Interview: How to arrange one

[blaisec]

Hi,

Would like to hear how you arranged an interview with professors in your area of interest. I'm applying to a PhD program.

I thought an innocent way to get to know a professor would be to ask if I could sit in on one of their classes-- just one time. I live in the area of the schools where I'm applying. Out of 4 potential professors in one university's department, 3 have said no. The common thread was that it would be disruptive to the class. Don't know how that could be since I would just be sitting there quiet.

Anyway, that didn't seem to work. Don't know if I can generalize about other universities or if this is a isolated thing.

Please share your experience. I'm a little intimidated now asking for an interview after getting rejected from my request to sit in on their class

[adaptations]

In general, once you are accepted the department and professors will be happy to accommodate such requests. That said, I am not surprised they declined your request at this point. If you have legitimate questions you want to know about the professors' research or departments, I would just email them.

[newms]

Hi,

Would like to hear how you arranged an interview with professors in your area of interest. I'm applying to a PhD program.

I thought an innocent way to get to know a professor would be to ask if I could sit in on one of their classes-- just one time. I live in the area of the schools where I'm applying. Out of 4 potential professors in one university's department, 3 have said no. The common thread was that it would be disruptive to the class. Don't know how that could be since I would just be sitting there quiet.

Anyway, that didn't seem to work. Don't know if I can generalize about other universities or if this is a isolated thing.

Please share your experience. I'm a little intimidated now asking for an interview after getting rejected from my request to sit in on their class

Yeah, just email them. Maybe you can ask to meet with them to talk about your interests and their interests as a prospective applicant. I wouldn't ask to sit in a class though, and I'm not surprised that the profs responded no. If you got accepted then maybe you could ask to sit in a class then.

Edited September 10, 2010 by newms

[fuzzylogician]

Sitting in on a class wouldn't get you what you're after and I'm not surprised the professors said no. If you'll just sit there in the back and not participate, how do you hope to make an impression on the professors? I don't understand how you think that would help your application at all. If you would show up once and participate -- yes, that could be disruptive to the other students who shouldn't have to have occasional visitors in their classes who show up just once a semester to impress the professor in order to improve their application for the next year.

Long story short, if you live nearby and have questions, schedule a meeting with the professors during their office hours and ask. You'd be advised to spend some time thinking about what you ask and how you represent yourself because the last thing you want is to make a bad impression.

ETA: personally I only had interviews with professors after I submitted my applications, and they were the ones who asked for the interview. In that case, it's much easier to schedule the interview: if it's just the one interview we just had an email conversation and decided on a time; if it was a visit day, the graduate secretary arranged my whole day so I could meet with several professors and students and sit in on relevant classes.

Edited September 10, 2010 by fuzzylogician

[rising_star]

There really is no need to sit on a class, as fuzzylogician has already indicated. I've only ever sat in on graduate seminars after being admitted and each time the professors sent me the readings in advance so I would be prepared to participate.

If you want to meet with faculty, email them explaining your interests and ask if you can arrange a meeting or meet with them during their office hours. But, honestly, you need a real reason for meeting with them other than hoping they'll remember your face when reading your application.

[blaisec]

Thanks for your replies. It is helpful to see how others did it. My request to sit in on their class was to get a feel for how they were as teachers, a glimpse into their personality and to find out if would I enjoy working with them, etc. It wasn't to try and impress them. I'm a natural born introvert so standing out is the last thing I want.

But that doesn't seem to be the correct route.so I'll take your advice and either meet with them after applying or email them to see if they are willing to set up a meeting.

thanks again

[rising_star]

My request to sit in on their class was to get a feel for how they were as teachers, a glimpse into their personality and to find out if would I enjoy working with them, etc. It wasn't to try and impress them.

Graduate school isn't really about the teaching that you receive. It's far more about research and the qualifications of the person you will be working under. So, what you need is to meet with them, determine if their personality as an advisor is one you can tolerate, and to talk to their current graduate students about their advising style, mentorship, etc.

Good luck!

[Medievalmaniac]

the graduate secretary arranged my whole day so I could meet with several professors and students and sit in on relevant classes.

This. If you are serious about it, contact the graduate secretary and ask to arrange a visit to the department. Let him/her know specifically which professor(s) you want to appoint with, if possible, and also ask if there would be a possibility of meeting with a few of the current graduate students.

Some departments will not grant interviews/appointments of this nature to prospective students, only those who have been accepted already. Be prepared for that possibility, and don't take it seriously, or as a sign, or anything silly like that...Top programs, with top professors, often discourage such appointments- if they were allowed, a program receiving hundreds of applications a year would never be able to maintain its academic/research standards, because the professors would have to devote far too much time to interviews. They usually just have one or two open house dates, on which prospective students can tour the campus and visit the department. Smaller departments, and those with less applicants each season, are often more willing to accommodate individual campus/department visits.