The Reputation of the Faculty
- Are the faculty and the department well respected in the field?
- What are some of their recent publications?
- Are they known for ground breaking research, insights, or inventions?
- Are they not merely academics, but active in their actual field?
The quality of the program
- What is the student retention rate?
- Is the program accredited?
- Are there opportunities to publish and present at conferences?
Financial costs of the program
- What types of financial aid are offered?
- Is the debt you might incur reasonable?
Program requirements
- Will your coursework culminate with a thesis, comprehensive exams, or a project?
Available course offerings
Facilities
- What is the library like?
- Are the lab facilities state of the art?
Program outcomes
- What are the employment statistics of recent graduates?
- What is the success rate of students passing professional exams?
Geographic location
- What is the community like?
- Where might you live?
- Is housing affordable?
Student life and satisfaction
- Talk with the graduate students! What do they appreciate most and least about their program?