Questions to ask about graduate and professional school

What do you see people in my position get wrong most often?

This pulls out the pattern they see across many clients, which is the part you cannot get from a book. Expect something uncomfortable rather than flattering.

From: Questions to Ask a Career Advisor

What do graduates from the last three cohorts do now?

Recent, specific placements are the honest measure of outcomes. Aggregate employment statistics and a list of famous alumni from twenty years ago tell you almost nothing about your prospects.

From: Questions to Ask at Grad School Info Session

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

Which course has taught you the most about your own field?

Teaching a subject to newcomers forces a clarity research does not require. The specific course they name often reveals where their own understanding was thinnest.

From: Questions to Ask a Professor About Their Career

What did last year's residents do for their projects, and did each of them finish?

Ask for the actual titles and whether each was completed, written up and presented. An unfinished project is a common outcome and rarely mentioned. Programs where every resident presents at a regional conference will tell you so without hesitating.

From: Questions to Ask Pharmacy Residency Programs

What do people find hard about living here?

Ask students and staff as well as faculty. Housing costs, commutes, schools, healthcare access, and isolation are the reasons good hires leave after three years, and nobody volunteers them during a recruiting visit.

From: Questions to Ask in a Faculty Interview