BeatrizBear Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 I assume all the departments host interviews. I thought that might be the case because it seems like you don't get accepted without an interview, but I wasn't sure. It's still too early for me since the deadlines have barely passed for my applications, but I thought I might prepare for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleep_Bloop Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 It really varies from department to department. Many (I'm really not sure, so I don't want to say most) do interview, but two programs that I applied to did not interview at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 (edited) Gotcha. Well, thanks for all the info. I joined the Academic Decathlon back in high school because I thought it would help me get better at being interviewed but I always have the fakest look on my face and ramble. Haha. One time I got so nervous that I fiddled with my earring and I hit the interviewer in the eye with it because it came flying off. Edited January 6, 2015 by BeatrizBear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanlba Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Good post LKS. I just noticed that y'all were talking about interviews during campus visits. Since I'm abroad my experience has always been either on the phone or via skype. That might affect my suggestions. Â What I would like to emphasize is the fact that during personal interviews with POI some professors that are native speakers of English privilege using English over Spanish. This is something I cannot comprehend completely because you are supossed to be a part of a 'Spanish' department. But, this happens with some areas and some professors (usually old professors or professors who were taught by hispanists at a time when Spanish was not the main language of teaching at the graduate level). Â The last semester of my MA I regularly met with a professor that taught me a course the previous semester to go over her comments on a large final paper I presented (over 40pp, so it was like 3 or 4 one hour meetings) and we did them in English (even though its not my native language or the native language of the course. it was funny, switching between English and Medieval Spanish) because she liked that better. Â I don't know, this might be too specific for the interviews but my only final thought about this is that you have to learn to measure (like, medir, conocer) the professor you are talking to. They won't mind that your Spanish is not perfect (same for English when you are a Spanish speaker). You are a student after all. But they do expect that you can conjugate the verb to be. Â PD: Beatriz: sentido del humor. Eso suena como una escena de Loco por Mary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I just read all the comments and found a lot of good advice for the interview. I applied for an M.A. in linguistics at Davis, Santa Barbara, Indiana University Bloomington, Madison, New Mexico, Purdue and University of Arizona. I am pretty nervous about the interview process. How much time in advance are phone interviews set? Do they email you and expect to call them the next day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanlba Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 nope. usually 5 days to a week if by phone. otherwise I would consider the department extremely unprofessional (but it has happened here before, check the other forums). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 gracias. a seguir esperando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Do they start sending interview requests around the end of January? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Is it a bad sign when a program extends their deadline? I turned in an application on time and as I checked the application today, they said that they had extended their deadline by about a week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 I've never heard of this happening...strange. It was for Boston U. Maybe a weather issue? They've been having some bad weather up north. Maybe they extended it to give people more time to submit materials. That or they didn't get enough applicants or enough applicants that they liked. But anyway, they didn't give a reason. I just found that to be strange, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natiyrm Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I have been looking for posts like this for a long time... The information provided is very helpful. As far as I know, I am the only Chinese that wants to continue studying Spanish in the US (normally spanish major students of China choose Spain or change their major to study in the US). Knowing three most commonly used languages may sound cool but it has been a huge disadvantage in the application as I have to prove my proficiency in two foreign languages. It's possible that I get rejected by all the programs but anyway, por lo menos merece la pena probar Saludos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xolo Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Hi Natiyrm, Welcome and tell us a little about yourself. Why the interest in Spanish and where are you applying? I wouldn't say you are unique, I do notice some Chinese surnames in the departments, but not very many! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natiyrm Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hi ***, I have studied Spanish for 3 years (2 years in China and 1 year in Barcelona), will get a BA in Spanish. Spain is a good place to study but I'm more interested in Latin American literature and culture. I applied for programs in Spanish and in Latin American Studies but I don't know if I have much chance. You said you saw Chinese surnames in the departments but greater chances are that they are Chinese born in Latin America or US. I also began to study Catalan and Portuguese when I was in Barcelona (strange experience, facing long lists of falsos amigos every day). My GRE and Toefl scores are okay but I still feel very unsure, maybe I should have applied for more schools... Do you think I should also take DELE to prove my Spanish level? I would really like to have opinions from all of you. Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Where are you applying to, Natiyrm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 *** where are you going to school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Indiana University at Bloomington seems popular on here. I've seen that a lot of people on the board are applying there. EuQuero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Maybe we'll all be there BeatrizBear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 My thesis advisor went there and he recommended that I apply. Bloomington looks nice. Maybe having a pretty recent grad recommend me will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I know a few people in other departments and they really enjoy it there. I will be happy getting in at any of the universities that I applied for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Me too. I want to hear back fast so that I can make living arrangements. But I also don't want to get my rejection letters so soon. I have a fragile maiden heart that can't take academic rejection. EuQuero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuQuero Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 That is what I am anxious to know, where will I study for the next few years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 The earliest I saw someone get notice was for UT Austin on January 20th. It looks like I'll be waiting some weeks before I'll hear back from my schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanlba Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Hey! I've been away for a couple of days but I'd like to say something about changes of deadlines: I had them for 2 of the departments I was applying. In one of those, the department actually moved their deadline earlier so I had to make one of my professors write an early LOR and then moved it later again. Â I think its due to number of applications received. Â Yeah, we will start hearing about interviews in about 2 weeks. Take some time off, go climb a rock. I'm going for a week ago during the peak time of application nonsense. No internet connection, no computers. Edited January 12, 2015 by joanlba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatrizBear Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Not interviews. D: I really dislike them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natiyrm Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 BeatrizBear, I've applied for UCSD, UF, UMD and Columbia. I will also apply for UAB of Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now