HopefulPHD14

Just got an interview for USF Cancer Bio! 

These are all great answers!  Thanks so much!

I will add one more question that is important to ask grad students.  My friend in grad school said that this question was the one that helped her actually pick her program last year.  

Make sure to ask the grad students what they like to do for fun when they are not in the lab (or classes or whatever).

She said she asked this at some schools and the students would not be able to answer right away.  They would actually have to think about it and they wouldn't come up with good answers.  She said that at other schools it would be an easy answer for the students.  They already knew what they liked to do once they left the lab.  And, there was a sense of community in doing those activities together.

The program is great and important and everything, but if you end up at a school where the grad students cannot enjoy themselves outside of the lab and classes, it may not be the best program.  Ultimately she picked a program that she knew she would like both in and out of the lab.

Just got my first acceptance! Hopkins CMM 

Got accepted at Universtiy of Alabama at Birmingham's CMDB program!
Holy shit, I'm actually going to grad school.

These are all great answers!  Thanks so much!

I will add one more question that is important to ask grad students.  My friend in grad school said that this question was the one that helped her actually pick her program last year.  

Make sure to ask the grad students what they like to do for fun when they are not in the lab (or classes or whatever).

She said she asked this at some schools and the students would not be able to answer right away.  They would actually have to think about it and they wouldn't come up with good answers.  She said that at other schools it would be an easy answer for the students.  They already knew what they liked to do once they left the lab.  And, there was a sense of community in doing those activities together.

The program is great and important and everything, but if you end up at a school where the grad students cannot enjoy themselves outside of the lab and classes, it may not be the best program.  Ultimately she picked a program that she knew she would like both in and out of the lab.

These are all great answers!  Thanks so much!

I will add one more question that is important to ask grad students.  My friend in grad school said that this question was the one that helped her actually pick her program last year.  

Make sure to ask the grad students what they like to do for fun when they are not in the lab (or classes or whatever).

She said she asked this at some schools and the students would not be able to answer right away.  They would actually have to think about it and they wouldn't come up with good answers.  She said that at other schools it would be an easy answer for the students.  They already knew what they liked to do once they left the lab.  And, there was a sense of community in doing those activities together.

The program is great and important and everything, but if you end up at a school where the grad students cannot enjoy themselves outside of the lab and classes, it may not be the best program.  Ultimately she picked a program that she knew she would like both in and out of the lab.

I don't know about Infinito, but the grad students at Vandy were very open and helpful so I have some knowledge I accrued about how to decide.
Obviously you look at the science.  Core facilities, funding, type of research.  Then the grad students said that for them, the attitude of the program was important.  Did the professors, grad students, and admin seem excited to talk to you?  Did they believe in the program?  And finally, they all told me that it becomes obvious after you interview everywhere.  That you have to see yourself in the community and the university.  One girl said that interviewing students seem confused because they have like 7 - 10 interviews, but that if you are honest with yourself about the type of person you are, the right offer will feel like a fit.  

I'm not in biology, but these are some example questions that I asked when I visited schools:
To individual professors:
1. General questions about the research that the lab performs. I'd ask about what the current projects are.
2. I would also ask them about future directions for the lab? What projects are they thinking about in the future? 
3. Are you thinking of growing the lab or keeping it the same size?
     3a. If growing the lab, are there plans to go in new directions for research, or increase work on current paths?
4. How often do you send students to conferences?
5. (for lab fields where there are rotations): How many students rotate in your lab? How many stay?
6. Is [the project you want to work on with this professor] funded? For how long?
7. What are your expectations for a graduate student in your lab/group? (I'd keep it general at first to see what they say, but if they ask for more specific, I usually ask to find out if they would be okay with people working from home, or would they want you in the lab from certain hours etc.)
8. What is the typical time to graduation for your students?
9. What do your students do after graduation?
10. Specific questions about success rate of their students in your chosen post-graduate career path

To department heads or other administrator: (most of my visits involved at least 1 meeting with someone from "departmental administration")
(Although you can ask some of these Qs to faculty as well)
1. How many students join the department each year?
2. What is the typical graduation rate / how many finish? (Also ask: how many pass quals? candidacy? etc.)
3. Ask about the funding structure---if it's TA based then how are they assigned? Does everyone who wants one gets one?
4. What are the department's future hiring plans? Are you planning to grow? What subfields will you be hiring in?
5. Ask about course requirements and other degree requirements (especially if you have prior coursework or a Masters, find out what changes, if any)
6. Ask what happens if you win external fellowships---does your TA requirement go down? do you get more money?
7. Ask about things you're interested in pursuing while you're in grad school, for example: elective courses outside of department? extra opportunities to teach? outreach opportunities? varsity sports (in Canada, grad students are part of varsity athletics too)
To current graduate students:
1. Pretty much all of the same questions as above---you want to see the student's point of view of things and see how they line up with the faculty's point of view.
2. Ask about the quality of classes
3. Ask about the workload of a TAship---how many hours do you really work?
4. Ask about the typical work expectations of the department and especially of the professors you want to work with
5. Ask about where people live
6. Is the stipend enough? 
7. Ask about programs in the department and on campus that support you and whatever you need (e.g. diversity center, parents, cultural clubs, international student office, etc.)

Official email from WashU saying that I'm waitlisted. If one of you suckers aren't gonna take that offer, GIMME!

Hey! I'll be there that weekend for the CMDB program! Maybe I will see you around.

Well this is an odd string of events. I just got an interview invite to Notre Dame.

First acceptance!! Got an offer from UVa a week after interviewing!

OMG ITS FINALLY HAPPENING! ACCEPTED TO WUSTL DBBS!!!!! 
I actually can't believe my ears. Just got a call from my favorite POI congratulating me for getting in and hoping that i'd actually join and work in her lab. I am, then, actually going to go to graduate school this fall. I need to sit back and let this sink in completely 
Ahh such a confidence boost. I'll be heading to other interviews with such peace of mind that I have something in my pocket. Onto Yale now.

But aren't you glad they saved your Credit Card!

Omg. Please share this typo. I went to Cal so I cherish every little Stanford failure I can find. 

Back from WUSTL DBBS interview last night at 1 am, and coming to work in the morning at 8 am. My head hurts so bad 
Nonetheless, COMPLETELY FLOORED. Such a great interview experience, such awesome PIs, lovely colleagues, and a bunch of extremely talented, fun loving co-applicants - had a blast! They truly went to great lengths to wine and dine us and convince us that  it actually is the place to be.
And for all the ones wanting to know anything about the interview experience, please PM me, would love to help anyone out who's in the same anxiety I was 5 days ago. Just a heads up: I was asked NO questions in any of my interviews. NONE. No why grad school, why here, nothing. Just a casual, brilliant conversation.
Now since I saw this question asked elsewhere on the forum and also this thread, I'd like to bring this up. In one of the many presentations about the university and the program, a professor specifically said, that if you have been selected, and the a reason holding you back is the application status of your significant other since you'd like to attend school together, LET THE PROGRAM KNOW. I was actually surprised, but he said that if you've been selected, and if your SO's application is so-so/in the grey area, they'll coordinate with other departments in the university and get them an interview atleast, hinting that the SO's chances increase significantly since you are already on your way here.
Also received an invite from UPenn in the middle of an interview with my favorite PI 
Fingers crossed for WUSTL decisions, they're sending acceptances out tomorrow  I'll attend all the other interviews with such calmness if they offer me admission tomorrow.

Ill take it off your hands then  

Sorry but this got me thinking...  How does taking time off for a wedding/honeymoon work in grad school? 

I will likely be getting engaged between now and the start of grad school and married at some point during my 2nd year or so.  I would like to know ahead of time how taking time off in grad school works.  Would we have to split up the wedding and honeymoon?

Sorry but this got me thinking...  How does taking time off for a wedding/honeymoon work in grad school? 

I will likely be getting engaged between now and the start of grad school and married at some point during my 2nd year or so.  I would like to know ahead of time how taking time off in grad school works.  Would we have to split up the wedding and honeymoon?

Anyone else wake up this morning and check their email, as if an invite might've gone out overnight?
Fingers crossed for everyone hoping to hear back today!

Well in your situation it will look poor because you asked for the alternate, and are now switching not because you originally had a conflict, but because now you do have a conflict with a new school. They might realize this, but they might be okay with changing it up as long as all the spots in that original interview date aren't filled. Either way, trying to change it at this point won't harm you as much as it may make the admins handling the stuff a bit more busy.
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An update about Stanford Biosciences: I called up to the main office and they said that most departments are finalizing their reviews this week so if you don't get anything this week from your department, it's not unlikely that they will send out invites next week, too. 

It was me! Yay! Haha.  

That was terrifying

It was me! Yay! Haha.  

That was terrifying

Most flights are non-transferable.  The lesson is they should never have said yes at this point than to say yes and then a few weeks later decide not anymore.  Its extremely selfish and immature to think that you are the end all and be all of this process.  Why would you have accepted an interview in the first place if you couldn't miss more school or wasn't interested?  Also why would having a top program get back to you by the end of this month mean you would want to cancel 2-3 interviews you said yes to. 

I got an interview from them before the holidays and they purchased my flights 2 days ago and I still got this email. I think it's just automated.