admit weekend: how "together" do you need to be?

[tarator]

This is maybe a weird question to ask, but... I will be visiting two schools soon, and am really worried about looking like a fool who doesn't know what he's talking about. I always make way more sense on paper than when I open my mouth- that's the first thing. The second thing is that I don't feel very confident in the subjects I wish to be focusing on in my PHD.

My question is for those who might have attended admit weekends/open houses already: did you feel a lot of pressure to talk about your interests, did people there expect you to be very well-informed about your areas of interest? Was that the only conversation subject?

And.......... should I worry about my offer falling into jeopardy if I impress them much less in person than on paper?

I hope you don't think I'm crazy for having these worries. I'm really stressing out....

[Bukharan]

This is maybe a weird question to ask, but... I will be visiting two schools soon, and am really worried about looking like a fool who doesn't know what he's talking about. I always make way more sense on paper than when I open my mouth- that's the first thing. The second thing is that I don't feel very confident in the subjects I wish to be focusing on in my PHD.

My question is for those who might have attended admit weekends/open houses already: did you feel a lot of pressure to talk about your interests, did people there expect you to be very well-informed about your areas of interest? Was that the only conversation subject?

And.......... should I worry about my offer falling into jeopardy if I impress them much less in person than on paper?

I hope you don't think I'm crazy for having these worries. I'm really stressing out....

It is ABSOLUTELY normal to have these worries.

Think about it this way:

1. You are already accepted. They cannot change their mind after Open House. Nor should they because --->

2. Out of all the applicants, they chose you! There was something about you that impressed the faculty. Your GRE, GPA, a writing sample, an SOP - these were your achievements for which you can take full credit.

3. You are not an academic yet, you are becoming one. This is why you are starting a Ph.D. You will be taught how to read lectures and appear professional.

[tarator]

You will be taught how to read lectures and appear professional.

Hahaha, I laughed hard at that part!

Well, I guess you're right... It's just that posts about offers being rescinded (especially the recent one--what a horrible, horrible experience for the poster!) made me worry extra. And, I'm a foreign applicant, so I don't have a very good feel for what academic interactions are like in the US. That's where the freak-out is coming from in part.

Anyway, you've allayed my fears a bit, Bukharan, thank you...