Visiting school before application submit

[anthronerd498]

I'm visiting a school that I'm applying to in about a week and a half and I need some advice! The professor I'm meeting with told me that she was not planning on taking on any students for fall 2014 because she took one last year, but she is open to it. She was nice and encouraging about it and seemed like she wanted me to visit. Obviously, I need to make a great impression! So, what do I wear? Something business casual? What kind of questions would be good to ask? I know I need to come prepared with copies of my CV and an idea of what I want my MA thesis to be focused on, but is there anything else that I 100% need to have prepared? Help!

[Loric]

Dress shirt, no tie required, it's fall - snazzy dress sweater. Skirt/pants (no clue what your gender is.) You just need to look presentable - like the faculty, not a student.

 

When I did school visits for my first grad school attempt, it was expressly for the sort of reason you're going. The whole realm of what I did functioned on people being vetted and "ask to apply" before putting in any formal paperwork since the professors essentially chose their students.

 

I brought a folder with me - resume, print out of scores, print out of transcript, etc.. I was a design major so I had a portfolio I lugged around as well. But the folder was all the info they needed to "judge" me on the fly. One said my GRE score was low.. i think he was full of it as it never came up at any other school and they all saw it too. I know my GPA was low, so.. maybe he meant that? Whatever, no big deal - he still admitted me.

 

But a folder - maybe get yourself a snazzy leatherbound folio for taking notes, holding that folder, etc..

 

A lot of times when it's this sort of process and not the "apply at random, be accepted/denied at random" (that all other programs seem to do) they're looking for faculty. Someone who is going to teach a class as a graduate assistant. They vet you in that manner - and if they want you in their faculty lounge. I don't know anyone who got into graduate level design school without going through a dinner/drinks thing with the department at the end of their "meeting" day (starts at like 11am, you end up being passed off to various people, bought to get the head nod approval, shown this or that..) and around 4pm it's off to Tias Tex Mex for drinks and apps with all their faculty friends who will later chime in with if they like you or not.

 

This may not happen, i'm just telling you so you're not surprised. PLAN NOTHING ELSE THAT DAY.

[anthronerd498]

I'm a girl, so I guess I'll wear a nice dress. I only have a meeting scheduled with the professor I'm hoping will be my advisor if I am admitted, so should I email any of the other faculty to ask about meeting with them as well? I might just email one of the staff about a tour of the department and labs. Thank you for the helpful advice!

[Loric]

They probably have something planned along those lines - they know you'll want to see the facilities, etc.. Not the whole school, but the department. You can always ask, but I found it ended up being a guided tour even if I had asked for one or not.

[juilletmercredi]

Business casual is fine.

 

I would also come having read some articles she's written recently, and be prepared to link your interests to her recent work.  Also read a little recent work from other professors whose work overlaps with yours - you never know who you'll be scheduled to meet with at the last minute or who might stop you to talk in the hall.

 

I would also not assume that there is a formal guided tour if you are not going on an official visit day.  I went to visit a program after I was admitted, and I was visiting on my own, and there was no formal tour.  I did meet up with some graduate students who took me on an informal tour on their own, but it wasn't pre-planned.

 

Actually, I would ask the departmental secretary if they can refer you to some graduate students who work with your adviser (or look them on the web-page) and see if you can catch lunch with them.  At my department, the grad students who took me to lunch were given departmental funding to do so.

 

I would also take some personal time to tool around the campus and the city a little bit.  See if you can imagine yourself as a student there.  When I visited, I got a guest pass to walk around the main campus library; I also visited the health sciences library and looked through some of the computer labs and study spaces.  I sat in on two different classes.  I also ventured out into the city and hung out with some of the grad students at an after-classes mixer/lounge party.  I really could envision myself as a student here, and that's the reason I ended up coming.

[anthronerd498]

That's a great idea to meet with her graduate students. I have emailed a couple and one has already responded! I hadn't thought about visiting the libraries on campus or the town, but that is great advice. I think I'll also ask about sitting in on a class. Thank you all!