Comments | applyingtograd: Is it worth the trip?

were_so_close in applyingtograd

Is it worth the trip?

Mar 29, 2010 15:03

One of the schools that accepted me has invited me to take a campus tour and visit the department before making my decision. They are not paying for anything. With airfare and accomodations, it will probably cost me close to $450 for this trip. What kind of things typically happen at a departmental visit? From your experience, is it worth ( Read more... )

Comments 16

anonymous March 29 2010, 19:59:29 UTC

Just in my personal experience, I would not advise anyone to accept an offer to a program that you have not visited. If you are serious about possibly accepting this offer, I would visit if you can at all afford it. Nothing reveals incompatibilities in a program (or the right fit) so immediately as a visit.

Good luck!

tylik March 29 2010, 20:04:43 UTC

$450 is pretty cheap compared to accepting, moving there, and only then realizing that it was a huge mistake.

tylik March 29 2010, 20:12:08 UTC

Yes, this. This is what I also meant to say.

mallyns March 29 2010, 21:34:03 UTC

I went to England to visit some schools. It was a huge expense but I am so glad I went. The one school that was my top choice: I would never live there. I also met the head of the program and she talked negatively about all the programs I was looking at, and other people in her field. She even question why I was a double major, add in if I wanted to go into archeology that I shouldn't go into her program because it was an anthro degree. Never mind that I picked that program because I didn't want to do archeology.

Huge expense but saved me in the long run.

agentdanger March 29 2010, 22:04:38 UTC

Yes, I believe it is worth $450 to visit.

You will have the chance to meet current/future students and faculty in person, perhaps sit in on classes, ask tons of questions and weigh the pros and cons of being in this place, with these people, for years.

If the program is all wrong for you, better to learn now than in the first week of classes. If it is the right program, you'll have the chance to realize that before committing to a different school!

everyoneiknow March 29 2010, 23:31:58 UTC

I've visited two schools. At the first one, I sat in on a class and realized that I would be miserable there - as much as I liked the campus and department, it wasn't a good program for me (I am so, so glad I got to sit in on the class, because I was seriously considering the school). At the second (which I am 90% sure I'm going to this fall), talking to students helped relieve many of my fears about expenses (it's in Boston, and cost of living there is insane). I also got a much better idea of what the programs were like by visiting, moreso than by reading similar information in emails from professors and on the website. For example, the first program was about 90% female students. The second program was about 90% international students. Having a diverse group is something of some importance to me, so it was nice to be able to see first-hand what the student body was like in each program ( ... )