what is up with phone interviews?

[socialpsych]

So, this is definitely going to be one of those pathetic, reading-too-much-into-things threads, but here goes...

What does it mean if a program calls you up and wants to chat on the phone, but it seems oddly unofficial? Like, fairly clear that they're not calling everyone they're interested in?

When I was picturing the grad school process, I figured that if I got interviews, they would be on-campus interviews, the type where everyone comes on the same weekend. This phone interview thing is a little unexpected.

I assume it means they are interested in you but not sure they want to go any farther (to on-campus interview or acceptance, depending on the program). Anything more specific than that?? Or are phone interviews just the same as on-campus ones?

[dherres]

I might imagine it's a good thing. Like maybe they know enough to know that they want you, but some sort of interview is required regardless, hence the informalness. But I really don't know, I'd just be optimistic, personally. Out of curiosity, which school was it?

[girlseekingphd]

I don't have any experience with the interview process yet. But one of my top schools mentioned on their graduate program's page that while in person interviews were preferred, they were willing to do phone interviews. I don't know if that's helpful at all but the fact that they called you to talk to you seems important.

[fuzzylogician]

I can't add anything new but can commiserate. I've had one phone interview about two weeks ago and will have another one this Friday. I hear that interviews are not all that common in my field and I've been racking my brains trying to figure out if something is unclear in my SOP or some such -- why do they need to talk to me again and can't make a decision with the info they've got??

Ugh. Anyway, I'm keeping a positive attitude and assuming they wouldn't take the time to talk to me if they weren't at least *somewhat* interested.

[Hopelessly_Neurotic]

Hi socialpsych...

I got a phone call from someone I'd named on my app to one school as someone I'd be interested in working with. We chatted and it was clear that she was calling to see if I was seriously interested in the school and if I thought it was a good match. Based upon our discussion, it seems, the department decided to invite me to the recruitment weekend.

But this is only one case. I think some schools don't even have recruitment weekends, so they do phone interviews instead.

How did the call go? Did they say they'd be in touch? Did they mention a recruitment weekend?