The Campus Visit: Advice Requested

[Academicat]

This weekend, I found out that I've been accepted to two programs, and they are both have different strengths. One program is among the top on my list. The other, a much smaller program, is interesting to me for very different reasons - the program is much more intimate, there would be more one-on-one mentorship, and the school houses a journal in my field that I would love to work with.

 

I've been invited to visit both schools, expenses paid, and the first visit is at the end of the month. I am strongly leaning toward my top choice school, but the other looks appealing, too, and I'm curious about it. I would say I'm about 70% in favor of the larger program and 30% on the smaller. I've spent the weekend pouring over both websites and talking to people about their experiences in/the reputations of both programs.

 

How do you decide whether to accept the invitation to visit? Are they really used as opportunities to get to know the program better to make a more informed decision? I feel some amount of guilt, perhaps unjustified, at the possibility of expending the department's resources and taking up someone else's opportunity to visit a school that I'm not (yet, at least) head over heels about.

 

Thoughts?

[sanfram]

Don't feel bad about it. You deserve to make as informed a decision as possible. It's a huge life decision, ya know? Be sure. 

 

From another perspective, they'd probably feel good to know they're getting an opportunity to show you what they got before your mind is made up. Anyway, 30% is significant. If you're able to go, I say go.

 

Congrats! 

[ghijklmn]

Do it. The visit can make all the difference. For instance, the school I was most excited to get into for reasons of fit, location, and general awesomeness just didn't give me the right feeling when I visited. Ended up liking another school more that I hadn't really considered strongly.

[peachypie]

I'd go.  A visit can make you see a school in a completely different light than you imagined based off of its website and talking to people.  It'll either push you further in the favored direction or make the other school a bigger chance.  Either way I'd take the opportunity to visit especially if you have a 30% chance of interest.  give yourself the opportunity to be won over, but you'll never know if you don't go.

[Katia_chan]

Agree with everyone else.  I've heard numerous stories of a visit making all the difference--either they got their choice confirmed, or they just didn't have a good feeling about their top choice after visiting it.

 

And it's not like you're taking someone's spot.  They want *you*. There's a slight chance that a waitlister might get to go if you don't, but that tiny chance is no reason to rush your decision.  The department sets aside money to do this--so take advantage of it.  Be as informed as possible.  And at the very least, it's a chance to network like crazy.

[Academicat]

Thanks, everyone. Your advice has been really helpful. I'm going to visit them both.

[Graditude]

Visit both, but make ambiguous comments like, "Hmm, I notice your vending machines don't carry Diet Tab." Then gaze out the window as if thinking of the other university. Maybe they'll sweeten the deal!

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Bumping to say:

I hope Proflorax rings in. I remember Proflorax sharing their eye-opening experience when visiting Maryland. 

If memory serves me correct, Maryland wasn't the frontrunner but after visiting "it just felt right".

I'd suggest reaching out to the fuzzy seussian.

[ProfLorax]

BowTiesAreCool, I love that you remember! Yes, that is absolutely the case; I had figured I would choose one of the bigger rhet/comp programs, but the Maryland visit did indeed sweep me away, and I'm really happy I came out. History was made!

 

Academicat: I learned a lot about various rhet/comp programs through the application and decision-making process last year, so I would be happy to talk to you via PM, Skype, or email about your specific program options and your priorities. And remember, it's early yet-- you very well may have more than two programs to visit by March! 

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

BowTiesAreCool, I love that you remember! Yes, that is absolutely the case; I had figured I would choose one of the bigger rhet/comp programs, but the Maryland visit did indeed sweep me away, and I'm really happy I came out. History was made!

 

Academicat: I learned a lot about various rhet/comp programs through the application and decision-making process last year, so I would be happy to talk to you via PM, Skype, or email about your specific program options and your priorities. And remember, it's early yet-- you very well may have more than two programs to visit by March! 

:-D

Of course I remember! I have a confession to make: I like people - all people. 

This admiration for people manifests in a completely involuntary collecting of information.

I'm not great with names. Yet, if someone mentions their favorite artist or tv show, or they tell a story about their mother and a farm animal... I have no choice but to remember it and fill out some sort of schema.

*Sigh* such is life.

 

[NowMoreSerious]

Go to as many visits as you can afford.  Last year I visited 6 schools all across the country, and even though it was exhausting, I am glad I did it.  Not only did it clarify my decision, but it allowed me to network and meet professors and fellow graduate students from all over the country.  Actually that might have been the most valuable aspect. 

[Katia_chan]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I've also got a campus visit coming up at the end of the month, er...oh good God it's next weekend.

 

Anyway,  I've never done this before.  So any general advice on campus visits would be really great...

 

And, as a secondary and more obscure note, I don't know if anyone on here has a disability, but if so, would be curious how you navigated the visiting process.  I'm blind, and in theory the school knows that (it was mentioned in my sop--yeah I kinda hate myself), but that's adding to the anxiety of wandering onto a totally new campus with complete strangers.  I'm going to make arrangements with the department, but advice would be good to.

 

But the actual general stuff, like things to ask or what specific things to look at, or things not to do, would be really great.  I still have this quietly screaming fear that I'll make an idiot of myself and they'll just be all "oh... we admitted you by mistake. Go scoot back on up to Minnesota like a good crazy person."

[Graditude]

This may sound evil, but I would pretend to trip a lot and make them terrified of lawsuits -- especially around exam time.

 

In all seriousness, though, any university in the US will have an outreach program for visitors who could use a hand in navigating an unknown campus. Shouldn't be an issue at all.

[Kamisha]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I've also got a campus visit coming up at the end of the month, er...oh good God it's next weekend.

 

Anyway,  I've never done this before.  So any general advice on campus visits would be really great...

 

And, as a secondary and more obscure note, I don't know if anyone on here has a disability, but if so, would be curious how you navigated the visiting process.  I'm blind, and in theory the school knows that (it was mentioned in my sop--yeah I kinda hate myself), but that's adding to the anxiety of wandering onto a totally new campus with complete strangers.  I'm going to make arrangements with the department, but advice would be good to.

 

But the actual general stuff, like things to ask or what specific things to look at, or things not to do, would be really great.  I still have this quietly screaming fear that I'll make an idiot of myself and they'll just be all "oh... we admitted you by mistake. Go scoot back on up to Minnesota like a good crazy person."

 

I just did a practice interview with my undergrad mentor (bless him for putting up with me for so long). Here are the questions he told me to be ready to answer:

 

1. Why this school? What is it about the university and the program, in particular, that drew you to us?

2. What are your professional and academic goals and expectations following the completion of your PhD?

3. What is your philosophy of education? More specifically, what is your philosophy of education in relationship to teaching composition?

4. If allowed to teach additional classes (i.e. creative writing, literature, or film), what would be your approach? 

5. How do you plan to balance your schoolwork and teaching requirements?

 

He advised me that these questions typically appear, in some form or another, on any sort of admissions interview/program preview. On “visits” they are usually worked into conversation subtly and asked by different faculty members so you don’t really pick up on the fact that you’re being interviewed.

 

I thought the advice was helpful, so I thought I would pass it along.

 

Best of luck on your campus visits! 

 

EDIT: Whoops! I forgot one of the questions. See updated #4. 

Edited February 11, 2014 by Kamisha

[Katia_chan]

This may sound evil, but I would pretend to trip a lot and make them terrified of lawsuits -- especially around exam time.

 

In all seriousness, though, any university in the US will have an outreach program for visitors who could use a hand in navigating an unknown campus. Shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

My go-to "make them uncomfortable" is to ask to feel their faces.

 

I'm kidding--I have never done that and just the thought of doing it makes me die inside, but it's a lovely thought when someone is being too "sensitive" and politically correct.  It gives me secret joy to make overly-cautious people awkward.

 

During my MA exams I did debate pretending to fall down the stairs.  Then the closer it got...the more I debated really falling down the stairs.  That was certainly the darkest timeline....

[ComeBackZinc]

70%-30% sounds super fair to me. If it was 99%-1%, I'd say don't go. But you're totally justified in doing this.

[Academicat]

My go-to "make them uncomfortable" is to ask to feel their faces.

 

I'm kidding--I have never done that and just the thought of doing it makes me die inside, but it's a lovely thought when someone is being too "sensitive" and politically correct.  It gives me secret joy to make overly-cautious people awkward.

 

During my MA exams I did debate pretending to fall down the stairs.  Then the closer it got...the more I debated really falling down the stairs.  That was certainly the darkest timeline....

 

Love the community reference. You are hilarious.

[school_of_caliban]

Assign a friend's number to School Y and have them text you halfway through the visit to School X. Then you look down at your phone and say, "Aww, School Y just sent me the sweetest text!" and show them the text, which will include emoji of teddy bears, kisses, and hearts.

 

That'll definintely make them try harder.

[ProfLorax]

 That was certainly the darkest timeline....

I think I love you. 

[Katia_chan]

I want to up-vote all the Community love, but I can't.  It's making me stupidly excited though.  You guys are automatically the coolest!