My son just returned from his visitors’ weekend for accepted PhD candidates to the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. Most of his activities generally involved the aerospace engineering department, but he also had individual activities with his POI, three other accepted PhD candidates, and current PhD students. Saturday morning included a large brunch with accepted PhD candidates and faculty from other engineering college departments.
One interesting presentation concerned the “impostor syndrome,” a feeling that one is a fraud, that everyone else is far more accomplished and brilliant, and that it’s just a matter of time before the fraud is uncovered. The lecturer said that this is quite normal and that almost everyone will feel this way. They may be just as intimidated by you as you are by them. Anyway, given the large number of brilliant young people he met, my son was glad to hear this presentation.
My son’s individual meetings with his POI, formal and informal, were also very helpful concerning expectations. He will be expected to take five classes his first year, three in the first semester, and two during second semester. At the end of the second semester, there will be oral exams concerning all five subjects, which must be passed to continue in the PhD program. (I think it may be possible to get another chance.) His POI said that beginning in March, he will not be expected to do much in the lab in order to focus on the oral exams. Everyone suggested study groups, to help identify particular questions that might be asked and to study accordingly.
My son also learned about his POI’s expectations about publishing. He was very relaxed about it; some of his graduated PhDs hardly published and others published two papers a year, with those who intended to head to industry less likely to publish. For students willing to do conference presentations, the department would pay for them to attend one conference a year, even international ones.
My son would not be expected to apply for fellowships, but they would assist him with applications. Of course these look good on a CV and could pay more than the department funding.
After first year, students are only required to take one class a year, but they were not discouraged from taking more, which my son expects to do with more physics and higher-math classes. Research would be adjusted as needed.
The POI was also pretty relaxed about identifying a thesis topic and starting research. He said that he would not really expect this until after the student’s third semester. This was better than starting research that the student ended up hating and then having to start over on a new topic.
My son intends to move to Ann Arbor a 5-6 weeks before the semester starts, so that he can get settled in and start in the lab before having to deal with classes. He is focusing on finding housing, which is significantly more expensive than in College Station. His stipend will start funding when he gets there, which is great.