Reply #14: So only go into it if you know there will be support. [View All]

[GoesTo11]

Grad students don't know to think about these things before making their decision. You can figure out a lot about how likely it is that you'll get good support by asking some questions. I think the best data is the overall experience of the students who have gone through the program - and not just the success stories. It also helps to know the person you are likely to work with, and to know what they are like from talking to their grad students. Same with post-docs, although Ph.D. advisers will usually pressure you to go to the highest prestige placement (because it makes them look good), you really have to make sure it is a good place to be. The power dynamic can be pretty intense so you should aim to work with a very decent person and to have clear communication all along. There are books about how to succeed in grad school that talk about this.