Rainydays

It's really helpful for me!! Thank you very much for sharing it!!

It's really helpful for me!! Thank you very much for sharing it!!

I've gone to two interview weekends now and here's what my experiences have been:
You usually stay with a graduate student host, they're a really good source of info and you tend to get really close to them since you spend so much time with them. Have a TON of questions prepared to ask about the program, their experience, things they've heard about faculty members, etc. It's even nice to ask if they have any advice for you! Something to remind yourself: They want you here. Making the interview is a HUGE accomplishment! So be proud of yourself! And as much as they are interviewing you to see if you'd be a good fit for their university, you want to interview them back to see if they are a good fit for you. Do you see yourself working with this advsior and being happy? Do you see yourself getting along with your lab mates and other grad students? Do you see yourself living here for the next 5 or 6 years? These are good questions to ask yourself as you're going through your interview Usually the day (or Day 1) starts off with a breakfast (take breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks as time to mingle with other applicants. It shows that you're social and also it's pretty fun getting to know other people on your same boat and hang out). Next is a lot of orientation-like things. Going over the program, future course-work, funding, etc. Feel free to take notes in a journal/portfolio and if they don't go over a question that you want to know (like how are travel grants distributed), definitely ask. Some schools may then have a mini tour of campus or a mini tour of lab offices. (If you see rain in the forecast it's smart to bring a jacket and umbrella -- at my first interview we still did the tour in POURING rain, thankfully all of us came prepared!)  Usually for lunch and dinner, graduate students and faculty members join you. Take this time to introduce yourself to the people who you want to work with and even introduce yourself to other faculty and other graduate students that aren't in your full interest. You can get a feel of what the people are like and if you are going to enjoy your time working with them. The department usually discusses as a whole, who would be a good fit for the university so it's good to make yourself known. If there's an opportunity to talk with your POI, definitely do it! The interviews are generally very relaxed. Some professors like to challenge you with hard questions BUT the most will generally ask you about your research interests and it feels like a conversation. When your POI (or any other person) is talking about their own research, listen carefully and try and think of one or two specific questions to ask about what they just explained, it shows that you're interested and listening. Have a little spiel ready to explain your previous research experience and how it got you to what you are interested in now. It's okay to be broad in your interests but it helps a lot if you have a couple of specific research questions that you'd like to research in your future (and think about how you would do it: Experience sampling? Daily diary? Self-report?).  HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS PREPARED. If there is ever an awkward silence, take this time to ask questions about funding, housing, strengths and weaknesses of the program, etc. This is a good time to find out if this is a good fit for you and a ton of questions shows interest in the program. There will be opportunities to talk to grad students, take this time to ask them if they are happy here and what the mentorship style of the POI is like. They are generally much more honest and want to give you the real scoop.  The days get long and exhausting. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water, eat snacks and lots of free food when offered. Take a breather in the bathroom during breaks. Try your hardest to keep being social and enthusiastic throughout the day (I know it's hard, but it will be worth it!) Finally, after all is said and done, the graduate students might take you and the other prospective students out to a happy hour or party. Have a drink if you so choose, it's fine to drink a little but of course don't get drunk. Socialize and have fun. After interview weekend don't forget to send your POI an email, thanking them for inviting you out and taking the time to talk with you. Express that you're very interested in working with them in the future. Remember: The university wants you here. Take a deep breath. You got this.

I emailed my POI about three weeks ago. He told me he has finished reviewing the application but I was not on the short list. So I don't know whether they have sent interview invitations.

Thank you for sharing! Super helpful.
I also had an informal chat with one of my POI. She asked a lot of questions about my previous research. 
If you have another chance to redo the study, how would you like to improve the design/what other measures you'd like to incorporate? Who else do you want to collaborate with in the dept.? I wasn't prepared for these two questions, I wish I could have done it better. Good luck everyone!

Wow thank you so much for these! Extremely helpful. I may also add that over a skype interview I was asked
Is there any specific paper that you read that inspired you or really got you interested in what you want to pursue? I wasn't very prepared for this question to give a specific paper so I was very broad. I wish I had a paper and author in mind, so you guys might want to think about that one too just in case it comes up!

I had an interview at Michigan and at UCSC and they were really different, so maybe the contrast will help? For UMich, where I applied to the joint women's studies phd, I was asked:
What do you hope to get out of the program (academically)? Who is your favorite theorist outside psychology? What questions drive the research you'd like to do in grad school? Can you tell me more about your past work with x methodology and how you hope to use it in the future? Where do you see yourself in five years, or, when you're ending grad school, what do you imagine you've accomplished? With just these five questions we talked for about an hour, and it was a lot of fun.
At UCSC I was asked:
Can you tell me more about your research background? What was your role in x project? What research would you like to do at UCSC? Where else did you apply? With these four questions we talked for about 20 minutes and it felt like a more formal interview. Overall, with the UM interview I felt more like I could express my personality and carry on a more casual conversation whereas I couldn't get a read on the person interviewing me from UCSC. I was also sick during my UCSC interview which probably colored my experience.
The questions I asked them were:
What do you wish you had known at the start of your graduate career? When you think about past students who have been successful in the program, what characterizes them and sets them apart from others? What careers paths have your successful students pursued? I don't have a particular definition or idea of "successful," so I'd like to know your own interpretation of success in the context of your response. Does the program or school provide academic and/or emotional support to students? Are there tutors, or do students tend to form study groups? Is there an assigned advisor outside the research advisor available to students as they transition into grad school, particularly during their first year? My work is driven by X. I have a sense from your work what your broader goals or implications are, but we haven't directly discussed it. Therefore, I’m wondering what drives your research? To what extent do you prioritize promoting student work through publications and presentations?  What are the most important ways the joint PhD program can grow in the next 5-10 years and how can I as a student contribute to the growth of the program?

I have had a few phone interviews and most of the questions have been pretty similar. Examples below:
Why do you specifically want to work with the POI Why do you want to attend that specific program Describe your most important research experience and the main things you learned from it Why do you want to pursue a PhD in social psych Is there a specific line of research you want to pursue Typical strengths and weakness questions Also, be sure you have a few questions to ask them concerning the program and/or their research.