What would you look into on a visit?

[MathCat]

What would you look into or ask about on a visit? This can be about the program or about the city. I'm going on a couple of visits soon, and both are in cities I have never been to. I will have a bit of time to look around outside of the planned visit, with at least an evening or two free in one city, and a full day or more in the other.

 

 

[jujubea]

These are some things I learned from my visits that were extraordinarily helpful:

 

• Look into the lives of the current cohort. Hang out with them if you can and see if you'd actually enjoy working and studying with them for 5-7 years. I didn't get to do this at one school and I really regret it.
• See what kind of study and work space they are given. Is it controlled access? Are you given a workstation (computer) or do you bring your own?
• Find out what their work-life balance is like; what they do and don't like about the program.
• Sit in on a class or two if you can. What is the atmosphere like? Serious? Fun? Casual? Professional? How do you fit in?
• What is cost of living and how are students getting by? Do most students commute, bike, walk, what? Why?
• Are classes all over the place or right next to each other?
• Any issues with getting into the classes they need? Accessing the people they need to?
• What are their relationships like with their supervisors?

• What is the building like that everyone is in every day? Are there windows? Does that matter to you? Is it loud or quiet? Hard to get to? Smelly? Flare up your allergies?

• Talk to as many professors as you can, including non POI's. What are they like? Are they happy are they disgruntled? What about? Do they have research constraints? (Meaning, are they able and allowed to study/research what they'd like to?)
• How many students do they advise each semester? What are their course-loads like?
• Are research assistantships ever available in addition to TA-ships? (Or vice versa?).
• What do people do during the summer? Both faculty, staff, and students? Is there funding available? Research opportunities? Are you expected to be working? On what? Where? How?
• What are library hours? What unique resources are there? How far is it from your department's building? Do you care? 
• Do the professors have any recommendations for what area to live in? And why?

 

• What is transportation like, as relevant to your situation, whether that's public, biking, walking, or private vehicle. Parking. Safety if on foot or biking. Bus routes and times.
• What are food options like near campus? How about grocery stores in the area? Do you need a Trader Joe's or Natural Grocers nearby? How about a farmer's market? 
• And food facilities in the department - is there somewhere you can keep your lunch that needs to be refrigerated? Microwave available for everyone's use?

Extracurricular

Do they have the kind of yoga/rock climbing/martial arts/book club/game club/other hobby or interest groups at the school or in the area?

What is the environment like? Weather? Terrain? 

Do you have access to the types of places you like to go, whether that's clubs, bookstores, cafes, music venues, sports venues, good bakeries or restaurants? 

Walk around the campus neighborhood, then walk around a neighborhood you might live in. How do you like the feel of each place? What's around? What are the local people like?

 

 

....if you're bringing family, I can give you a whole other list of things to ask and explore

[jujubea]

P.s. - How exciting for you to be visiting places soon! Good luck! 

[Chubberubber]

jujubea, could you please elaborate on bringing family?

[MathCat]

Thank you so much jujubea, those are great things to think about and many of them had not occurred to me. I don't have a family to consider.

[jujubea]

jujubea, could you please elaborate on bringing family?

 

• Ask people about whether other students or faculty have children, then whether they're remotely similar ages as yours (this tells you who to pry for better info).
• Find those people, and ask where their kids go to school and why.
• Ask where they live and why in terms of benefits for the kids (playgrounds, parks, other kids in the neighborhood, safety, community activities).
• Ask how the school system works - is it open district or closed? Is it hard to get into better public schools and why? 
• How are the public schools? Private? Charter? 
• Is there any understanding or flexibility in terms of child emergencies, picking kids up from school in the middle of the day to take them home or do other things. Don't ask this question directly of faculty because they may interpret it as you not being committed to the program. Figure it out. Talk to select existing grad students with kids.
• Depending on the age of your children, ask about childcare facilities on or near campus, their costs, resources, quality, etc.
• Depending on your housing intentions (rent a house, rent apartment/condo, buy a house, buy apartment/condo), ask how hard it is to find places with the right amount of bedrooms.
• Ask if people ever bring their kids to department events/parties/celebrations, or if that's frowned upon or welcomed.

[Chubberubber]

Thank you, I'll make sure to do that! 

Those are all very valuable tips! Though, in light of what was said in another thread here, I think I'll wait with the heavy family questions untill after I'm accepted (if I'll be accepted)...

[amg1322]

wow! I am preparing to start visiting schools and this was extremely helpful. I will not be moving with children (just boyfriend and dog) but am curious about the area for them to feel at home as well. I am just beginning my grad school process (have not applied yet) but will be visiting next month for the first time and am trying to find out as much info as possible. I have set up appointments at both schools while I am visiting the city. Is it normal to ask if there is a current grad student they can set you up with to ask questions? how does one go about finding a poi? there are so many things to consider, its a bit overwhelming..

[Chubberubber]

wow! I am preparing to start visiting schools and this was extremely helpful. I will not be moving with children (just boyfriend and dog) but am curious about the area for them to feel at home as well. I am just beginning my grad school process (have not applied yet) but will be visiting next month for the first time and am trying to find out as much info as possible. I have set up appointments at both schools while I am visiting the city. Is it normal to ask if there is a current grad student they can set you up with to ask questions? how does one go about finding a poi? there are so many things to consider, its a bit overwhelming..

It's perfectly normal to ask to talk to grad students, but make sure to schedule your meeting(s) with them enough time in advance of your visit. 

Finding a POI is ususally done based on your research experience (which professor's work have you incorporated in your papers/ based your research on/ found interesting during your studies) and/ or by combing through departments faculty pages to see whose work you relate to the most. 

You might also want to look into where you coulf live with a dog as many on-campus housing options don't allow pets...

[amg1322]

It's perfectly normal to ask to talk to grad students, but make sure to schedule your meeting(s) with them enough time in advance of your visit. 

Finding a POI is ususally done based on your research experience (which professor's work have you incorporated in your papers/ based your research on/ found interesting during your studies) and/ or by combing through departments faculty pages to see whose work you relate to the most. 

You might also want to look into where you coulf live with a dog as many on-campus housing options don't allow pets...

 

thank you for that information. I wasn't sure what the situation was regarding asking to speak with grad students. I already have my meetings scheduled with the departments I would like to visit so I will go ahead and send an email about speaking with a grad student and see if they can help me arrange something. I definitely need to start working on the POI situation though. It's not something I've had to do before so I'm a bit lost on the situation. And yes sadly I have realized on campus housing does not allow pets. The search for dog friendly apartments has begun!