Is there always an interview?

[thelost]

Are all potential students interviewed? Should I safely assume if I don't get asked for an interview, I'm rejected?

I already botched one interview. I received an email from someone at the school saying they had "a question." I thought it was one of the advisors. I thought something missing from my application. Turns out it was the interview and I was totally unprepared. I forgot the name at the bottom of the email was one of the professors I had listed. In retrospect maybe I should have confessed at that moment that I didn't realize it was an interview. It was my top choice too

[newms]

It really depends on your field and the program you're applying to. In some fields an interview is not necessary for admission and can be just a phone call from the prof to make sure your interests align with his or hers. In some fields and programs acceptances are given without any prior interview while at others, you have to attend an in-person interview in order to be admitted. So it varies. What's your field?

Edited February 9, 2011 by newms

[coffeem8]

In the humanities, it's rarer for interviews to be extended. I'm in the humanities and wasn't interviewed at either of the schools I was admitted to, except in a very unofficial capacity before I applied.

[thelost]

It really depends on your field and the program you're applying to. In some fields an interview is not necessary for admission and can be just a phone call from the prof to make sure your interests align with his or hers. In some fields and programs acceptances are given without any prior interview while at others, you have to attend an in-person interview in order to be admitted. So it varies. What's your field?

Library Science

[newms]

Library Science

I'm not sure about Library Science at all. Perhaps you can ask in the Library Sciences forum: http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/63-library-sciences/