Good idea to go travelling while waiting on applications?

[ahlacruz]

Since I am recently unemployed and will hopefully be starting a graduate program in the fall I'm thinking about taking some time to travel right now until summer. But I wonder if I will miss any important orientation or welcome weekends or for that matter if there will be any unexpected interviews. I thought none of my schools did interviews but read in another forum that NYU did in-person interviews last year. Any thoughts on if it is a good idea to go away for a couple of months. I'll still have access to email and a phone so I'm thinking it would work out.

[Katzenmusik]

I would advise against this. A lot happens in the spring--interviews, campus visits, first conversations with potential advisors, etc. You wouldn't want to skip that, especially if you're deciding between two places. Plus there is paperwork to fill out.

You might want to wait until the end of the spring semester, once everything is settled, to go traveling. Summer will be more of a down time, and you will travel with less stress and uncertainty.

[englishgrad11]

I would advise against this as well. I had an overseas trip planned for this Feb, and I had to cancel it just a week ago because I was invited for a campus visit and interview to a school that's pretty high on my list. After talking to my professors, they all advised me to postpone/cancel/curtail my trip so that I can be here for the school notifications and in case there will be more campus visits and interviews. We'd miss out on too much if we make a phone interview instead of one in person...

Hope that helps! Also, you might enjoy traveling more when your school plans are all set...

[communications13]

I was considering the same thing as I am basically in your same situation. I decided to wait until after April 15th, when all decisions are made and making sure I'm back before August for any last minute information or adjustments. This also will help me know how much money I need to travel to schools for interviews and other misc. expences and budget future travel better. My other fear with going in Feb/March was that my mind will be on acceptance letters and assistantships instead of enjoying my time traveling.

[ahlacruz]

It's certainly not the smartest idea, but I wonder if it is still possible to do. I might not be able to travel during summer. Basically I want to avoid being forced to buy an international flight to the U.S. after finding out that some welcome weekend is absolutely mandatory.

[grifter]

Do it. Just make sure all due diligence is taken care of before leaving (and maybe wait til after the 15th of April). I showed up to my MA program sight-unseen and never suffered a bit for it. Do it.

[lyonessrampant]

I love travelling too, but I would also advise against this or at least recommend you delay until April 15th, as others have suggested. A Ph.D. (if that's what you're applying for) is a good chunk of your life. If you end up totally hating the city/environment where a school is located, that could really impact your happiness and satisfaction for a long time. Further, and more importantly in my opinion, you miss out on the opportunity to go on campus visits where you can meet the professors and (some) of the cohort you'll be spending a lot of time with. Getting a feel for the department can be really important. People don't usually talk about things like potential schisms between two professors in your area, and if you potentially want to work with both of them and later find you can't due to the internal disivion, that could really affect your research. At campus visits you get a good feel for interpersonal dynamics, departmental attitude, and grad student opportunities. I wouldn't want to miss that.

[againstourfaces]

I say go travelling. Don't let applications stop you, so long as you have access to internet I don't see what the problem is. I took a trip to Cuba (where there is pretty much no access to internet) for a week in December because I had a nine day slot where no applications were due. It was wonderful. You need stress relief sometimes. Anxiously waiting by your computer and refreshing your inbox is no way to live. Do yourself the favour...