Teaching Faculty Wannabe

UW BioE is Killing Me: Last year they released at the beginning of this week and I'm losing my mind... please feel free to pterodactyl scream in the comments about any schools which are "behind" in comparison to last year
 
UGHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHAFHAHAUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Thank you very much! Good luck to you.

I hereby challenge you!  
I have not heard from anywhere I dont think I'll be going into anywhere and this is my 4th cycle! I say it like I am proud of this but I"m not I swear! XD

That's true. Boston was quite unexpected, but I am very grateful for being accepted. It is expensive to live there, but hopefully I can make it work on a tight budget and Boston seems like a really good school and the city seem awesome! It may be my only acceptance, but at least I have it. I am still holding out hope for you, @Ternwild. This will be your year!

@sgaw10 So, I have some advice from my experience with visiting the University of Michigan in October. It wasn't an interview, just a visit weekend, however I still had many awkward moments.
The first hour is going to be awful because you have to continuously convince yourself to interact with people. You don't have to be the person talking all the time, but engaging in conversation can be tough since you barely know anyone. However, once you get over that, I feel like it gets better. You will start finding people to connect with, and wouldn't mind being quiet around, especially if they are introvert themselves.
As people said, it will be exhausting. When in Michigan, grad students took visitors to a bar after dinner and some ice cream. Once we arrived, I was really not feeling it, especially after waking up at 6:30am that morning, visiting various labs, talking with faculty, touring the campus, meeting a lot of new people, and going to presentations. I was exhausted, but then these two other visitors I had talked to throughout the day asked if I wanted to head back to the hotel. I was like, "yes!". However, I feel like since where you are going to is an actual interview, I would have stayed for a little bit before heading back to connect with grad students and other applicants, if I was in your position. Don't push your limits, though. If you are tired, go to bed. It's good to make connections, but you also want to be well-rested during your interview weekend.
Also, remember that you aren't the only one who won't know anyone nor the only introvert that will be there. Everyone has to get over that initial hump of introductions, and sadly extroverts seem to have an easier time at this, but you totally got this! Good luck with the interview!!!

@thejellybean
So, I visited the University of Michigan for Biomedical Engineering last October. It wasn’t for an internview, more a just to visit and get to know the campus (all expenses were paid). I have also had two phone interviews this year, so I am basing what I am saying on these experiences. 
First off, take deep breaths. Keep reminding yourself to do so. Also, remember that you aren’t the only one there that is nervous and the faculty have been in your place at some point and will know your nerves. I think they might have scheduled them for three hours so you have sufficient amount of time to talk with them and maybe explore their labs and possibly talk with grad students. I wouldn’t think they would expect you to talk with them for three hours. You could always ask whoever has been emailing you about this visit so you can have more clear details and maybe reduce your nerves a little. As said above, be familiar with your research interests, your past research experiences, and why you want to pursue a PhD, and why at this specific school/program. I would familiarize yourself with the faculty’s research. Read one or two recent papers and look up info on their lab website. Also, think of some questions you might have for them pertaining to their research, their lab dynamics, the department, the university, and the town of the university. You can look up  interview questions you may encounter. In my phone interviews, I was asked about my research interests (what were they and why?), where I think I will be in five years after grad school, what about their research interests me, and how I will handle the challenges (big learning curve) of getting a PhD.
I think business causal is good. I feel like only a few engineers do full business attire. When I was at my visit last year, some people went all out with nice skirts and pantsuits, but most girls wore slacks, blouses, cardigans, and flats or boots. I think your earrings will be okay as long as they are not super distracting. I have a double ear piercing, and I think it was fine for me. 
Also, take lots of notes and drink lots of water. Wear comfortable shoes yet business causal shoes as well, like flats with some cushion. 
I am sure you will do great! Just believe in yourself. Faculty, even though intimidating, are people and human as well, so they aren’t perfect and understand you at personal level what you are going through (if they don’t, I feel like that’s a red flag in my opinion). Good luck! You got this!

@sgaw10 So, I have some advice from my experience with visiting the University of Michigan in October. It wasn't an interview, just a visit weekend, however I still had many awkward moments.
The first hour is going to be awful because you have to continuously convince yourself to interact with people. You don't have to be the person talking all the time, but engaging in conversation can be tough since you barely know anyone. However, once you get over that, I feel like it gets better. You will start finding people to connect with, and wouldn't mind being quiet around, especially if they are introvert themselves.
As people said, it will be exhausting. When in Michigan, grad students took visitors to a bar after dinner and some ice cream. Once we arrived, I was really not feeling it, especially after waking up at 6:30am that morning, visiting various labs, talking with faculty, touring the campus, meeting a lot of new people, and going to presentations. I was exhausted, but then these two other visitors I had talked to throughout the day asked if I wanted to head back to the hotel. I was like, "yes!". However, I feel like since where you are going to is an actual interview, I would have stayed for a little bit before heading back to connect with grad students and other applicants, if I was in your position. Don't push your limits, though. If you are tired, go to bed. It's good to make connections, but you also want to be well-rested during your interview weekend.
Also, remember that you aren't the only one who won't know anyone nor the only introvert that will be there. Everyone has to get over that initial hump of introductions, and sadly extroverts seem to have an easier time at this, but you totally got this! Good luck with the interview!!!

No, sadly. I think it can take awhile for the contracts to be written, I hope. I just got the letter of acceptance from the school, so we shall see!

I am definitely am on the same boat as you. I applied to PhD programs to University of Florida and University of Michigan for biomedical engineering and Cal Tech for medical engineering, and they have interviews and I didn't get invited. :'''''''((((( I am sure there are others schools that I don't know about, too.
I honestly don't know what that means when this happens, but I am still trying to be hopeful. I am going to keep my head up (with tears in my eyes) until they tell me that I have been rejected.

Hi all!!
I noticed there were a decent amount of people on here applying for MSE graduate degrees, so I figured I would make this. Good luck to everyone!
Use the template below to plug in your applicant information:
_________________________________________
Undergrad Institution (approx. rank/reputation in STEM): 
Major(s): 
Minor(s): 
GPA in Major: x.xx/4.00
Overall GPA: x.xx/4.00
Demographics/Background: 

GRE Scores:
Q: xxx (xx%)
V: xxx (xx%)
W: x.x (xx%)

LOR: 

Research Experience: 
 
Publications/Abstracts/Presentations:
 
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: 
 
Fellowships/Funding:
 
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 
 
Other Miscellaneous Accomplishments:
 
Anything else in your application that might matter (faculty connections, etc.):
 
Research Interests:
 
Institutions/Programs:
 
Comments:

Wow, congrats! This is awesome! Yay! Happy for you! Yeah, this means you are officially a fellow now! 

Wow, congrats! This is awesome! Yay! Happy for you! Yeah, this means you are officially a fellow now! 

I’d say take time for yourself. I can attest that rest is important, especially when you are about to start a long and challenging journey. I am currently taking a gap year, and I don’t regret it one bit. 

Oh no, I am so sorry :(.

I would also recommend following up interviewers with a thank you email if you are very passionate about the program. It probably doesn't affect the decision, but it's a nice gesture and hopefully ensures that they don't forget about you. I sent a few today and have received positive responses, although these were for in-person interviews.

I was just visiting a friend in Boston, and Boston U’s location is so nice!  That sounds like an awesome place to do grad school.

That’s awesome! Congrats on those invites! I have only been invited to one so far at Boston University. 

Hi y'all,
So quick question for you all...my computer is currently dying a very slow death. It's gone from being able to last days to holding a FULL battery for maybe 4 hours. It's gotten pretty bad, so I'm in the market for a new laptop. I've been using a macbook for the last 6 years. I like the simplicity of it. But, that being said, I'm open to other idea's. I've been doing some research into the Microsoft Surface laptop which seems pretty close to the macbook.
 
What does everyone else use? I'm looking for something with great battery life, easy to use, and will last me through my masters and (hopefully) Ph.D.
Thank you all in advance!

Mistakes that occurred when sending invitation
I was waiting for my invitation if I ever got one from Caltech for the Feb 14-16 visit. I saw that people received them on Jan 25 and I was like, I never got one! Will I get it? Because I had a skype interview with a POI. I was not sure if I made a good impression with him because my interview was about 20 minutes which was short in my opinion. So today, I emailed the PI, asking if I will get an invitation, if not, please let me know so I can consider other options because I really like Caltech. Turned out, he assumed that I have gotten one but I never did and he contacted the department. The manager resent me a new one. Turned out, my email was copied wrong. 
If I never emailed them back, chances are I would not have been invited at all because I don't think they would go back and follow up with students who did not RSVP. 

This year they are doing skype interviews to determine which applicants they want to offer admissions. Then there is an onsite visit which is purely recruitment for those admitted. 

I wish I could be like Oprah and pass out acceptances to everyone. "You get an acceptance! And you get an acceptance! You all get acceptances!"

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! 

Aww, thanks! I have had two phone interviews with UConn professors and one skype interview with a UW Seattle professor. I was just recently accepted to and invited to an Open House at Boston University. I am very happy about that at least!
I hope your applications are going well! I am sorry to hear about MIT, though :(.

I wish I could be like Oprah and pass out acceptances to everyone. "You get an acceptance! And you get an acceptance! You all get acceptances!"

Honestly? High key considering living as a guest in a monastery for a year. Nothing like some peace and quiet to recover from it all...