Graduate Recruitment Visits

[TeaOverCoffee]

So I've recently been accepted to attend two graduate school recruitment days: Ohio State and UGA (both in October). Will anyone else be attending these? 

[jhefflol]

No. I haven't had any advice for going to these so far so I've decided to use my resources to present at conferences instead. You'll have to let us know how it goes though!

[TakeruK]

I'm curious -- since you say you've been "accepted to attend", I am assuming this implies a competitive process to get a spot in the recruitment visit. Does this mean that your expenses will be fully (or at least partially) reimbursed by the school?

 

My current school used to pay to for exceptional candidates to vist prior to applications, particularly from under-represented student groups, to encourage these students to apply to the school. These students also have their application fees waived. This program has stopped, unfortunately, but I wonder if other schools are still doing it!

[TeaOverCoffee]

Well, I called them and asked how many students are accepted, and they said that only a hundred are accepted each time. They do cover your travel expenses to attend (free hotel and meals, as well) but only $250 worth. The plane ticket itself is $380 for roundtrip, so you do end up paying out of pocket if you don't belong to another program that covers your expenses. Luckily, I'm in the McNair Program, so they're going to cover the rest of the travel expenses for me to attend.

 

You probably are referring to something like the McNair Program. Many schools have discontinued the program because the students do not go to graduate school immediately after undergrad, which results in no funding for the university's program.

[TakeruK]

Interesting. My school had an independent program funded by the Graduate Studies office itself, separate from the McNair program. Because this program targeted especially students from non-traditional backgrounds, such as students from families with less money to afford these kinds of trips, the program paid all expenses fully. However, perhaps the reason the program ended here was the same as the McNair--maybe the programs were not as effective as they had hoped and they decided to invest that money elsewhere (or the funding source ended).