a birthday present?

[nibot]

Tobin Fricke: Congratulations on your admission to the Department of Physics and Astronomy's Ph.D. program at the University of Rochester. We would like to invite you to our recruiting weekend on February 27 and 28 at our expense. The program starts around noon on Friday and departure is Sunday morning.

I applied specifically to a program at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

Edits: 1- It's worth noting that U of R is ranked second in the U.S. for "graduate student happiness" or something like that. 2- this was excellent return on investment; there's no application fee to U of R! 3- here's a question for you who have done this before (or who haven't, but are imaginative): what should I ask / look for on these visitations?

Now, only eight more schools to hear from. (-:

Comments

[forvrkate.livejournal.com]

Go you!

::loud cheering!::

[roxymartini.livejournal.com]

that was quick. they must really really really want you.
go tobin!
schnarfen.

Congrats

[ucbfumbler.livejournal.com]

"recruiting weekend on February 27 and 28 at our expense"

Does that include a lot of alcohol? (for the cold weather)

[easwaran.livejournal.com]

My spies tell me your birthday is next weekend - neither the time you got your results nor the time you're invited to visit. Therefore, it's not a birthday present.

Re:

[roxymartini.livejournal.com]

it's not next weekend.
your spies are flawed.
but any present given within a month before a person's birthday may be defined as "an early birthday present." well, to me anyway.

[janviere.livejournal.com]

Yay you.

Maybe if it's not your birthday, this is just forewarning for extra-spiffy things later.

[odd-dog.livejournal.com]

congrats Tobin!!! that's awesome!

[emidala.livejournal.com]

woah. humble congratulations from an icy but sunny princeton! heja tobin!

[ragnus.livejournal.com]

Woo! way to go Tobin.

[squarkz.livejournal.com]

YAY! congratulations!

[dedoleo.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's awesome. Pretty soon you'll be Dr. Fricke. :)

[gpopkin.livejournal.com]

congratulations.. so are you starting grad school in the fall of '04, or '05?

Re:

[nibot.livejournal.com]

thanks! — Fall 2004

[ephermata.livejournal.com]

Congrats! Start shopping for plane deals now. Also ask them what the reimbursement deal is; different schools handle it different ways. You need to be careful you don't end up on the line for six plane flights during Feb and March. :)

Re:

[nibot.livejournal.com]

thanks. It sounds like they have their own travel agency make all the plane/hotel arrangements. But here's a Q: what should I look for / ask on these visits?

Re:

[ephermata.livejournal.com]

What are fellow students like?

When do you pick an advisor? (Are you admitted "by" a specific person or lab group?)

Are people happy? What kind of reading groups, research projects, and conferences are they talking about? Do people know what else is going on in the department?

Where do people live? Do students seem to have interests outside work?

Things like that...