Questions to ask about graduate and professional school

Why do you want to do a postdoc, and why now?

A postdoc is a temporary position meant for training, so a good answer names what they need from those years: a second field, a method, papers aimed at a particular kind of job. 'It is the next step' is the reply to probe. Ask what they would do if no postdoc were on offer, and treat an honest look at industry as a point in their favor.

From: Questions to Ask a Postdoc Candidate

What do first-year students actually do in the student-run clinic?

Asking what they do separates a working clinic from a line on a website. Real answers involve scheduling, interpreting, intake, and follow-up calls. Weak answers stop at observing.

From: Questions to Ask in Medical School Interview

What do people find hard about living here?

Housing costs, commutes, schools, healthcare access and isolation are among the reasons hires leave after a few years, and few people volunteer them during a recruiting visit. Students and staff will often say more than faculty do.

From: Questions to Ask in a Faculty Interview

Is this an unopposed program, or do family medicine residents share the hospital with other residencies?

Unopposed means family medicine is the only residency in the building, and opposed means other specialties train there too. Neither is better as a label, so ask what it changes on the labor floor, in the intensive care unit and for procedures. A good answer names the rotations where it matters and admits the trade.

From: Questions to Ask in a Family Medicine Residency Interview

May I sit in on a class today, or come back for one?

Twenty minutes in a real seminar shows the level of the discussion, how many people speak, and whether the room has done the reading. Choose a required course over a showcase elective.

From: Questions to Ask at a Grad School Info Session

What would the whole degree cost me, counting tuition, fees, living costs and interest across every year?

Total it for the whole program, not per year, and include rent and food, because those are often borrowed too. Most schools post an estimated cost of attendance. Treat it as a floor, since tuition can rise between your first year and your last.

From: Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going to Law School