Is it an interview or an acceptance?

[Haustier]

So I got an email to attend campus in the coming weeks at a very prestigious university whose name I shall not mention. However, the invitation asked for a list of 3 (or more) professors that I would like to meet with during my visit. Now my question of course is: So is this an interview or am I pretty much accepted and they are trying to fit me w/ groups for 1st yr rotations? I mean if it was an acceptance then I would go ahead and commit right now (The only school higher on my list is MIT and thats really never going to happen as they have like 800 students for 5 seats). Opinions?

[newms]

I would prepare for interviews. If the email didn't say that you are admitted then don't assume so. That said, the fact that they are inviting you means that you are at least among the final candidates for admission. An even better sign would be inf they are offering to reimburse your travel - they wouldn't do that unless they are really interested. So I'd say while this is a very good sign, it's not necessarily an admit and I would prepare for interviews. You can also ask the department about what you can expect at the university when you visit - maybe you can ask for an itinerary, and ask if there'll be interviews. Best of luck!

Edited January 30, 2011 by newms

[LJK]

I would prepare for interviews. If the email didn't say that you are admitted then don't assume so. That said, the fact that they are inviting you means that you are at least among the final candidates for admission. An even better sign would be inf they are offering to reimburse your travel - they wouldn't do that unless they are really interested. So I'd say while this is a very good sign, it's not necessarily an admit and I would prepare for interviews. You can also ask the department about what you can expect at the university when you visit - maybe you can ask for an itinerary, and ask if there'll be interviews. Best of luck!

I concur with most of what newms says. I would be prepared to be interviewed rather than wooed as an accepted student. But I have seen the sentiment passed around on the boards a few times that if they reimburse you for travel that means they are 'really' interested. I think what really interested means varies a lot by field and school. At my current school where I am getting my MS, the department invites 15ish people to visit just about every year. Some years that is for 5 seats and some years that is for 2 seats. It is never as low as 2 to 1 or even this person is the one we want for this particular seat (this is for a field where admits go directly into a particular professor's lab). Some of the people invited last year were being interviewed for a seat they decided not to fill (which made me happy as a lowly MS student who could then be funded). Reimbursed travel does indicate the the school is interested in you and that you are on the short list, but you won't know how interested they are until you show up and see the amount of competition. While I feel like the level of interest indicated by an interview is sometimes a bit overstated, I do think it is a positive sign. Be ready to shine as the person they got the impression of through your application materials and you have a very good shot (even if the interview is 5 interviewees to 1 seat, that is way better than the original 50 applicants to 1 interview slot or whatever it was that you have survived.)

Be realistic and prepared. Good Luck!

[jaxzwolf]

I agree with both newms and LJK-- it's certainly a good sign, but it doesn't guarantee acceptance. I received an interview invite earlier this year, with reimbursed travel, and they asked me to make a list of 4 or 5 professors I'd be interested in meeting with while there. I found out the department is interviewing around 50 candidates for 10-16 spots, so although I'm taking it as a positive sign that I've passed the first cut, I know I'm not out of the woods yet. Every program is different, and perhaps yours is interviewing fewer candidates, or perhaps they've chosen their admits (including you) but want to make sure you're a good fit by having you out to visit before they make their final decision. Nonetheless, unless you have a definitive acceptance letter in your hand, I'd treat every visit like and interview and go in prepared. After all, the better prepared you are, and the more knowledgeable you are about the program, the better chance you'll have at impressing them and getting the acceptance letter!

[Haustier]

It would be clearer if I knew how many people were invited or even how many seats are open. However, the department only has about 60-something grad students at any time so I would assume there are no more than 6-10 open seats. They are paying for travel, hotel, and food so thats a good sign at least. Part of the reason that I was really unsure of things is out of the 5 or 6 professors I've chosen to meet with, 3 of them are from an allied department (i.e. they are certainly not on the admissions committee for the dept I applied to).

[jynx]

I agree with everyone else about it being an interview, but I have one thing to add: even if you are accepted, I would definitely not commit until you hear back from MIT. It may be a long shot, but if you do end up getting accepted to your first choice school, then you'll have put yourself in an awkward situation that necessitates either burning bridges or giving up a really great opportunity. At least in my field, you have until April 15 to officially accept an offer, and schools can't revoke an offer that's already made. So, there's really no harm in waiting a little while.

[kateow]

BTW, Northwestern is notorious (at least among grad students in Chicago) for inviting people to prospective student week and giving a strong impression that they are practically accepted, only to find that the weekend is clearly designed to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.