Studying abroad during decision time

[Gerri]

Hi all,

I will be studying abroad (with a scholarship) in the United Arab Emirates in spring 2011. Thus, I will not be in the US to visit schools (not that I have the money to do that anyways), nor will I have full contact (e.g., a phone) with my potential departments. I will still have my email and my family will be scanning me my mail...

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do when I get offers? Who should I talk to? What should I look for? Has anyone been in a similar situation? Obviously, I've applied to universities that suit my interests but since I will be out of the country I assume it will be hard to narrow my choices. At this point I plan on having my faculty advisor help me narrow down my options once I get them.

Best,

G

[Strangefox]

Hi all,

I will be studying abroad (with a scholarship) in the United Arab Emirates in spring 2011. Thus, I will not be in the US to visit schools (not that I have the money to do that anyways), nor will I have full contact (e.g., a phone) with my potential departments. I will still have my email and my family will be scanning me my mail...

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do when I get offers? Who should I talk to? What should I look for? Has anyone been in a similar situation? Obviously, I've applied to universities that suit my interests but since I will be out of the country I assume it will be hard to narrow my choices. At this point I plan on having my faculty advisor help me narrow down my options once I get them.

Best,

G

I guess there are a lot of people in a similar situation (myself included) who won't be able to visit schools because we are international applicants. It's sad that I won't be able to visit my schools in order to make a decision but I am going to use all other possible sourses to get info about schools. First of all that includes talking to your prospective advisior and to grad students who are already in the program. There have been many threads on this forum discussing what are the right questions to ask. Obviously, they'll be the same as those you would ask if you came to se these people in person. I think that even if they do not ask me for phone interviews before acceprance (which I highly doubt) I will ask my potential advisiors to talk to me. Taking with a person can tell you more about them then just exchanging emails.

[kaykaykay]

I think you should wait with this worry until you have your offers: not that I want to be pessimistic- a lot of schools for instance are willing to pay international travel for you, esp. if you can connect several schools in a round trip they are willing to share costs. I am sure you will be able to read your email and that is enough to arrange a lot.

[kyjin]

Skype is extremely helpful. I'm currently abroad in Japan, but I was able to have a skype video interview with a potential advisor. Another schools's professor is in Tokyo this week, so I will be meeting up with him today! When it comes to decision time, see if you can arrange skype or email chats with current graduate students. We may not be able to visit potential campuses, but you can still talk to people! Good luck!