I received an email from the department of one of my prospective graduate schools today saying that I was invited to visit campus with other applicants (so kind of an open house?). The email states that I’d meet faculty members in my stated area of interest, be given lunch with graduate students, and tour the campus/department in the afternoon. The email states that the department is able to cover 2 nights of accommodation, but travel is on me (looks like $400+ for airfare alone). It sounds a lot like an open house for applicants since it goes from 9am to 4pm and there is no indication of an interview, or where I stand in the decision.
The visit date is March 18, which means I’d have to abandon my Spring Break plans to go. Furthermore, I visited campus and met with my faculty member of interest last summer, well before starting my application. Nothing indicates that this is important for decisions, but I also wouldn’t want to get shafted by not going. It’s a lot of money for a 7 hour event, so I’m conflicted on justifying the trip. I find this event very odd since decisions still aren’t out, and yet no interview was explicitly mentioned. Apps were due February 1, so I don’t know if decisions will be posted between now and then or if it’ll be after.
Is this for a funded PhD program? Someone with more experience could chime in, but if it is, my sense is that most departments invite about twice as many candidates to these visits than they will actually extend offers to. It is a chance for them to get to know you better, and also a chance to meet other grad students and understand more about the culture of the department and whether it is a fit for you and for them. If you were my kid, I would tell you to go.
I am curious about them not funding the airfare, though. I would have expected that to be covered. Can others comment?
I have applied to PhD programs (no news yet), but this one is MS (yet I was told students are almost always offered funding). I think if I assume that if the offer was extended to only highly-likely candidates, it would be important to go. I wish they hinted at that if that’s the case.
And the airfare thing is suspicious, but it’s a small department, so that possibly alludes to being unable to offer it. Would be nice though since it is so much. There was also no indication of payed meals beyond lunch (it doesn’t sound as wine-and-dine as I heard these things can be). The covering of 2-night residence makes me think this is at least a little bit selective though.
Congrats! Im sure you were admitted to the school. I would call. Some decisions are quick.
i don’t know much about this but my kid applied to grad schools for Masters. He only heard from 3 out of 5 so far. Two just said you were admitted and one said you were admitted plus offered airfare up to a certain $ amt and they covered hotel and food for an open house event. I actually thought “wow” cause I didn’t know they do that. So why do some and not others? And if you go does it commit you? .
if this is your first choice then go. If not, then call and get more info. and tell them you were there and met the prof and know you like it…
If the applications were due February 1 I would be very surprised if this was an admitted students thing. Some decisions are quick, but it’s been less than three weeks. Usually invitations to interview are very clear about what they are, so I think this sounds more like an open house.
I would definitely call (the admissions office if it’s a professional master’s; the department if it’s an academic master’s) and ask what the nature of the visit is. It’s okay to say that you have other plans and you’re wondering if you should cancel them, so you want to know whether this is an interview that has bearing upon admissions or whether it’s an open house for information gathering.
Some programs are simply better funded than others, and some programs decide to spend what money they do have on recruiting for various reasons. And no, visiting an open house does not commit you even if the school paid for it.
I know of very few programs that pay for the travel expenses. And often the grad students put up perspective students so that lodging is supplied but not in a hotel. Usually there are interviews all day long but the schedule may not be given to you until you get there. Basically if there is not a really good excuse, then not coming is often viewed as having little in interest in the program. If this is just a Master program than maybe it is less important. With a PhD program the day also involves the faculty member you might be working with evaluating if he or she views you as a good candidate to work in their lab.
I was invited to visit two schools for MA programs in English and they’re paying for everything - travel (one school booked my flight for me and the other will be reimbursing me for miles driven), hotel, and meals. I also was accepted, though, so these are really open houses for admitted students.
I think it’s true that each department has their own budgets for these things, so I wouldn’t be suspicious that they didn’t cover transportation. Are you sincerely interested in this school/program? If so, I would go (if you can afford to) because meeting with the faculty and other grad students as well as being at the school can really help you get a feel for the program. I’m planning on using my two open house visits to make a decision between the two schools. In case you do get in to this program, this visit might aid you in your decision-making process.