Reply #11: My daughter and her husband went through this a few years ago,

[pnwmom]

and they were lucky to have the advice of family members on both sides in the academic and scientific world. In the end, though, it just comes down to an educated guess -- but better to be as educated as you can, and that means going on the visits!

Here's one more piece of free advice: think carefully about choosing an advisor who doesn't have tenure yet. Even under the best of circumstances, your son will feel more pressure working for such an advisor -- because both of their jobs will be depending (at least in part) on your son's research. And under the worst of circumstances, if the advisor doesn't get tenure, then your son would have to switch horses midstream.

The best of luck to your son. How nice to have good news these days!

Feel free to p.m. me if you have any more questions.