Meeting People and Sitting in on a Class

[edost]

I'm visiting a school next week, on what you could call a "personalized admitted student event" (they don't have one general event for all admitted students). They have set up an itinerary for me, meeting the department head, graduate program chair, POI, other faculty members, and several graduate students. I'm also going to sit in on a class.

How should I prepare for these things? What should I ask different people, including the grad students? Do you think I am expected to say something in class or is it just supposed to show me how courses are there?

I know this is the stage where they're trying to impress me, but I also feel that I need to impress them as well. After all, I'm leaning toward accepting their offer, so these are probably the professors who will be teaching and supervising me in a few months.

[Cptgreen]

In the same boat I leave for the trip later this week and want to makea good impression.

[sareth]

How should I prepare for these things? What should I ask different people, including the grad students? Do you think I am expected to say something in class or is it just supposed to show me how courses are there?

From my undergrad experience, I know that professors and current students tended to find it more annoying than anything else when visitors spoke up in class (unless asked for an opinion/input). This is really their chance to impress you; don't worry too hard about impressing them, just don't do anything that would make a bad impression.

As far as questions to ask about the program (bearing in mind that I come from a very different discipline and this is a non-exhaustive list):

To grad students:

What factors made you choose this program?

If you had to make the decision again, would you still come here?

What are the best (and worst) features of this program?

How long does it typically take to graduate?

What's it like to live in TOWN/CITY?

Where do graduate students typically live?

If you're thinking about working with a specific professor I'd ask this type of question to both the professor him/herself and his/her grad students:

What is it like to work with Prof. X? (management style, expectations for productivity, etc.)

Does Prof. X fund his/her students from grants or TA?

Are his/her students happy with their choice? <- maybe don't ask the prof this one

How many publications do X's students typically have?

And a big one: if there's a prof you'd like to work with ASK if he/she will be accepting new students this cycle.

Good luck!

[cyberwulf]

I've said this before in other threads: It's hard to go wrong by asking "So, what are you currently working on?"

This question doesn't get asked nearly often enough by visitors; grad students and profs usually *love* to talk about their work.

[AnsuEmi]

I haven't actually gone on my visits yet, but at least one of the schools at which I'm attending a class is sending me the Professor's lecture materials. I don't really know if this means I'm expected to contribute during the class, or if they just want to help me follow along. I'm hoping it's the latter! I'm a little bit terrified I will make myself seem like an idiot. It definitely won't hurt to be prepared! Thanks for starting this thread!

[minderbinder22]

I've said this before in other threads: It's hard to go wrong by asking "So, what are you currently working on?"

This question doesn't get asked nearly often enough by visitors; grad students and profs usually *love* to talk about their work.

Genius!!! That's a perfect thing for me to always have as a backup. Don't know why I didn't think about that.