phone date with a professor

[You!Machine.]

[Re-posting from another forum in the hopes that someone might be able to offer some advice.]

I contacted a professor I am interested in working in at the top school in my subfield a few weeks back. I was hesitant to do it, but much to my surprise he emailed me back almost immediately, saying that my research sounds very promising and that if I'd like to set up a phone conversation, I could. I didn't really know how to reply to him, except I knew that I had to say yes.

So, two questions:

1) Have any other literature (or humanities based) applicants had this happen to them? In the sciences I understand, but I was taken aback by this offer.

2) Does anyone have any advice on how I should approach the phone call? I've already outlined my central interest in our email exchanges. Should I wait for questions or jump right into why I came to the topic I came to? Should I talk about some of my other ideas and secondary interests? Should I mention my statement of purpose at all? Should I ask for advice about what angles/key ideas to include/cut? Should I ask him to have a look at my statement of purpose or is that an absolute no-no?

I don't know what lines to draw, what to avoid and what to be sure to do...please help!

[Strangefox]

Should I ask him to have a look at my statement of purpose or is that an absolute no-no?

Just a thought: I think you should not do that. Perhaps the professor will offer his/her help - and that will be great. But asking him/her about that directly... I would not do that.

Be prepaid not just to tell about your academic interests, but also to ask questions about the program and may be the professor's works. In phone interviews they often ask you if you have any questions and having them is always good: it shows that you have done your homework, that you have researched the program and/or have read the professor's works - in other words, it shows that you very serious about applying to that place.

[Sparky]

I did this with profs at several programs. Including the one I now attend.

Don't mention your SOP at all, or (unless the prof asks, I guess) your GPA, GRE, anything like that. Especially not to ask for proofreading.

Mostly I let the prof guide the conversation. Most of them had a few questions for me along the lines of how I became interested in my topic, what I thought about a couple of recent books in my subfield, what my language abilities are (this may not be relevant for you), etc. And then of course the dreaded "Do you have any questions." The general guideline here is not to ask things that are answered on the program website. My major question--and this really did play a large role in my decision of where to apply in the first place--concerned average class size. I thrive on class discussions, so I wanted to make sure all the classes were seminar-style instead of lecture. That also, of course, gave me the chance to let the prof know I am a very enthusiastic and engaged students, without saying it in so many words. What is important to you may be different, however. Maybe you have questions about the advisor's style--how many times does s/he meet with advisees? Is there a good sense of community within the program? Is the guest speaker series as fantastic as the website makes it seem? What are the library resources like in your subfield? Will you have to order nearly every book from Interlibrary Loan, or are there two copies of all the major primary and secondary texts ripe to be plucked off the shelf? Are there any students there who do what you do? Are there opportunities for interdisciplinary work? (If it is an interdisciplinary program, how does the application work? Should you specify in your SOP which discipline you intend to concentrate in? I realize that contradicts my categorical don't-mention-the-SOP statement above. I think the way I phrased it was something like, "So, how do you declare which specific discipline is your focus? Is there a formal procedure?" Profs are not [usually] oblivion on wheels; the ones I spoke to for interdisciplinary programs all told me to mention it in my SOP but that it was certainly not official and students are not trapped into what they indicate on the application).

One professor did ask me about secondary interests, but none of the others broached the issue. So neither did I.

Good luck!

[DrFaustus666]

I'm also in humanities and have had several telephone interviews. They're really useful because you can not only show the interviewer how well you'd fit into their program, you can also get an idea if you'd like to work with this or that professor (and/or program).

If they want to talk to you over the telephone, it's probable, but not guaranteed, that they've already read your statement of purpose.

Be sure to be very upbeat and enthusiastic; if English is not your native language, don't apologize for any mistakes you might make in English--professors understand that you're under pressure and shouldn't hold any minor grammatical errors you make in spoken English against you. DO be sure to speak clearly though, and somewhat slowly if necessary.

[Strangefox]

That is a great advice! The examples of questions that you give are very helpful.

I have one question, though. When you were asking about the size if a class, you were applying to MA programs, right? I am applying to PhD programs and I guess this question would be pretty much irrelevant in my situation. I mean, they usually accept 5-10 people to PhD programs and you can find this information on their website. So these 5-10 people that they accept will constitute a class, right?

[Sparky]

That is a great advice! The examples of questions that you give are very helpful.

I have one question, though. When you were asking about the size if a class, you were applying to MA programs, right? I am applying to PhD programs and I guess this question would be pretty much irrelevant in my situation. I mean, they usually accept 5-10 people to PhD programs and you can find this information on their website. So these 5-10 people that they accept will constitute a class, right?

Ah. Class size means, to me, "average number of bodies in the classroom," not cohort size/number of incoming students. Actually, the profs tended to think I meant cohort size as well.

ETA: Good resource with further question suggestions, and also links to other lists of questions

Edited November 4, 2010 by Sparky

[Strangefox]

Ah. Class size means, to me, "average number of bodies in the classroom," not cohort size/number of incoming students. Actually, the profs tended to think I meant cohort size as well.

Ok, now I am confused. I am an international applicant, so my question might sound a bit stupid... But:

Let's say, a program accepts 10 students each year. So the average number of bodies in the classroom can be 10 maximum. Or not?

[Sparky]

Ok, now I am confused. I am an international applicant, so my question might sound a bit stupid... But:

Let's say, a program accepts 10 students each year. So the average number of bodies in the classroom can be 10 maximum. Or not?

Well, not all your classes are going to consist of all the first-year students! People specialize in different things--if you want to concentrate in, say, medieval literature, you might take a course in 20th century fiction, but probably not as many courses as someone who is actually specializing in 20th century fiction. Also, there is the matter of cross-listed classes (e.g. have undergraduates as well as grad students; or are open to students in multiple departments). And you'll have classes with students in all sorts of years, not just first-year PhD students. There isn't the same type of I-II-III progression like in a lot of sciences--you don't need to take "Chaucer & Death" as a prerequisite to "Langland & Apocalpyticism." And so forth.

This does vary based on program, and I don't know what it's like in sciences. But in humanities depts generally, that's how it is.

ETA: You don't sound stupid. Don't worry.

Edited November 4, 2010 by Sparky

[Strangefox]

Well, not all your classes are going to consist of all the first-year students!

That's a revelation for me, thanks! It is totally different in my country.

Now I will definetely ask professors about average class size

[kateow]

The best advice I ever got about these sorts of conversations (because the stress doesn't stop once you're admitted and attending--you start getting nervous about making appointments for office hours, to ask professors to sit on your committee(s) and read your exams), was that established professors usually know what they're doing. They know what kind of conversation you're supposed to be having with them. Because they've seen dozens of students in exactly the same position progress through all of these stages before. So it's ok to let them guide the conversation, unless you have something important to say or ask. Definitely come prepared with a couple of questions, but ideally it will be an organic dialogue that you will later discover went in all sorts of directions you didn't know it needed to. Because they know.

[Strangefox]

Definitely come prepared with a couple of questions

I would suggest at least a dozen

[nyrrac]

[Re-posting from another forum in the hopes that someone might be able to offer some advice.]

1) Have any other literature (or humanities based) applicants had this happen to them? In the sciences I understand, but I was taken aback by this offer.

2) Does anyone have any advice on how I should approach the phone call? I've already outlined my central interest in our email exchanges. Should I wait for questions or jump right into why I came to the topic I came to? Should I talk about some of my other ideas and secondary interests? Should I mention my statement of purpose at all? Should I ask for advice about what angles/key ideas to include/cut? Should I ask him to have a look at my statement of purpose or is that an absolute no-no?

1) I'm in a Linguistics program if that helps...

2) I had an interview with my potential supervisor over Skype as part of the admissions process and she already had (and read) my research proposal, CV, etc but she wanted me to explain in my own words

A) my research project in detail

how I came about having this proposal

C) what implications do I predict my research would have

D) whether this research is just a curiosity or I am really interested in academia

E) what do I foresee myself doing with the PhD

Basically these are the things that you would answer in your SOP. I waited for the questions and answered them (upon hindsight, it felt more like an interrogation than an interview ). I thought I screwed up the interview really badly so I decided to wing it with the "Do you have any questions for me?" question by asking her what she thought about my research proposal, how I could improve it and (I still can't believe that I asked...) what are my chances of getting admitted. I thought I had nothing to lose anyway. She told me how to improve my research proposal and gave me the standard "our admissions is very competitive" spiel.

Well, I guess you could start by really reading up on the area that you are interested in working on, think about your research proposal more (particularly how you are going to conduct the research, the ethics involved, the implications, etc) and the implications of your research (how would your research contribute to the current academic community of your field). You could ask, very politely, on the professor's thoughts on your research.

I hope this helps and all the best in your interview!

[kotov]

I just got an email from a POI at Central Michigan, whose books I had read before and who was the main reason I applied to Central Michigan. He liked my ideas that I had discussed with him in an email and says he would be happy to work with me if I got in. What can I expect to be asked in this call, what should I be prepared to talk about, and what does this mean for my chances of getting in? I'm a nervous wreck...