Questions to ask when researching graduate school choices:

The academic program

What are the biggest strengths of the department?

In your opinion, what could be improved about the department?

Which professors have served as committee chairs of the most PhDs in your program?

What are the requirements to graduate?

Are there any changes planned for the qualifying exams/prelims/comps in the next few years?

Will I be assigned an advisor as an entering student? If not, what is the process for choosing one?

Which hurdles (prelims, comps, qualifying exams, dissertation proposal, etc.) are the cause of the most dropouts?

Can I see a few theses/dissertations from recent graduates?

 

Teaching assistantships/funding

Are most assistants Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants? How is this determined?

Do you have a recommendation for which one to be?

Do TA's serve as assistants to teachers or the main instructors of sections?

What kind of training is provided for TA's?

What is the standard teaching load for TA's?

Is funding available for students beyond the fourth year?

Are there limits to the duration of an assistantship? Is it renewable?

Am I expected to do summer classes? Is funding available?

Is it possible to have out-of-state tuition waived? How is this done?

 

Perks and Amenities

Will I have my own computer for research and coursework?

What access would I have to labs, computer facilities, statistical software, etc.?

What field-specific resources not affiliated with the university are available?

Do graduate students have office space? Is it shared (and with how many others)?

Are there quotas on printing, copying, etc.? Does the department pay for such things or do TA's/RA's pay for their own needs?

Does the department have its own private library to supplement the main campus library and its satellites?

Does the department have its own computer facilities?

What funding is available for graduate travel (for research, conferences, etc.)?

Is there a graduate student union? Who is the contact in the department?

 

After graduation

What percentage of incoming students graduate with a PhD?

What is the average time to completion of the PhD?

Is the time to completion of the PhD counting the time to get a Masters or assuming I already have completed my Masters?

What kind of job-hunting advisement does the department offer?

What percentage of the department's graduates are working in their field? Where do department graduates tend to end up working?

What kind of accomplishments (research, publishing, etc.) have the department's alumni achieved recently?

 

Questions for other graduate students

Have you had opportunities to work closely with professors in your area of specialization?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of this department?

What problems have you experienced in the program?

What is the atmosphere like in the department (supportive, competitive, etc.)?

Are there political issues among the faculty to be aware of?

Are you happy in the program?

What is the typical cost of housing?

Is there a portion of campus housing for graduate students only?

What is the best way to find housing/roommates?

What kind of public transportation does the city offer?

How safe is the school's campus?

 

Questions for the business office

How often is pay distributed?

Do I have to do quarterly payments for federal and state income taxes for my stipend/fellowship? Or is this automatically deducted monthly or quarterly?

When do salary/fellowship payments start?

Is tuition paid directly from my graduate stipend, or am I reimbursed for all or a portion of it?