How is the dissertation process structured? ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. When visiting a college or university campus, you need to stay long enough to ask a lot of questions. My experiences have always been with visits where you're accepted first and there are no rotations, so some of what I'm about to say may not apply to interview visits or departments with rotation programs. How long do most students take to graduate? This means, a psychology professor, lab instructor or your research advisor. Ask how long it takes to graduate. What is it like to live in this area as a. When visiting a college or university campus, you need to stay long enough to ask a lot of questions. Graduate School Questions to Ask Graduate School Representatives 1. InquilineKea InquilineKea. share | improve this question | follow | asked Feb 22 '12 at 13:49. How is the access to faculty and graduate school administrative staff? Good, genuine, questions can impress admissions committees. by Terry Heick. Where are recent alumni employed? I'm in mathematics, though I don't know if the answers to this will be field-dependent. B-school representatives will be able to shine light on aspects of their campus or curriculum that are outstanding. However, I don't know what good questions are to ask professors themselves. Graduate School Admissions Interview: Dos and Don'ts, How to Get Recommendation Letters for Grad School. What do most students do after graduation? It's an opportunity to explore the campus, meet with professors and students, sit in on a class and get a feel for the school culture. Ask what the orientation program is like, and what happens in the weeks after that. Part of. If the degree isn't worth the expense, better to find out before you apply to graduate school than after you've put time, effort, and money into it. The adjustment might cause a drop in grades, when what you want to see is an improvement in grades. Ask about their opinion about how the working environment is - what is the working style of your adviser, what is the average time take for a PhD student to graduate from the lab, and where do most of them land up (as eternal postdocs, or tenure-track faculty positions) Does the award require anything of you upon completion of the degree? Important Questions to Ask Law School Staff, Alumni Asking these questions early can help prospective law students craft applications. Make notes of questions you have that are still unanswered, and then peruse the lists below for ideas of other information that can assist you in the selection process. Have questions ready for the tour, for talking with other students, faculty, and the admissions advisor. Are there active student groups that appeal to me? It’s important to remember this is a two-way interview. What opportunities exist for scholarly discussions among students and faculty in a multidisciplinary setting? If they prefer or require experience, what kind of experience are they looking for? Happy MLK weekend! That means that you should not rush through your visits, so you can really imagine yourself living and studying there! After visiting several business schools as a prospective student, they all start to sound … Homesickness can hit two or three weeks after arriving at a boarding school. Questions to Ask Your Tour Guide or Other Current Students Most college tour guides are big fans of their colleges and are enthusiastic to share why. Check out: How to Prepare to Meet Graduate School Representatives. Just as admissions advisors are trying to asses if you’ll thrive in their programs, you should be assessing whether this program will help you reach your educational and professional goals. (Be sure to refer to specific characteristics). Jan 1, 2017 - Visiting prospective graduate school campuses is a great way to find out what the school has to offer before you attend. January 20, 2011. Don’t worry about asking stupid questions or how you may look to the others in your tour. (e.g., teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships). by: Shawn P. O'Connor on January 20, 2011 | 2 Comments Comments 102,874 Views. There have been previous good questions that answer what to ask graduate students here and only somewhat relatedly here (about what to ask students of potential advisors). There is a lot of information to be considered. Some degrees are worth the money, but others are not. A good general rule is to avoid yes/no questions. While it can be tough if you’re not living nearby, few things are as informative as in-person experiences. Posted Dec 18, 2014 2. What master’s level research projects do you have in mind? You may be giving up a steady salary or taking out additional loans to cover the cost of living in addition to tuition. Going for a campus visit or preparing for an admissions interview with a graduate program? Posted Dec 18, 2014 Maybe not, but visiting graduate schools is a critical part of the decision-making process. For each question, we suggest numerous sub-questions to key in on. Notify the prospective departments that you would like to visit them and attend a class. How robust is the communication between the graduate school and students (e.g., newsletters, social media)? Many departments are clear on their stipend, but it takes a little digging to uncover the benefits. When it comes to preparing for a PA school interview, the focus is usually on how to answer questions asked of you. A school that offers lifetime career counseling, for instance, may be more attractive than one that requires you to pay a fee to access online job listings for alumni. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Questions to Ask During a Graduate Admissions Interview, Admissions Interview? Most schools offer you health insurance, dental care, and other services that are provided by the graduate school. All too often applicants forget that they too are conducting an interview. Education is an expensive product. I can’t stress enough the importance of visiting the schools and talking to the faculty and the current graduate students there. What are the standard eligibility requirements (e.g., citizenship, residency, field of study, career goals)? Before undertaking such a commitment, ask these questions to … ", How to Ace the Graduate School Admissions Interview, 9 Tips to Prepare for a Skype Graduate School Interview, What to Expect During a Grad School Interview, Applying to Graduate School: What You Need to Know, Common Topics for Graduate School Admissions Essays. To prepare for your school visit or tour (or a school expo), print this list of questions and sub-questions. graduate-school. Bookmark this page (or download it as a PDF) to make sure you ask the right questions that will help you decide if the program is right for you. There are many different kinds of questions you can ask in your PA school interview, which you might choose based on the person you are interacting with and whether it is a group or one-on-one setting. Try to visit for two or three days. Tips for Visiting Grad Schools I visited quite a number of graduate schools during my application process and, in doing so, gained some level of proficiency in it. Visiting prospective graduate school campuses is a great way to find out what the school has to offer before you attend. Notify the prospective departments that you would like to visit them and attend a class. What are the penalties (if any) if you fail to complete the degree? Ask what the orientation program is like, and what happens in the weeks after that. How do you settle children if they get lost or seem unhappy? An invitation to interview at the graduate program of your choice is an amazing opportunity to let the graduate committee get to know you - but the purpose of the grad school admissions interview is also for you to learn about the graduate program. If you have an option to stay with a grad student, I recommend this to get a better feel for the place. Questions to Ask Your Tour Guide or Other Current Students. Can the award be held concurrently with another award? Visiting prospective schools can be both an inspiring and intimidating experience, but if you come equipped with the right questions, you will find the right fit … During your visit, you’ll be bombarded with information. by: Shawn P. O'Connor on ... After visiting several business schools as a prospective ... preparation and admissions counseling firm serving a global clientele of applicants to the world’s premier business schools. Examine their school profileson GreatSchools.org. Top 12 questions to ask private schools. * Does the award cover tuition and fees? When you are meeting individually with the AdCom, you can ask questions about your specific application. Aside from that, consider what type of support is available once you graduate. Graduate Student Support Is there a diverse group of students, faculty, and administrators? 7 Key Questions to Ask During Your Grad School Interview Ask these 7 crucial questions during your Ph.D. admissions interview. What characteristics are specific to this program and distinguish it from competitors? Do curricula address ethnic, racial, gender, and cultural issues? Do your homework. Does the university provide funding support for emergencies (e.g., short-term loans, hardship assistance grants)? Hint: it's not just rankings! Questions To Ask and Avoid on Grad School Visits It's that time of year again, when prospective graduate students visit the programs they've applied to/ been accepted by. What criteria are used for choosing recipients? Or at least interviewing? Director of Enrollment, Marcus Blekat, shares his top 10 questions to ask when choosing your undergraduate business school. Top 12 questions to ask private schools. Getting accepted to a physical therapy school can be a difficult and time consuming process, however if you ask the right questions before you even start the process you can save significant time during the application process and help you to avoid the unnecessary costs associated with applying to unsuitable schools. Below, we discuss 12 crucial questions you should ask private schools you’re considering. Are there teaching opportunities, such as. What is the duration of the award? Letters of Recommendation . Always remember, your questions for the AdCom during your campus visit should SPARK their interest in you by being: Specific: The question is specific to you, the school, experience, coursework, etc. 10.6k 8 8 gold badges 40 40 silver badges 106 106 bronze badges. Talk to other parents and check your local newspaper for articles about the schools. Government rules say that, in an ordinary infant teaching session, a qualified... 3. Things to think about and questions to ask when visiting a primary school. (e.g., student must maintain good academic standing, must make satisfactory progress toward the degree, etc.). What do most students do after graduation? Some of these questions can only be answered by admissions and financial aid staff. Even if you don’t go to a campus tour, you should also consider meeting with professors of your program to ensure they share the same academic interests as you. There have been previous good questions that answer what to ask graduate students here and only somewhat relatedly here (about what to ask students of potential advisors). Not surprisingly, this question is also better to ask the graduate students. Visiting a college campus is an important step in deciding where you want to continue your education after high school. It would then be possible to contact them and ask for information about graduate schools in the field. What are your current research interests? Try to schedule time to talk with people prior to your visit. Going for a campus visit or preparing for an admissions interview with a graduate program? 5. What kind of social events does the graduate school or university sponsor each year? Visiting the schools you are considering is crucial; as schools are all about people and spending some time there is the only way parents can really assess the atmosphere and ‘feel’ for the school and whether it presents the right learning environment for their child. If you have a list of questions with you, then you are less likely to forget to ask important questions. Are there any scholarships or fellowships available? Are there graduate education workshops for undergraduates? Asking more open-ended questions will help you to learn more about the program and better engage your interviewer. In that case, ask them what a typical week is like for them, how they like the location of the school and the city, what students do for fun, how helpful the faculty are, their favorite/least favorite part of the program, what they would have done differently to prepare for school, etc. First, ask how many high school freshman graduate (and what their yearly drop-out rate is), and how many graduates continue on to college. When you visit each school, be sure to ask questions that give you the information you need to make the decision. Is there support for the needs of students from all Support. Begin your research by studying the B-school’s website. Going for a campus visit or preparing for an admissions interview with a graduate program? Talk one-on-one with the faculty and graduate students. Questions To Ask and Avoid on Grad School Visits It's that time of year again, when prospective graduate students visit the programs they've applied to/ been accepted by. Is there support for the needs of students from all Ask how long it takes to graduate. Some schools offer ‘taster days’ for children to attend informal lessons and activities, or an overnight stay at boarding schools, which allow prospective pupils to experience what their new school life would be like. Most schools will provide a … Remember that you are interviewing the graduate program - you must choose the program that is right for you. What’s the usual child-to-staff ratio? Visit the GRE website to learn more about the tests and how to prepare. To prepare for your school visit or tour (or a school expo), print this list of questions and sub-questions. Asking detailed questions about the programme can highlight critical differences that may influence your decision in one way or another. Questions to ask during your visit. Also try to avoid visiting when the school is on break. However, you'd be missing a huge opportunity if you didn't also consider what questions you should ask during an interview. Your child is really quite young when they start school... 2. Five Questions to Ask About Graduate Programs Once you’ve made the decision to apply for graduate school, it’s important to meet with a staff member in the program to discuss its specific requirements and amenities; doing so helps ensure you’re making an informed decision and you are able to put together a competitive application packet. QUESTIONS TO ASK PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE SCHOOLS Visit the campus and sit in on their graduate classes. What research opportunities are there for graduate students? 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