Questions to Ask after Admission

[BobBobBob]

4 minutes ago, megabee said:

Thank you for your advice. Related follow up question: Is it expected to name drop other programs ("alternative offers from X and Y") when declining an offer? My immediate instinct if I was writing that email would be to say 'another institution' rather than tell them explicitly which one.

From my experience, it's fine. It's something to be expected I think. As long as those are not rival departments (when I was applying I was told that some departments don't get along with each other so I should avoid mention either name to the other department) but I think this rarely happens.

[StrengthandHonor]

If you have the sort of really minor logistical questions (dress code or office norms, whether professors seem to be pro-technology or anti-technology, etc.), save those for graduate students (maybe your "host" when you go to the visit--or just observe. 

For talking with your POI, ask questions about their upcoming projects, future projects/grants they might be working on, how they tend to work with their TAs or RAs, etc. Try to feel out how collegial and collaborative the environment will be. It's also a good time to ask probing questions about hiring plans, etc. Ask specifically about placement records in your subfield, and ask about students your POI has advised, and where they are/what they're doing now. 

For talking with the DGS, ask about funding, summer funding, conference funding, and more funding. Ask about TA or RA policies. Ask about fellowship aid. 

For graduate students: Ask honest questions about living situations. Ask them whether they can live comfortably without taking on debt. Ask about the atmosphere of the department. Ask about fun things to do, places to grocery shop, public transportation or parking, good places to begin looking for apartments, etc. 

 

[spcgsw96]

31 minutes ago, StrengthandHonor said:

If you have the sort of really minor logistical questions (dress code or office norms, whether professors seem to be pro-technology or anti-technology, etc.), save those for graduate students (maybe your "host" when you go to the visit--or just observe. 

For talking with your POI, ask questions about their upcoming projects, future projects/grants they might be working on, how they tend to work with their TAs or RAs, etc. Try to feel out how collegial and collaborative the environment will be. It's also a good time to ask probing questions about hiring plans, etc. Ask specifically about placement records in your subfield, and ask about students your POI has advised, and where they are/what they're doing now. 

For talking with the DGS, ask about funding, summer funding, conference funding, and more funding. Ask about TA or RA policies. Ask about fellowship aid. 

For graduate students: Ask honest questions about living situations. Ask them whether they can live comfortably without taking on debt. Ask about the atmosphere of the department. Ask about fun things to do, places to grocery shop, public transportation or parking, good places to begin looking for apartments, etc. 

 

This is really helpful—thank you!

[SerenityNow!]

Is it appropriate to ask current students, if they came with a partner, how difficult it was for their partner to find a job? I've read on other PhD related websites that you should essentially never mention your personal life but at the same time I want to try and pick a school/location that doesn't totally suck for my partner and want to get some boots on the ground intel during my visits.

[StrengthandHonor]

48 minutes ago, SerenityNow! said:

Is it appropriate to ask current students, if they came with a partner, how difficult it was for their partner to find a job? I've read on other PhD related websites that you should essentially never mention your personal life but at the same time I want to try and pick a school/location that doesn't totally suck for my partner and want to get some boots on the ground intel during my visits.

People who say that you shouldn't mention your personal life, generally, are the same type of insufferable persons who say that you shouldn't be married in graduate school, or that having relationships will distract you from your research. 

It's true, people who have lives outside their work make less "useful" RAs, because they tend to have boundaries--they won't stay in the office until 10 PM every night working on their advisor's datasets. If I sound cynical, it's because I am. Professors typically have spouses, children, and take vacations--but a few (not all) professors want their students to live ascetic lifestyles dedicated to the professor's research. 

All that being said, talk to fellow graduate students about relationships, if your relationship is a big part of your life. My departmental culture, for instance, is very friendly towards spouses/SO's and those people are welcome (and regularly seen) around the office, at happy hours, and at department social events. My wife is happy, has good work, and is welcomed into my life at graduate school--and that makes me happier and my work better. 





 

[SerenityNow!]

Thank you, @StrengthandHonor for your thoughtful and encouraging response!

[poliscibi]

Thank you all for this information!