anti-anonymous

Area: CS/ML/bio

Same. I got the acceptance email.

I can confirm shannon58. I've had a few interviews (with the same group) and the PI said decisions should be out early February.

Professor I contacted said interviews are standard in their lab. That said, you can imagine if the professor already knows the applicant pretty well (e.g. joined the lab as a undergrad or masters) then there is no need to interview. It seems bizarre to me a prof would accept a student, fund them, mentor them, etc without getting to know the student on a personal level beyond what's on paper. I wouldn't believe everything online as a steadfast rule :).