Not being able to attend recruitment weekends

[Tanatsu]

I've been admitted to three great programs that have invited me to visit their campus, fully covering airfare and lodging. I am currently working in a company and my department has several big projects going on until the end of March, and it seems impossible to take vacation days in March.

The three programs have different pros and cons. While I have one program that I am slightly leaning towards, the two other programs are also excellent and have their strengths. So I feel that it is very important that I actually visit and talk to professors and students.

I would like to ask those who went to recruitment weekends as well as those who didn't make it.

For those who went: What did you earn from visiting the weekends? Did your decision change after visiting schools?

For those who didn't go: Do you regret about it? If you didn't visit schools in person, how did you come to a decision eventually?

 

[GeorgiaTechPhd]

Hi, 

I am an international student, and I was also admitted to multiple programs. The dates wouldn't have allowed me to attend all of them, so I just chose to visit my top school. Reflecting on that decision, I feel that I should have visited all the schools, to really make an informed decision. 
So if you have that option, I feel you should do that as well. 

If you don't have that option, there are a couple of other things you can try -
- Reach out to the schools, explain your situation and ask if it is possible for you to visit at an alternate time (may be during the first week of April?). I know many people who have taken that path, and the schools have been more than happy to oblige by setting up a custom visit weekend for them (ultimately, they do want you to come)

- The other option is to do all the legwork by yourself -- reach out to your PI or the program coordinator, ask them to connect you with current students, students from your lab, may be some other faculty member if you want to talk to them? Basically try to connect to as many people as possible, to find out whatever matters to you and helps you make the decision.