Visiting another department on an Open house visit?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a graduate student contemplating a visit to both the Physics and Aerospace Engineering departments during an open house visit. The student is facing funding issues in the Physics program, which has led to reconsideration of the Aerospace offer. The conversation explores the implications of visiting both departments and how to communicate this to the Aerospace professor.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about appearing unreliable to the Aerospace professor by showing interest in both departments.
  • Another participant argues that the admissions process should prioritize finding the right fit for the student, suggesting that the student's long-term success is more important than departmental loyalty.
  • A participant questions how to communicate the visit to the Aerospace professor, debating whether to mention reimbursement from the Physics program or to state that the visit is self-funded.
  • Another participant suggests that the funding source is irrelevant to the Aerospace professor and proposes a straightforward approach to communicate the visit.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the student should visit both departments or how to communicate the visit to the Aerospace professor. There are differing opinions on the importance of departmental loyalty versus personal fit in the admissions process.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the perceptions of the professors and the implications of visiting multiple departments, but these assumptions remain unresolved.

creepypasta13
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So I got admitted to a graduate program in Physics, and although I was interested in attending it, I was notified from them a few weeks ago that they're having severe funding issues in one of their research areas, which happens to be my main interest. Thus, I very likely don't want to go there.

However, I was interested in the school and surrounding area, so I decided to book a flight to visit their department tomorrow anyways.

However, I also was recently admitted to the Aerospace engineering program at that school. I happen to also be interested in AE in general, though not as much as Physics. One of the profs there recently contacted me about some upcoming projects he has. When we talked with each other, I told him I'll get back to him later since I wasn't sure yet if I wanted to attend. Honestly, I wasn't considering it too much since I really wanted to do Physics. But since I've gotten some more rejections and am not overly enthusiastic about the Physics schools I got admitted to, now I'm reconsidering that Aerospace offer. I contacted him, and he suggested we talk over the phone again

I was thinking that since both depts are at the same school, that I could visit both of them? Or would the Aerospace prof find me unreliable since he'll find out that I appear to have an interest in Physics also? And if they contact the Phys dept about this, then I can only imagine they'd be pretty unhappy as well. Or am I better off just not visiting the Aerospace dept or booking a separate flight to revisit the school to see just Aerospace that time?
 
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I don't see a big problem with this.

The main objective of the admissions process should be to make sure you end up in the right place for you, because that way you will most likely perform better and be a better "advertisement" for them in the long term (i.e. over 10 or 20 year timescale as you build your career), whether you stay with them or move some place else.

If they don't see it that way, maybe you would be better rejecting both departments.
 
ok, so if I tell him that I'm visiting the school tomorrow, how should I say it? "The Physics program is reimbursing me for the flight costs" or "I wanted to visit the school and booked the flight on my own and will pay for the whole thing on my own"?
 
creepypasta13 said:
"The Physics program is reimbursing me for the flight costs" or "I wanted to visit the school and booked the flight on my own and will pay for the whole thing on my own"?

Why does he have to know? It's really not his concern where you got the money for the visit unless he's paying for it. How about "I'm visiting the physics program so can I drop into see you too?"
 

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