Pre-application visits

[Kitkat]

I doubt that I can visit all the schools that I want to apply to, but I want to get as many in as I can possibly afford to. Part of the reason I want to do this is so that I can get a feel for what the climate is like, get a feel for the environtment of the school as a whole, take a look at the school, and the department. It will cost money up front, but at the same time will save me the time and stress of applying to schools that in the end I might not want to apply to in the first place. I am wondering what the best way to set this up is. Some of the schools are very nice and I have started setting up visits to them and to meeting faculty, but I guess what I am looking for here is, is there any advice to go about this and what to do when I get there, and any ways to maximize these trips.

[Safferz]

I doubt that I can visit all the schools that I want to apply to, but I want to get as many in as I can possibly afford to. Part of the reason I want to do this is so that I can get a feel for what the climate is like, get a feel for the environtment of the school as a whole, take a look at the school, and the department. It will cost money up front, but at the same time will save me the time and stress of applying to schools that in the end I might not want to apply to in the first place. I am wondering what the best way to set this up is. Some of the schools are very nice and I have started setting up visits to them and to meeting faculty, but I guess what I am looking for here is, is there any advice to go about this and what to do when I get there, and any ways to maximize these trips.

Are these schools nearby? Unless these schools are in your area, it will cost you a lot more to visit than paying the application fee.

Just apply to the schools that appear to be the best fit after doing your research and perhaps communicating with professors via email. It doesn't make much sense to visit a school unless you've been admitted and actually have a choice to make. Many schools even cover the costs for admitted students to visit the campus.

[jaxzwolf]

I doubt that I can visit all the schools that I want to apply to, but I want to get as many in as I can possibly afford to. Part of the reason I want to do this is so that I can get a feel for what the climate is like, get a feel for the environtment of the school as a whole, take a look at the school, and the department. It will cost money up front, but at the same time will save me the time and stress of applying to schools that in the end I might not want to apply to in the first place. I am wondering what the best way to set this up is. Some of the schools are very nice and I have started setting up visits to them and to meeting faculty, but I guess what I am looking for here is, is there any advice to go about this and what to do when I get there, and any ways to maximize these trips.

I made campus visits before applying and I found them to be very beneficial. I am nearly 100% certain that I would not have been accepted to the program I'll be attending in the fall were it not for visiting, so it can make a difference.

Other posters will tell you that it's not worth visiting before applying as, typically, if you're a top-choice candidate then you'll be invited to visit campus, expenses paid, after having been admitted. This is true, and is something to keep in mind. You can choose schools to which to apply based on websites, current research, and interaction with prospective advisers via email and phone. Then, after you're admitted you'll have the opportunity to visit the various programs and your travel costs will likely be reimbursed.

That being said, I did find my pre-application visits beneficial. First, if you visit after having been admitted, you'll likely be invited for some sort of recruitment weekend, where the department is geared up to wow you into choosing their school. Grad students and profs will be on their best behavior, and you'll be wined and dined. They'll want to show you the best aspects of the program. If you visit before applying, you'll have a better opportunity to see what the department/students/faculty are liked on a day to day basis, and in most cases that will be far more telling. You'll get a better feel for what it will really be like to be a grad student at the program.

Second, there might be increased opportunity for personalized attention if you visit before applying. If you wait to visit until after having been accepted (e.g. you attend a recruitment weekend) you'll likely often be in groups of other admits, and may have fewer opportunities for speaking with professors and students individually.

Lastly, if you're looking into programs where students are admitted directly into specific professor's labs, then visiting before applying may ensure your application is looked over when the time comes for review. Even if you're not looking to work with a specific professor, and are instead applying to programs where students do rotations or do not choose their advisers until the end of the first year, if you visit before applying and make a good impression, then your application will be much more likely to be pulled out in committee and looked over.

I visited schools that were all in the same region of the country, to minimize travel costs. I made the shortest flights possible between schools, and used buses when I could. I spoke with some POIs and grad students directly to set up meetings. At other schools, I contacted the department grad secretaries, who were able to facilitate arrangements of meetings, tours, etc. I spent an average of two days at each school, which seemed to be a decent amount of time. I was able to meet with prospective advisers and their grad students, tour the campus, check out the department, and get a bit of a feel for the city. There were certainly places I would have liked to spend more time, but on the whole the trips went extremely quickly. Keep in mind that, even if you are meeting with faculty, etc. these meetings will likely not last longer than an hour on average.

My best advice would be to make sure you spend some time off campus and in the city, and to make sure you meet with grad students individually. The latter, in particular, will get you the best information about what it's really like to be a student in the department.

[Melchior]

I'm doing some pre-application visits in the coming weeks. I've made appointments to meet with a professor at a few of the schools I'm interested in who I share research interests with... Just wondering if anyone has any experience meeting with profs before applying and, if so, if you have any insight as to the kinds of questions to expect. I'll be sure to have a handful of questions ready for them, too.

[Business2Biology]

Brilliant and appreciated advice,jaxzwolf!

[Kitkat]

As an update to this topic I am looking forward to going to and visiting one of the schools that I am looking to apply to this fall. It just so happens that I am going to be in the state anyway to visit family and friends who are there, so it's not going to cost me much, since family paid my way down there, and I will be staying with them. So hopefully, I will like what I see, and it will help me connect with the faculty down there.

Btw, jaxzwolf, thank you for the great advice before.

Edited August 14, 2011 by Kitkat

[eesj]

I'm doing some pre-application visits in the coming weeks. I've made appointments to meet with a professor at a few of the schools I'm interested in who I share research interests with... Just wondering if anyone has any experience meeting with profs before applying and, if so, if you have any insight as to the kinds of questions to expect. I'll be sure to have a handful of questions ready for them, too.

I met with two professors and gave a presentation on my past research and work experience. They did not ask me prior to present anything, but I just had it prepared and offered to present it when I go there. I wanted to show them pictures and results rather than just my resume. Both professors agreed to work with me if I was admitted, and one is also writing a letter of recommendation to support my application.

Both professors will ask typical questions about what you are interested in, and talk about their group's work. They also asked me my thoughts on some topics they were researching.

[butterfingers2010]

Do the programs you are interested in offer an open house/info session? I have been attending those for the programs I am interested in, and they have been extremely helpful. If your programs don't offer this, maybe you should just e-mail or call them and say that you want to request a visit. I agree with you that it is crucial in helping you decide whether or not to apply. I visited a school last spring that I thought I was interested in, but they left me with a horrible impression and I am very happy that I am applying to other schools instead! If you visit, make sure you pay close attention to the demeanor of the faculty and current students (if they're present). Do they seem happy and engaged in what they're doing? What kind of vibes do you get...do they seem friendly and warm? Are they elitist or do they seem more down to Earth and laid-back? This will help you determine if the program is a good fit for you. It is also helpful to tour your potential department and see what kind of facilities they have, especially if your program is going to be more "hands on." For example, I am going to school for counseling and I have been more impressed by the schools that offer on-site counseling labs/centers.

If you live far away, though, it might not be worth it to visit before applying. It would be cheaper for you to just apply and then decide if you want to go or not. Many programs will give admitted students the opportunity to visit so you can always decide then.

[juilletmercredi]

I personally would only (and did only) visit local schools pre-application. A flight and hotel accommodations cost far more money than an application fee. Then I'd narrow it down to a top 3-5 and visit those places after I was admitted. To me, there's no sense falling in love with a school only to not get admitted, and visiting beforehand does not ensure that you will get admitted especially in fields in which it is not customary to visit before getting invited (like mine).

Also, all of jaxzwolf's counterpoints assume that you would be visiting on a non-recruitment day/weekend before you are admitted and a recruitment weekend after you are admitted. However, you can always visit on a non-recruitment weekend day after you've been admitted, which is what I did. It was a normal day, I got a lot of personalized attention from the people who would be my advisors, and I got to walk around the campuses myself and get a feel for what it would be like to be a student there. It was very nice.

However, I also visited a local school before I was admitted. It was an open-house day, and I didn't even get to meet a faculty member - it wasn't built into the schedule. It was mostly current students talking about how awesome the school was and how they all got internships and we should definitely come. I will say that open houses tend to be informative, but I would recommend visiting any school you visit pre-application on a regular day or only going to the open house in the morning and in the evening breaking off for your own activities.