Interview preparation

[Butitwaslaundryday]

I have an interview coming up (only on the phone), and I am extremely nervous. Not only do I feel like I don't know anything, but like I also won't know how to answer when under such pressure. What kinds of questions do you folks think interviewers are likely to ask in general? My concentration is the cross-section between music and French/Russian/English literature, in the 19th/20th century. I cited Joyce, Kuprin, Mallarme, Verlaine, Tolstoy, and cited my interest in theory as stemming from Bakhtin and Voloshinov, in addition to Adorno, Pater, and (J) Goethe. Is there anything else anyone can think of I could also read up on or review to prepare on my interview? Any ESSENTIAL critics I might be asked about for French/Russian literature--especially that might have to do with music?

What do they really ask during an interview, anyway? Is it to grill me? Will they test my Russian and French? (I didn't lie about my level of fluency, but I'm still worried!)

Thanks so much ahead of time for the advice! God knows I need it.

Tell me about your experiences with interviews--please please please!

Edited March 2, 2010 by Butitwaslaundryday

[divinemg]

I have an interview coming up (only on the phone), and I am extremely nervous. Not only do I feel like I don't know anything, but like I also won't know how to answer when under such pressure. What kinds of questions do you folks think interviewers are likely to ask in general? My concentration is the cross-section between music and French/Russian/English literature, in the 19th/20th century. I cited Joyce, Kuprin, Mallarme, Verlaine, Tolstoy, and cited my interest in theory as stemming from Bakhtin and Voloshinov, in addition to Adorno, Pater, and (J) Goethe. Is there anything else anyone can think of I could also read up on or review to prepare on my interview? Any ESSENTIAL critics I might be asked about for French/Russian literature--especially that might have to do with music?

What do they really ask during an interview, anyway? Is it to grill me? Will they test my Russian and French? (I didn't lie about my level of fluency, but I'm still worried!)

Thanks so much ahead of time for the advice! God knows I need it.

Tell me about your experiences with interviews--please please please!

Hi!

I had a couple of "interviews" in early February and I was completely stressed out (I had already been accepted by phone, so I suppose I had no reason to freak out, but I still did). My experience, however, was great. I highly doubt you will be grilled. I would think that they want to make you feel comfortable--it would do them no good to scare you away or hurt the chances that you will attend in the fall.

Mostly, I was asked about my research interests, my writing sample, and what I plan to do as a graduate. I thought of this as a chance to give an extended statement of purpose. Keep your SOP with you while you are on the phone as well as notes on additional interests/research goals that you might not have been able to fit into your official SOP. This will also help if a particular question paralyzes you in some way-- you will have something to fall back on/to help you verbalize your answer!

I wouldn't worry, though. My notes made me feel better but I didn't even use them. I think it was just comforting to know I had them in case.

If the conversation allows for it, I think another important thing would be to ask whoever it is you are speaking with about their current research. You can also mention your interests in other professors as well. Before my interviews, I reviewed/read up on the most recent scholarship of faculty members in my area and closely related subfields; I also checked out which classes/seminars they were teaching. You might also talk about how this research has inspired your own readings or interests. This will help reinforce the idea of a good fit.

Don't freak--you will be great! Be yourself. This is the best time to let them see who you are and what you're personality is like. You made it through the process of being judged on paper, which is a great sign!

[divinemg]

I have an interview coming up (only on the phone), and I am extremely nervous. Not only do I feel like I don't know anything, but like I also won't know how to answer when under such pressure. What kinds of questions do you folks think interviewers are likely to ask in general? My concentration is the cross-section between music and French/Russian/English literature, in the 19th/20th century. I cited Joyce, Kuprin, Mallarme, Verlaine, Tolstoy, and cited my interest in theory as stemming from Bakhtin and Voloshinov, in addition to Adorno, Pater, and (J) Goethe. Is there anything else anyone can think of I could also read up on or review to prepare on my interview? Any ESSENTIAL critics I might be asked about for French/Russian literature--especially that might have to do with music?

What do they really ask during an interview, anyway? Is it to grill me? Will they test my Russian and French? (I didn't lie about my level of fluency, but I'm still worried!)

Thanks so much ahead of time for the advice! God knows I need it.

Tell me about your experiences with interviews--please please please!

I thought of something else! I'm sure they'll ask you why the program is a good fit for you. Perhaps on top of talking about your interests and faculty, you should also mention the school's library collections, especially if they are strong in your field...?

[Butitwaslaundryday]

Hi!

I had a couple of "interviews" in early February and I was completely stressed out (I had already been accepted by phone, so I suppose I had no reason to freak out, but I still did). My experience, however, was great. I highly doubt you will be grilled. I would think that they want to make you feel comfortable--it would do them no good to scare you away or hurt the chances that you will attend in the fall.

Mostly, I was asked about my research interests, my writing sample, and what I plan to do as a graduate. I thought of this as a chance to give an extended statement of purpose. Keep your SOP with you while you are on the phone as well as notes on additional interests/research goals that you might not have been able to fit into your official SOP. This will also help if a particular question paralyzes you in some way-- you will have something to fall back on/to help you verbalize your answer!

I wouldn't worry, though. My notes made me feel better but I didn't even use them. I think it was just comforting to know I had them in case.

If the conversation allows for it, I think another important thing would be to ask whoever it is you are speaking with about their current research. You can also mention your interests in other professors as well. Before my interviews, I reviewed/read up on the most recent scholarship of faculty members in my area and closely related subfields; I also checked out which classes/seminars they were teaching. You might also talk about how this research has inspired your own readings or interests. This will help reinforce the idea of a good fit.

Don't freak--you will be great! Be yourself. This is the best time to let them see who you are and what you're personality is like. You made it through the process of being judged on paper, which is a great sign!

Hey, thank you so much for the support--I really feel better. Okay, so to break it down and reiterate, I should prepare more research interests of mine (go more in depth), what I plan to do as a graduate, re-read my writing sample (although actually my writing sample wasn't particularly relevant to my proposed plan of study), look up professors and their work to show how I'm a good fit and how their work has informed my own interests, and another thing I thought of--prepare to explain how I became interested in my research interests, initially. Also, look up professors' classes and seminars that they have taught in the past (and classes they will be teaching in the future, if available!)

Thanks enormously!