A Visit to the Campus

A campus visit is another ideal way to meet students in a graduate program. A campus visit also allows you to meet faculty members, check out resources such as the library and laboratory space, and see whether the campus feels comfortable to you. If the grad school is in another part of the country, a campus visit also gives you the chance to check out the community and see whether you will enjoy living there for several years. To make your campus visit successful, follow these tips.

Schedule wisely

If you are an undergraduate, the easiest time for you to schedule a campus visit is during a break from your own school. However, chances are that the campus you are visiting will also be on a break then. You will probably not get to meet all of the professors you want to meet, and there will be few, if any, students around with whom you can talk. It is far better to arrange to take some time away from your own classes to bring about a more fruitful campus visit.

Schedule in advance

Although you can always walk around a campus and visit its buildings, a full campus visit should be scheduled at least a few weeks in advance. Some programs offer visits only at specific times and have rigid schedules for the day of your visit. Other programs are more relaxed and allow you to create your own schedule. Either way, you need to set up appointments and arrange your visit well in advance so professors and students will be available to meet with you and show you around.

Allow plenty of time

You should plan for your campus visit to last for at least a full day. This will give you enough time to meet the professors, talk to some students, tour the campus, check out potential housing, inspect research and laboratory facilities, and visit the town or city where the school is located.

Make a good impression

Your campus visit gives school personnel an opportunity to evaluate you just as much as you are evaluating them. They may be deciding whether you will be a good fit for the program and whether to offer such perks such as a stipend, fellowship, or teaching or research position. So make sure you dress professionally and arrive on time. You should also be able to display some knowledge about the program gleaned from your earlier research.

Ask questions

Show that you are a detail-oriented person by asking questions about the program, the campus, and the community. Where do most of the grad students live? Is on-campus housing available? If you have a family, are there employment opportunities for your spouse and child care for your children? What kind of job placement, counseling, and medical services are available to students? What kind of internship options might be available for you?

After your campus visit, you should walk away with a fairly clear idea of whether that graduate program is the right place for you.