Modulus

That should be totally fine. In fact, I've not brought along any copies during my interviews. If asked I will offer to e-mail it to them, but I've been on 7 interviews and have not been asked once.

Schools that offer money for you to travel for a visit are interested in recruiting you. If there was absolutely no chance you would go then maybe you would want to turn down the offer to visit, but if you can give them a chance to impress you and you have the time and ability to visit, I think you should do so! You should not feel guilty about spending their money. They will understand if you choose a different opportunity in the end.

As a slightly older female applicant, I had some concerns about this. I have been happily surprised at how many (if not all) of the programs I have visited are openly supportive of graduate students who have or start families! I do not believe I will be having children either but a program that supports this is very attractive to me as a place where it is understood that life still happens to grad students. I think it is very hard to imagine anyone asking about your family status in a grad student interview. It is not allowed. I have been told that these questions are frequently asked when you're applying for faculty jobs, however...

I know that UIUC has not finished it's process but that there have been some interviews? From what my contact says it seems like they are doing things differently than they have in previous years.

I have to say that I've never heard this sort of question on an interview. I think most graduate students/professors understand that in our scant free time many of us take a break from heavy intellectual lifting. The closest I have gotten to this question is what I like to do in my free time. I'd suggest thinking of a particularly unique and interesting hobby you have and lining that up as your answer!

I had 3 rounds where this happened to me. Feel free to PM for more info.

I do black flats or black booties depending upon the weather for walking tours and have black heels to swap out for more stationary events. (I feel stumpy in flats, but really, go for whatever is your own preference. This isn't the time to learn to walk in heels, for example.)

I just got a really positive response on interview for being honest and saying that while I seek a research career I do find the idea of clinical work to be exciting, but that I had never done anything of the sort so I wasn't sure what my skills would be like or how I would find it in practice. I was explicitly told that this was a good answer and they were very skeptical when clients came in talking about how good they'd be at clinical work and how much they were going to like it unless they had explicit experience providing treatment before. Note: This was a program on the Clinical Science model so others may be better for advice for more balanced or clinically-oriented programs.

I've got a little summary I made at the beginning of the process earlier in this thread, but yeah I will definitely consider something like that after the actual interviews are finished haha.

Thank you. I am incredibly fortunate to be in this position, but I will say it is validating after multiple prior rounds (3 and then a year where I applied to only one school) to finally be doing this all right somehow. I am also fortunate to be in a financial and employment situation which is allowing me to do this travel. I will be attending 10 out of 11 interviews (hoping for 11/12, come on UIUC) because I need to get this right. I have been advised to take as many interviews as possible, even if I initially think a place will be a worse fit/location/etc. because so much rides on just what feels right. I was unable to fit the 11th in my schedule (either scheduled date or any alternates) and completed a Skype interview. I cannot complain because again, I really acknowledge how privileged I am, but I will say that I am running on coffee and clif bars.

Oof. I was told earlier in the season that their interview date would be 2/15-2/16? I guess that changed? Did you happen to get dates? (I've been holding out regarding travel plans...)

I got an interview invite from Minnesota today for the CSPR program.

School: University of Washington Type: Clinical Child PhD Date of invite: 1/24/20 Type of invite: E-mail from POI Interview date(s): 2/23-2/24 ----- School: University of Minnesota Type: Clinical PhD Date of invite: 1/24/20 Type of invite: E-mail from Associate Director of Graduate Studies Interview date(s): 2/20-2/22

I'm with you in this hectic time. If you are not a fearful flyer, I would suggest doing what I am doing and treating plane time as me time. Pleasure reading, catching up on podcasts, etc. I'm off work and interview prep on the planes. It's not the greatest relaxation admittedly, but I've been making do.

Keep your eyes open around March or April. It is possible that some newer programs (especially those in the Deep South) will solicit a second round of applications then. I believe Mississippi State did this last year.

As others have said, I wonder what your research interests look like. Can you expand on that? Do you feel you had good match with faculty you applied to work with?

I know for sure that they met last week. Not sure why invites haven't gone out or when they'll send though. My contact had said this past Monday, but that came and went...

That second question is the worst for me but I actually got a description of me from my mentor that is sort of witty--"not easygoing, but easy to get along with" which I've been able to work in conversation and show that I have an idea of my good and bad traits. (I clarified that he meant that I was a pretty determined, disciplined person, but that despite that, I wasn't stern or cold.) I might suggest that you ask someone how they'd describe you (someone who you can trust to be honest) and then go from there!

Just to double check with current graduate students who might be lurking. It's totally cool to be upfront that I just don't drink? Like, I don't need to play the "hold a glass and pretend" game, right? Like "Nah, I don't drink, but thanks. You have any seltzer?" I just don't want to seem like a stick in the mud. I don't want future potential colleagues to see me as someone who can't relax and have fun once in a while.

I am not sure if interview invites are all out, but their interview date is February 1st. Feel free to DM for PI.

School: University of Washington Type: Clinical Child PhD Date of invite: 1/13 Type of invite: Zoom preliminary interview. Email from PI Interview date(s): Clinical Child interviews will be held on 2/24, not the department date in march

I would like to know this too. I am planning to tone things down a bit for alternate interviews I think. Especially where I'm the only one coming out. Blazer, pencil skirt and dress shirt. I'm bringing a carry on and yeah at worst you can change in the airport bathroom.

As of last week, the department had not met yet.

I think what I plan to do is do a quick CV recap as everyone says, but maybe with a little personal flavor fact at the end? Sort of a "And when I'm not doing all that, I like to..." I think it could help to show that you're not a research robot. (But you have to suss out the interviewer and program to see if this approach makes sense.)

I have been having mine in my office at work. I think a library might be too distracting. You want a neutral background where you can be the focus. I think your bedroom desk should be fine as long as the view of your bedroom is very tidy.