Post-admissions: What to talk about with Profs when they call?

[kmp34]

Has anyone talked with profs at schools you were admitted to yet?

Several professors have emailed to set up a time to chat - and I was wondering how these chats generally go...?

I don't have any specific questions about the schools yet, as most of the programs I got into seem relatively similar. And the profs who call are usually not experts in my region, but are the subfield chair so I don't think I really need to get into detailed talks about my research interests... I don't want to seem uninterested in the program by not asking questions though.

Any past experiences to share or suggestions?

[Mearsheimer's Minion]

Department philosophy, requirements, and the city you are about to move to. Everyone can answer those, regardless of concentration.

[kmp34]

Department philosophy, requirements, and the city you are about to move to. Everyone can answer those, regardless of concentration.

hmm... can you elaborate on the dept philosophy part? I'm assuming it might be kind of odd/vague if you ask "what is your dept's philosophy?"

[poli90]

I'm planning on asking about the advanced graduate students they are currently working with, the sort of research they are doing (both the prof and their grad students), and how their students have done on the job market. I'm more interested in how they answer these questions (do they know who their students are? do they seem involved?) than the content, although that is definitely important too. I'm asking about what courses they are planning on teaching, which also gives an opprotunity to talk about more substantive research related things. I'm asking about opportunities to RA, especially to get out of TAing. I'm asking about their attitude towards publishing while in grad school, if any of their students have published or presented anything recently, etc. I'm really trying to get an idea of the general feel and approach of the department. I'd love to hear some of the questions other people have.

[tomorrows verse]

I've been getting calls and emails from several profs from one school so far, and I'm confused as to what questions I should ask as well. I was very thrown off by one phone call (the school is in the same area code as my hometown, so I answered it thinking it could be anyone--was a bit thrown off that it was a professor and I was on my way to work), so I hope I didn't sound uninterested. I was just thinking about asking what types of projects they are working on now and what current dissertators are doing, as well as TA vs RA positions (availability of each). I want to ask about recent placements, but I'm not sure if that is a question for a prof in my subfield or more of a question for the dept. chair or DGS--what do you folks think?

[nervouscomparativist]

Excellent thread. I was also not sure what to ask when I got some emails offering phone calls etc. I´ve gotten around that now, but still unsure about what to ask professors during visit weekends... Well, I guess I´ll just be spontaneous ;-)

[kmp34]

I'm planning on asking about the advanced graduate students they are currently working with, the sort of research they are doing (both the prof and their grad students), and how their students have done on the job market. I'm more interested in how they answer these questions (do they know who their students are? do they seem involved?) than the content, although that is definitely important too. I'm asking about what courses they are planning on teaching, which also gives an opprotunity to talk about more substantive research related things. I'm asking about opportunities to RA, especially to get out of TAing. I'm asking about their attitude towards publishing while in grad school, if any of their students have published or presented anything recently, etc. I'm really trying to get an idea of the general feel and approach of the department. I'd love to hear some of the questions other people have.

Great list - thanks!

Any others?

[ipsqq]

Oh no, please do not be spontaneous. Most professors are incredibly busy and you are lucky to have time with them. Not preparing for a meeting, just like anything else in life, risks making you look stupid and thinking of questions later on you wished you had asked. Make a list of questions and go through it, writing down their answers. You will be glad you did later on - especially if you do this at multiple schools and can compare.

So far, Foucault's potential questions are the best. I would only add to that, the best way to make a positive impression on someone is to ask them questions about themselves and their work. Do not talk about yourself or you risk sounding like a bore and pretentious - whatever you have accomplished, they have done way more than you. Whoever you are meeting with, even if outside your research interests at this time, do a little research (i.e. read their most recent publication) so you can have an intelligent discussion with them. Otherwise, you are wasting everyone's time.

[expatbayern]

Oh no, please do not be spontaneous. Most professors are incredibly busy and you are lucky to have time with them. Not preparing for a meeting, just like anything else in life, risks making you look stupid and thinking of questions later on you wished you had asked. Make a list of questions and go through it, writing down their answers. You will be glad you did later on - especially if you do this at multiple schools and can compare.

So far, Foucault's potential questions are the best. I would only add to that, the best way to make a positive impression on someone is to ask them questions about themselves and their work. Do not talk about yourself or you risk sounding like a bore and pretentious - whatever you have accomplished, they have done way more than you. Whoever you are meeting with, even if outside your research interests at this time, do a little research (i.e. read their most recent publication) so you can have an intelligent discussion with them. Otherwise, you are wasting everyone's time.

This is a little harsh. You've already been admitted, which means they're trying to make a positive impression on you. You should feel free to ask specific, hard questions. Ask potential advisors about the placement record for their students, not just the department as a whole. Say "I really want to study X; is this a feasible thing to do here?" Tell them what other programs you're considering and ask them to make comparisons (yes, they may awkwardly bash all others--but if so, this is valuable information, both about them, and about what the potential weak spots of other departments are--then you can ask professors there hard questions about those). Say "I'm concerned about the level of training in stats/formal/fieldwork/experiments/etc.; have you had students successfully take courses in the stats/econ/anthro/psych/etc. department? How have they successfully incorporated those methodologies into their work?"

The process of visits/calls/emails is all about finding the best fit for you. Not talking about yourself is a surefire way to avoid learning anything helpful for that decision.

[ipsqq]

I fully agree on the hard, specific questions, exactly as Foucault had pointed out earlier. What I do not agree on is being "spontaneous." Yes, they are trying to impress you right now, but if you come off as self-important, you will not have made a positive first impression, and this will hurt you in the long run. Ideally, these are your future committee members, co-authors and colleagues. You want to come out of the box running, which means having a short elevator speech about your interests, and a lot more questions about their work, interests and the department. Most people need to give this some forethought and have something written down.

[IRmiester666]

edit: wrong thread.

Edited February 23, 2010 by IRmiester666