| While wide-eyed college applicants are
agog over things like student unions, athletic stadiums,
dormitories, and dining halls, the life of a graduate
student is different. While you also will want some
of the same features as college students, your campus
visit will be focused on other aspects of the school's
physical amenities and the surrounding community, which
will affect your success and enjoyment of graduate
school.
If you plan to make an official visit, the school's
website will likely provide you with details on how to
get a guided tour, meet with faculty and other
officials, and spend time in classrooms. In addition, we
offer some other points on non academic considerations as you plan your
campus visits.
As a prospective graduate student, it's likely that your
campus visit will focus less on the football field and
more on libraries, research facilities, studios,
computer laboratories, and spaces for graduate students
to collaborate and socialize. If you are entering a
healthcare field, you will want to tour the clinical
facilities where you will be learning and providing
care. We're only offering a broad-brush stroke of
possible here, as each field of graduate study entails
different experiences far beyond the classroom. Whether
your campus visit will include a tour of a mass
spectrometry lab or a chance to estimate the size of a
stage, be mindful that your educational experience will
be effected by the physical spaces you will work in for
the next two or more years.
You will also want to learn about parking and public
transportation and, if you are looking at a large,
multi-campus university, the school's own transportation
system. If you will be driving to campus, be sure to
check out parking availability and cost. Prime campus
parking can be expensive, and on-street parking may be
limited to one or two hours. Campus and municipal
parking personnel are notoriously strict about enforcing
the rules and levying hefty fines for those who try to
stretch out their time on the meter.
While some schools do provide housing for graduate
students, others can hardly find enough space for
incoming freshman. Because the majority of graduate
students normally live off campus, you will want to expand your
school visit to nearby neighborhoods and check on the
availability of safe, affordable rental housing. Your
campus visit might also include a stop by the off-campus
housing office to learn about opportunities not
advertised elsewhere.
While on campus, look at how people navigate the
buildings and open spaces. Do students have to cross
busy streets, as is the case on many urban campuses? Or
does it seem fairly easy to get from building to
building? While your graduate education is more about
cerebral things than pedestrian walkways, a
hard-to-navigate campus can put a dent on your
experience.
If you plan to attend graduate school in a region other
than where you now live, think hard about the climate.
If you live in Georgia, it might be hard to imagine just
how tough it can be to survive a windy winter in Chicago
or elsewhere in the Upper Midwest and North, but if snow
and ice are going to be a big part of your life from
November to March, you will need think about how you
will fare under those conditions. While on campus, ask
students how the campus typically responds to inclement
weather. While snowfall rarely causes school closings in
northern climates, potential commuter students will want
to have their own inclement weather plans in place when
driving and parking become a challenge.
Back to the Graduate School
Features Index
|
