will be 5 students ahead of me and may be even more new students.

When I asked current students about the prof, the students seemed they're really enjoying working with the prof but also commented that the prof is quite busy. 

I wonder if working with a prof with many advisees would mean getting less attention and having to work hard just to get attention... 

Any comments would be very much appreciated!!

Edited February 15, 2020 by Tanatsu
Edit: my field is in humanities.

[GeorgiaTechPhd]

I think the answer depends on your personal preference as well.

For e.g., the one usual distinction is hands-off, hands-on. Most busy people tend to be hands-off rather than hands-on, and if you prefer a more hands-on working style, you might not like it. 

Simply being busy doesn't tell you too much and you might wanna know more about the advising style, and other expectations from the current grad student. 

A positive way to look at it can also be that you get to learn from all the senior PhD students around you. Many labs have this environment where senior students work more closely with the juniors, (sort of like their mentors) as the professors tend to be more busy.