Visiting grad programs
I'm going to start visiting philosophy PhD programs next week, and have been gathering advice on what to look for. Here is a summary (this post will be subject to continuous revision):
Talk to as many grad students as possible, to determine:
Finally, although there is no real pressure to make any decisions until April 15, it is a good thing if you're able to turn down schools early, so students on waitlists have a chance. This is particularly relevant the more offers you're sitting on, for at least two reasons: 1) with more offers, you are influencing more waitlists, 2) the more offers you have, the more likely that certain programs can be ruled out altogether from your consideration.
Talk to as many grad students as possible, to determine:
- the availability of various professors
- the quality of mentoring
- what each professor is like as an advisor
- the collegiality vs. competitiveness of the environment
- what's worst about the program
- overall morale
- whether grad students do much teaching, and how fun/distracting that is
- the level of support given to students to help them pass "milestones" in the program (qualifying exams, papers, etc.)
- how long it usually takes to complete the program
- what convinced them to choose the program
- what percentage of those who start the program complete it, and why those who drop out do so
- what topics they are working on
- If anything surprised them after they showed up at the program
- a general "read" on your potential compatibility
- an idea of the level of support you might expect when you're looking for jobs
- their view on what sorts of students wind up being the most successful in the program
- their view on what sorts of projects wind up being the most successful dissertations
- an understanding of why they think you are an attractive candidate for the program
- what they most want to improve about the program
Finally, although there is no real pressure to make any decisions until April 15, it is a good thing if you're able to turn down schools early, so students on waitlists have a chance. This is particularly relevant the more offers you're sitting on, for at least two reasons: 1) with more offers, you are influencing more waitlists, 2) the more offers you have, the more likely that certain programs can be ruled out altogether from your consideration.
