Do graduate students teach courses, or are they used primarily as lab instructors and graders?
• What opportunities are there for students to participate in real research? • What kind of research is the school involved in? • What percentage of students go on to receive graduate degrees, and what is the acceptance rate at graduate and medical schools? • What lab facilities are offered? Neither high school guidance counselors nor college admission officers are likely to have a scientific background, so as a prospective science or engineering major you will get a better feel for the school if you can talk with some professors in your area of interest. Colleges will arrange that for you. Ask the admission office for a professor’s contact information to set up an appointment to meet briefly during your visit. You might visit his or her class and chat afterward. If calling a professor out of the blue feels uncomfortable, remember: this is part of your process of interviewing the college. Other students: While on campus, talk with current students. If possible, arrange an overnight sta
