day_manderly

Loving all the enthusiasm and acceptances on here
I was accepted to University of San Diego's Higher Education Leadership program and also invited to interview for San Diego State University's Postsecondary Educational Leadership - Student Affairs program. These are the only 2 that I applied to--need to stay local to the San Diego area, but I'm glad I have some options! Interview/campus visit days for both schools overlap (one is Thurs-Fri, other is Fri-Sat) so hopefully I can make them both work. Getting major FOMO seeing acceptances from schools I would have love to attend. Congrats everyone!

I was sleeping when my acceptance email arrived. Almost all application updates etc comes through the night since I live somewhere with roughly 12 hour difference of time with most of the schools I applied to.  I really should never have bothered refreshing my email when I am awake, nothing ever turns up while I am awake! 
Anyway, I think it was a perfect time to get it, since I was on a quick vacation to get my mind away from the process. I was somewhere surrounded by beaches and spent the day before snorkeling 

Got an informal but solid offer of acceptance to Lynch School of Education (Boston College) today! The professors are wonderful, the program is superb, and I cannot wait to move to Boston!

OK, so I have developed the following plan. I am not sure it is the best one, but it is the one I am following. It is finetuned to the skype interview, but can be modified to accommodate the on-site interview as well. Tell me what you think.
Plan the process of preparation. Of course, you can always just go with the flow - read a little about the school, reread your SoP, go back to the school's website, etc.. However, during the very interview you have to feel sure that you have done everything to prepare, and the only way to guarantee that (at least in my case) is going through the checkpoints one by one. Double-check the interview time. If you are abroad, use a time zone converter. Double-check. Mark your calendar. Count the days left. You will have a task for each one. To have a visual in your head, plan your outfit and the place where you will have your interview. The outfit has to be smart and simple, nothing exotic - they should pay attention to your words, not your looks. Dress well up and down, despite the fact it's skype and technically you can wear your pj in lieu of pants - this will make you fell professional. Make sure it's your 'you' outfit - something you love and feel comfortable in, something you have worn multiple types with unfaltering success. The background should be simple, too. I am borrowing a high-tech video cam from my friend as well. Make sure there are two sources of internet. I will be using wifi and I will have my mobile internet to share if something happens. Reread your SoP, your CV, and your Writing Sample. Imagine you are someone else, highlight everything that can generate questions. Here's the list I've made: anything unique, anything mysterious (like that course you mentioned in passing but did not elaborate upon), anything your interviewers are good at (pertaining to their area of expertise), because they read 100 SoPs and naturally pay attention to the familiar things. Write the questions down. Do a mock interview if possible - with a friend, a fellow applicant, or even with that ruthless alter ego hiding inside you. Get confused because of some of the questions. Write down all of the confusing/surprising ones. Reflect on your performance. Note areas for improvement. For example, I get nervous, time starts flowing in a strange way, and I feel overwhelmed because of all the things I am attempting to do - keep the question, the answer, pieces of advice from Grad Cafe folk in my head. I also found it difficult to think of examples to illustrate my points. Now the real works starts. You have an advanced list of questions - the original ones augmented by your ''interviewer's'' input. Answer your questions: write the answers down, or answer them in your head. Make concise notes (this is really important). Every answer should be 2-3 min, so that you get as many chances to shine as possible. Make sure to use examples. Look for the best ways to phrase your answers. While you will probably not say the same exact thing, the whole process will direct your mind towards working on the task. It will keep working out different questions and answers while you do other things - eat, sleep, take shower, etc. This is a psychological trick I like to use. Practice answering the questions. I am going to do that staring at my laptop's camera, no kidding. I find that problematic and usually end up looking at the little picture of myself when I talk to people via skype. Practice answering them with assurance and style. This is your chance. Own it, kick ass. One question they will definitely ask, as you might already know, is whether you have questions. Well, you do. Visit the schools website, revisit every conversation you've head with them, everything you know. Think of clever questions for them. Only ask things that demonstrate that you are prepared, you've done your homework, but yet you are thoughtful and curious. I.e. asking about living conditions for grad students is probably not a good idea at this stage - you should have done that prior to applying. Do ask about current and planned research projects, the school's publications, etc. Practice asking questions. Play the whole thing out in your head, think of different scenarios. Read grad cafe, but do not obsess. Do not think about other schools if possible, especially the ones you haven't heard from - it will only stress you out. The day. Put on what you have planned to wear. Make sure you have a spear shirt/tee/blouse in case you spill coffee on the one you have chosen 5 min prior to the interview. Check the time difference if you are abroad again. Abstain from caffeine - you will be full of beans anyways. Instead, eat healthy, drink water/herbal tea. Avoid everything that might make you nervous - checking news, your ex' facebook page, talking to that friend that always makes you feel less than, taking public transport, etc. Make sure you are alone in the room, and it is quiet. Adjust the camera, and the light. 15 minutes in, turn off the sound on your phone, and tablet. Close the facebook page on your laptop. Only have skype e-mail (the one you used for your application) open, nothing else. Check skype connection. Look through your notes. Make sure you are doing something during the minutes you have left, but not overwhelmed with tasks. And... game on!  
 

OK, so I have developed the following plan. I am not sure it is the best one, but it is the one I am following. It is finetuned to the skype interview, but can be modified to accommodate the on-site interview as well. Tell me what you think.
Plan the process of preparation. Of course, you can always just go with the flow - read a little about the school, reread your SoP, go back to the school's website, etc.. However, during the very interview you have to feel sure that you have done everything to prepare, and the only way to guarantee that (at least in my case) is going through the checkpoints one by one. Double-check the interview time. If you are abroad, use a time zone converter. Double-check. Mark your calendar. Count the days left. You will have a task for each one. To have a visual in your head, plan your outfit and the place where you will have your interview. The outfit has to be smart and simple, nothing exotic - they should pay attention to your words, not your looks. Dress well up and down, despite the fact it's skype and technically you can wear your pj in lieu of pants - this will make you fell professional. Make sure it's your 'you' outfit - something you love and feel comfortable in, something you have worn multiple types with unfaltering success. The background should be simple, too. I am borrowing a high-tech video cam from my friend as well. Make sure there are two sources of internet. I will be using wifi and I will have my mobile internet to share if something happens. Reread your SoP, your CV, and your Writing Sample. Imagine you are someone else, highlight everything that can generate questions. Here's the list I've made: anything unique, anything mysterious (like that course you mentioned in passing but did not elaborate upon), anything your interviewers are good at (pertaining to their area of expertise), because they read 100 SoPs and naturally pay attention to the familiar things. Write the questions down. Do a mock interview if possible - with a friend, a fellow applicant, or even with that ruthless alter ego hiding inside you. Get confused because of some of the questions. Write down all of the confusing/surprising ones. Reflect on your performance. Note areas for improvement. For example, I get nervous, time starts flowing in a strange way, and I feel overwhelmed because of all the things I am attempting to do - keep the question, the answer, pieces of advice from Grad Cafe folk in my head. I also found it difficult to think of examples to illustrate my points. Now the real works starts. You have an advanced list of questions - the original ones augmented by your ''interviewer's'' input. Answer your questions: write the answers down, or answer them in your head. Make concise notes (this is really important). Every answer should be 2-3 min, so that you get as many chances to shine as possible. Make sure to use examples. Look for the best ways to phrase your answers. While you will probably not say the same exact thing, the whole process will direct your mind towards working on the task. It will keep working out different questions and answers while you do other things - eat, sleep, take shower, etc. This is a psychological trick I like to use. Practice answering the questions. I am going to do that staring at my laptop's camera, no kidding. I find that problematic and usually end up looking at the little picture of myself when I talk to people via skype. Practice answering them with assurance and style. This is your chance. Own it, kick ass. One question they will definitely ask, as you might already know, is whether you have questions. Well, you do. Visit the schools website, revisit every conversation you've head with them, everything you know. Think of clever questions for them. Only ask things that demonstrate that you are prepared, you've done your homework, but yet you are thoughtful and curious. I.e. asking about living conditions for grad students is probably not a good idea at this stage - you should have done that prior to applying. Do ask about current and planned research projects, the school's publications, etc. Practice asking questions. Play the whole thing out in your head, think of different scenarios. Read grad cafe, but do not obsess. Do not think about other schools if possible, especially the ones you haven't heard from - it will only stress you out. The day. Put on what you have planned to wear. Make sure you have a spear shirt/tee/blouse in case you spill coffee on the one you have chosen 5 min prior to the interview. Check the time difference if you are abroad again. Abstain from caffeine - you will be full of beans anyways. Instead, eat healthy, drink water/herbal tea. Avoid everything that might make you nervous - checking news, your ex' facebook page, talking to that friend that always makes you feel less than, taking public transport, etc. Make sure you are alone in the room, and it is quiet. Adjust the camera, and the light. 15 minutes in, turn off the sound on your phone, and tablet. Close the facebook page on your laptop. Only have skype e-mail (the one you used for your application) open, nothing else. Check skype connection. Look through your notes. Make sure you are doing something during the minutes you have left, but not overwhelmed with tasks. And... game on!  
 

The only idea that came to mind is saying, "I remember seeing that you've done/are pursuing research on ____.  How did you get started in that? What have you found out?  Have there been any surprises along the way?" etc.  I feel like that would be genuine without seeming too over prepared.  Plus, if they're someone who shares a research interest with you, I think it's natural that you would remember what that is.  Disclosure: this is coming from someone who hasn't done an interview yet

I just had an interview that confirmed what everyone has said. 
The Professor told me that for that program, they have a admissions committee at the specialization level, the department level, then all decisions are confirmed by the University's Graduate School. So at the end of the initial review conducted at the specialization level, finalists are interviewed and then the representative(s) from the specialization will make recommendations to the department ad comm. Then once the final decision is made, it is sent up to the Graduate School. I spoke with him today (Jan 25th) and he said that "nothing exciting" will happen for the next few weeks as the department goes through the motions. He said, most likely, that I should be hearing back mid Feb. 
Another interview I had really did leave me with a lot of uncertainty - I couldn't really tell if the professor liked/ wanted me or not. Still, I asked what the next steps in the admissions process would be, and she told me that after the department admission comm makes a final decision (around Feb 1st), then they'll need to go to the school to fight for funding for the selected students. So the final decision with funding package would only be available in March. 
I think it is fair to ask what the next steps are / should you be preparing for another interview etc. (One program told me I'd need to speak with 2 professors), that way you can gain a bit more (not a lot) certainty.

Congratulations! I'm sending you lots of luck. Preparation wise I can only suggest threads on this forum and to refresh your knowledge of your personal statement and the work the school does.

Don't give it up for now! You still have lots of time to hear from your schools! As per improving your application - this forum is to swear by. Also, you could talk to POIs and just ask them if you have rapport. You cannot change who you are, but you can learn to show off better. 

So I've been thinking. I know I am not a finalist in one of the schools I have applied to, and it makes me feel like it's a sign, or like a bad beginning means the whole application season is bad. However, the probability that one gets accepted by a school does not get lower if there is a rejection by another school. There is no reason to become disheartened!
I'm starting this thread for those of us who have gotten a rejection to support each other. Let's be excited, not anxious at this stage!

Yes, they all went out today for the doctoral weekend event. Some interviews may be conducted one-on-one after the event via phone or Skype. 

I just got accepted to USF's HESA program! That was so fast!

Imagine of we were waiting for admission to Hogwarts, we'd have to stare out the window all day waiting for the owl to fly in. Probably move around from window to window since you never know which direction the owl is coming from!

I've gone back and re-read previous year's threads for my schools, and from what I can tell, if a school gives interviews, and you don't get one, you will most likely, eventually, and after a few months of waiting, be rejected.
So, I made a T-chart: schools that give interviews, and schools that don't. I found that process helpful to at least have a sense of what I am waiting for. One school I wasn't sure of so I called them and they very nicely informed me that they don't do interviews and that they'll be sending out notices at the end of January.

I am increasingly grateful to be on the wrong side of the world, so that each morning when I wake and see no emails I know that I can just relax until the evening because it's nighttime in the US so nothing will be arriving in my inbox. Although it is saddening to realise today is not the day I will hear anything, knowing that helps me to get on with my day.

I have just realized today is the first day after holidays for some schools. They must be busy with talking to each other, etc....

Ahh yes. I remember seeing you in that thread.   Indiana sent an email saying that they were just starting to review apps last week.  But then sent on-campus invitations 4 days later.   I hate how much this all feels like black magic (though that feels disrespectful to black magic at this point...)

Well, you're not alone.  I'm doing the same thing today.  I was told they would notify "by the end of January" which feels like a VERY LONG TIME, so I hope it's this week. 

just a quick update on how i'm doing.

Definitely not re-reading my SOPs unless I get an interview! I know I will obsess. Though if it helps, I got a professor's name backwards in my UNC Chapel Hill SOP and still got interviewed, so I don't think a typo will shut you out!  
Refreshing my email every 30 minutes, even though it's the Sunday of a three-day weekend. I need to read a book or something. Lol 

Guys, tomorrow is the Monday of the week when we will take our obsessing to the whole new level...

49. Puke profusely on January 20. 
50. Ask myself again and again why I didn't apply to Canadian programs to be with Justin. 

Hi, all. 
I'm applying to the Ed.D program in Ed Leadership. I attended Penn GSE for my Master's and learned and grew so much as an educator. Good luck! 

Congrats!!!

Bookmark, refresh. Logout. Log back in. Refresh. Update phone. Turn off phone. Turn it back on again. Soon!!