Pre-application interviews

[TheDude]

I had some good research overlaps with a couple programs and was invited to meet in the office of advisors of interest and visit the program before applying.

This is a little weird but I think a good sign. The one problem is I don't really know how to handle it. I don't want to ask about funding situations if I haven't applied, even though I know how the school issues that stuff. There are a slew of things I plan on asking interviews in February, but it all seems very preliminary to do that now. I figured just talk about the advisors new research. Come with some general ideas within their domains of research and talk about my research. I have 1 hour to 45 minutes in both programs. Does this sound okay? If you have more advice please let me know.

Lastly, I don't know if I should bring a copy of my CV being that I haven't applied yet. I'd like to as it outlines what I've accomplished thus far really nicely. I also have a paper under-review I don't know if I should bring? I'd have to get the "okay" from an advisor. Would these be pretentious moves? I wouldn't throw them out in the meeting, but maybe at the end or something? I also don't want to collude for potential applicants.

Basically, I don't want to suck!!!! These people don't know me and I guess based off my initial email to them outlining my research and interest in the program they are willing to give me 1 hour in the busiest time of the year for them.

[newms]

I had some good research overlaps with a couple programs and was invited to meet in the office of advisors of interest and visit the program before applying.

This is a little weird but I think a good sign. The one problem is I don't really know how to handle it. I don't want to ask about funding situations if I haven't applied, even though I know how the school issues that stuff. There are a slew of things I plan on asking interviews in February, but it all seems very preliminary to do that now. I figured just talk about the advisors new research. Come with some general ideas within their domains of research and talk about my research. I have 1 hour to 45 minutes in both programs. Does this sound okay? If you have more advice please let me know.

Lastly, I don't know if I should bring a copy of my CV being that I haven't applied yet. I'd like to as it outlines what I've accomplished thus far really nicely. I also have a paper under-review I don't know if I should bring? I'd have to get the "okay" from an advisor. Would these be pretentious moves? I wouldn't throw them out in the meeting, but maybe at the end or something? I also don't want to collude for potential applicants.

Basically, I don't want to suck!!!! These people don't know me and I guess based off my initial email to them outlining my research and interest in the program they are willing to give me 1 hour in the busiest time of the year for them.

I had a meeting with a prospective advisor last month, so I can give you some advice. The fact that they are willing to meet with you is a good sign! - some profs don't encourage applicants to email them. Basically, come prepared to talk about your research interests - what you have done and what you want to do. Also, come prepared to ask questions about the program and the prof's current research, since a lot of times their websites aren't 100% up to date. I thought about bringing a CV myself and decided not to, since I could always email it to the prof after if he asked for it, and he's going to see it anyway in my app. He didn't ask for my CV, just about my background. You can bring it if you want, as well as the paper under review, but I wouldn't suggest you offer it - just have it in case they ask to see it. Definitely talk about the paper though. My meeting lasted 30 minutes - so 45 mins is a good amount of time. All the best!

Edited September 5, 2010 by newms

[TheDude]

This helps so much! I have tried to find the interviewer's CV, but the website just lists what I guess is their view of studies that meant the most to them or something. No official CV so I couldn't read about past research. I don't think it matters anyways because person switched research gears completely and hasn't published the new material yet. I conducted my study and wrote half the manuscript so I should be fine on any questions. There is just more uncertainty than I'm happy with. I would have liked to read more of their past work.

Thanks so much!!

[newms]

I'm glad to help. Here's the post I made when I was meeting with the potential advisor: American in Beijing had some great advice.

[TheDude]

Well just an update: This went fantastic. So much so that I think my current advisor thinks I'm crazy for being tempered. It definitely helped to solidify the program as 1 on my list. I have more details that I'd like to divulge, but I want to keep my anonymity.

[Kitkat]

I think this has been a wonderful start to this topic, but I have been wondering about another aspect. Many of the programs that I have been looking at have said that I (or anybody interested in applying) should contact possible advisors, and possibly do a pre-application interview, if said advisors are willing. Does anybody have any advice on how best to go about this sort of thing?

[newms]

Well just an update: This went fantastic. So much so that I think my current advisor thinks I'm crazy for being tempered. It definitely helped to solidify the program as 1 on my list. I have more details that I'd like to divulge, but I want to keep my anonymity.

I'm glad it went well! Be sure to follow up with the prof without seeming to 'pester' him/her. Easier said that done, I know

[newms]

I think this has been a wonderful start to this topic, but I have been wondering about another aspect. Many of the programs that I have been looking at have said that I (or anybody interested in applying) should contact possible advisors, and possibly do a pre-application interview, if said advisors are willing. Does anybody have any advice on how best to go about this sort of thing?

Make sure to read the prof's website and in particular any section about contacting him/her. If s/he is amenable to being contacted, just send him/her an email giving a brief background about yourself and your research interests. You could also mention that you read a recent paper of theirs and found it interesting and that you would like to pursue research in a similar area in grad school. Possibly you could suggest or ask about an idea for new research resulting from the paper. Then ask them if they would be willing to meet with you. I know composing an email like this can be nerve-racking (I've been there) but just do it!

[matilda]

I did what the previous post mentioned - I contacted some of the prof.I found interesting to work with, and they replied!!!

So go for it. It cannot do you any damage.

[newms]

I did what the previous post mentioned - I contacted some of the prof.I found interesting to work with, and they replied!!!

So go for it. It cannot do you any damage.

I'm glad it worked out well!

[Medievalmaniac]

A lot of people recommend not contacting professors ahead of applying. The argument is that it seems like sucking up, or like you expect them to drop everything and cater to you and you are not even in their program yet, i.e. they are too busy to meet with prospective candidates at all but the smallest departments. I disagree with this, and am glad you are taking a proactive approach.

In my opinion, based on my experiences applying to programs, on talking with professors at multiple programs and especially at conferences, and my discussions with fellow graduate students, a lot of unnecessary stress, misery and dissatisfaction (and wasted money on transcripts and application fees) can be prevented with a simply inquiry to the persons of interest prior to application.

Any good professor, or good department, will be willing to accommodate reasonable requests for information. They are, ultimately, looking for the next round of cohorts in their program, and they want the best candidates they can get. This means they should be willing to look at the work of prospective students and to have the chance to evaluate them ahead of the game. They are under no obligation to give an interview, to have a face-to-face meeting, or to promise you they want you if you apply. But answering some well-chosen questions concerning the department, their own expectations, and where they are in their careers is not (or should not be) a major hardship or extra burden, and anyone who feels you are out of line contacting him or her before applying to a program seems (again, in my opinion) to be somewhat arrogant.

For the applicant - if you are researching programs online, and the faculty page lists research interests, but was last updated 8 years ago, or even 3 years ago - how can we know what the professor is currently working on without contacting him or her? I tend to cyber-stalk people I want to work with, checking through Amazon and Academia.edu to see if they have anything new out, and scanning conference proceedings. But you can't do that for every professor in every program you are interested in as an applicant. An email to a professor stating "I understand that your past research has included x,y, and z, which complements the work I do in a,b and c; can you tell me if you are still working in this area?" is acceptable. Another set of issues are those of tenure, and of retirement. It's not going to do you any good to apply to Big University to work in Bioethics if none of their Bioethics professors is a tenured faculty member - what are you going to do if your advisor ends up leaving the program before you finish? Or, what good is it to apply to Top Ten School to work with Professor I'm-the-Bomb, if she's not taking on any more graduate students because she's retiring? Ditto the professor who already has a full slate of cohorts and isn't taking on new graduate students now. It's a good idea to check with the professors you want to work with to see if they are able to acommodate you - and I think it is also a courtesy so to do. You respect the professor and admire his or her work, and you don't want to waste his/her the department's time applying if that's the main reason for your choice. Why is that bad? I think it is professional, and shows that you are a respectful individual who understands the academic world.

I think appropriate, pre-appplication contact includes a brief introduction (like a sentence or two) of you and what you are interested in, two or three focused questions about the professor and/or program (E.g. Are you still working in the psychological profiling of individuals whose record includes repeat offenses of petty larcency? And are you currently taking on graduate advisees to your project?), and a polite "thank you for any information you are able to provide me with to help me narrow down my choices in this matter" closing. Obviously, you shouldn't send them emails rambling on and on about why you are applying and why you think they should accept you and asking very general questions you can find the answers to elsewhere on the website. But if you have questions only the professor or someone in the department can answer, it's better to ask than to get accepted, go, and be disappointed in your choice.

This is, quite simply, your future on the line. You have the right to have the information you need to make an informed decision about it.

[matilda]

Te tell the truth, reading the previous post - I did ramble about myself...but, take that from someone that never had a chance to talk face-to-face to a professor from range of US universities. I was just honest. I said this is who I am, this is where I work, this is what I am currently working on. So, I admire your work on xyz matter, which is in collision of what I do right now, but on a broader level. Could you be interested in being my advisor, etc. I was VERY honest, simply because I did not know better. And the best school for my interest, and the best professor I can imagine - said: I would be happy to be your advisor. There are some good advices from other members on the forum, just read them, and follow your guts.

[Kitkat]

I agree with what says in the fact that it is good for the individual to want to talk to the schools that they want to apply to, it is also good for the school as well. It helps weed out the people who they do not see as a good fit for them even before the application process begins. So really, it is good for both sides if you contact professors before hand. I know that for the sciences they do like to hear from candidates beforehand who sound out research possibilities before hand, mainly so they do not waste time during the application, and it could help even prevent a situation where you end up in a program that you are not happy with.

[TMP]

Very much in agreement what's being said. If you interview well and have good social skills (or at least relate to academics), you'll come off positively to potential advisers. They'll be on the lookout for your application. My adviser is certainly urging me to do so and I'm setting up appointments at schools that I can easily visit over the next few months. If the idea of an interview completely freaks you out, just look at it as a chance to network. Even if you don't feel that it went well as you'd like, you learned something about that professor, who may, then be a source of contact for a future project or opportunity.

Definitely keep your chin up throughout this process!

[oiseauaudio]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to add my two cents, since I've had 2 pre-application interviews so far.

I'm applying to PhD and MA programs in Education.

After corresponding with several professors at UCSC via email, I arranged to meet with them to talk further about the program and my "fit."

I met with 2 professors last week, and thought i'd share my thoughts.

I wore a nice skirt and shirt, sort of business-casual, with nice black flats.

One of the professors was very difficult to talk to and really impersonal. I met him in his office on campus

He was very blunt, and pretty much the first thing he asked was "Why do you want to study here?" and "Why do you want a PhD?"

I was a bit intimidated, but tried my best to answer his questions without being thrown off guard.

It's really important to me that the professor will be approachable, since if admitted, I'll be working with them for 5-7 years!

The next professor I met with was lovely. She's British and I met her at her house, and had a cup of tea in her garden.

Although she was really easy to talk to, she thought that I wasn't a good match with what the professors in the department were working on, even though she had been very positive and encouraging via email.

Oh well, at least I know that I am not going to apply there now!

Also, I'm speaking with a professor at UC Berkeley this week, so can add more comments on this thread afterwards.

I am also flying to Philadelphia to meet with some professors at UPenn, and also traveling to Cambridge to meet with 3 Harvard professors, who have all be very encouraging and told me i'd be a good fit with the department.

I'll let you know what happens!

[oiseauaudio]

Also, the first professor asked me which other schools I was applying to.

Hope this helps!

[newms]

Also, the first professor asked me which other schools I was applying to.

Was he giving you advice on which schools he thought you would be a good fit at? I ask because usually schools/profs ask this kind of question after you have applied and they are wondering if you would enroll if they gave you an admit.

[eucalyptus]

Was he giving you advice on which schools he thought you would be a good fit at? I ask because usually schools/profs ask this kind of question after you have applied and they are wondering if you would enroll if they gave you an admit.

I also got asked this question before I applied. In fact, of all the times I was asked (which was a lot, both pre- and post-application), very few of them sounded like they were trying to find out if I'd accept an offer. Generally, they just sounded curious who else I was considering working with - partly to see if my applications sounded focused, and partly to suggest other people (or ask why I hadn't applied with other people). I did have one prof whose response was "oh crap, if you apply to Harvard they're going to accept you, and then you'll go there instead of here", but he admitted me anyway (he was right).

[TMP]

It's more of benchmarking issue for the departments. They want to know how they're going to stand against certain programs. It's true that they know applicants will choose a higher ranked school if possible, but they'd like to try to be prepared with money to lure them away. Smart students do usually follow the money. When I told a prof about my other schools when he asked, he didn't seem to worry even though he probably knew that other schools offered much more opportunities than his program could. But he wasn't concerned- the next thing he said that his program routinely gives out $20,000 stipend/year. The highest of any programs I was applying to. Enough said to make any applicant go there.

If the program doesn't have a lot of money, they can say "oh crap." It's about competition and money.

So, never be afraid to answer this kind of question. If they don't think they can afford to lure you away, they can gamble by admitting you and see what you do (taking a precious spot from someone else), or just not take the chances and let you go.

That's my sense from talking to a couple of programs where professors did ask about my financial need and other schools I was looking at.

[warpspeed]

Just to add a note, I recently did a pre-application interview with a top 10 school (top 3 in my field) and met with 5 of their faculty members individually. All my meetings were at least an hour and 2 of the individuals weren't even on my list of realistic advisors, more of reaches in regards to common interests. Even while talking it became clear we didn't have matching interests, but they were EXTREMELY positive and happy I took the time to meet with them, even thanked me a few times (which was funny because I was thanking them!). They were also very encouraging about my application, even though I wouldn't be their student. Bottom line, good universities want good students for ALL of their faculty and will put in that time to speak and meet with them.

Also, I think it makes you look foolish if you DON'T ask about funding. That's an important part of choosing a graduate program! I wouldn't come off the bat asking for offers, but asking general funding questions about the program only makes you look like a student who is truly evaluating their program as serious decision.

Also, the Director of Graduate studies at mentioned program seemed extremely impressed when I told him my potential program list. He actually complemented me on my selections and it seemed to make a positive impression.

[Kitkat]

With reading their previous work, how much should read? Just an article or two? Stuff that you are interested? The things that you would like continuing work on? And does it matter how recent it was do you think?

[matilda]

With reading their previous work, how much should read? Just an article or two? Stuff that you are interested? The things that you would like continuing work on? And does it matter how recent it was do you think?

Well, since I was looking for someone that REALLY works on what I am interested in, I looked at couple of their most recent papers, and overviewed some of the projects they did. If they sound appealing - you will read further. I haven't mention any of the things they did. I was let's say, more focused on myself, and what is my proposal, so that they see that I "do" the same thing. Or at least I am interested in. So, I didn't read like 100 articles, no. Just a couple.

[Kitkat]

Since they are pre-application interviews, and some are with easy travel distance from me, at least the ones that I an looking at, does anyone have specific topics to talk about? Is it just a matter about why I am interested in their programs? Many of the programs I am looking at say that it is a good idea to contact them to look around and get to know the program even before applying. Any good areas in general to cover for this? Assuming that I have read certain professors background that looks similar to what I want to do? And advice on the best way to present oneself? How to put your best foot forward?

[Kitkat]

First, I am doing this just to bump up this thread because I have been finding it useful, and two, I have new questions along this line and dont think a new thread should be started.

So I am about to start emailing POI's for this falls application season. The main thing that I am curious about is a couple of the POI's I am looking at working at two schools that I am considering applying to. Should I mention that I am looking at both schools? Would it be reasonable to ask them what they think makes each program strong/weak? One of them got accreditation for the program I am looking at just a few years ago, but like I said same adviser and the program looks interesting, but the other one is Columbia U, so well established school and program.