How honest are current students about their programs?

[juilletmercredi]

I was always positive but honest about my department and program. I shared difficulties, criticisms, and complaints while still remaining overall upbeat (mostly because I thought my program was a good one. Every program has weaknesses, of course, but my program was overall good, and I think worth attending). Student colleagues definitely dished dirt, and in my experience we're all pretty open and honest about our programs - even when they suck.

 

If a person asks me over email, I don't ignore them; I will answer politely and kind of neutrally and offer to have a Skype conversation with them if they like, in which I will be more...forthcoming. I also partially disagree with Sigaba; I think it's important to talk to students at all levels of the program. So don't only talk to first and second years - they don't know what it's like to be at the advanced stages of the degree and what support is like then - but, particularly if you are visiting in March and April, first and second years have enough experience to give you an idea of their personal experiences with the early stages of the program and what it's done for them so far.