Informal Meeting with POI

[Anon2014]

A few months ago, I contacted a POI at one of the schools I am applying to in order to express interest in their research, etc.  Their response to my note seemed relatively enthusiastic.  Since this school is located near where I will be spending the holiday season, I went out on a limb and asked if they'd be opposed to meeting up to chat casually for coffee or something.

 

They said they would be willing and to chat with them again later in the year to make firmer plans.  Well, here we are.  The application is in and we have an appointment set.

 

My question is... how should I best prepare for this?  I know I will need to read their recent papers and prepare to talk about my interests and how they align with what this POI seems to be doing, but.. what else can I do?  This is an odd situation as it isn't really an interview.  I was not invited - I extended the invitation and they accepted it.

 

Any advice at all is appreciated!

[GeoDUDE!]

The most important thing you can do is sound knowledgeable in what you want to do and be very likeable/not awkward. Look clean cut, but not too formal. Basically, look like a nice person and sound like you know what you are doing. Try to be funny. It's a lot like a first date but instead of trying to get lucky you are trying to get into graduate school.

 

Good luck... I just did about 10 of these at a conference last week.... they are stressful at first but really comes easy.

[Monochrome Spring]

I found this website very helpful. It has a bunch of questions that you should ask as a potential graduate student. You can ask those questions when you meet, in addition to any questions you might have already formulated. Mostly, be ready to talk about why you're interested in that professor in particular. Be ready to elaborate on past research projects, potential future projects, your interests, etc. You can practice doing this with a friend/classmate. For dress, you can be semi-formal/casual. I wore dark jeans with nice dress shoes and a blouse; but I wouldn't go so far as to say that you need to wear a suit.

[Anon2014]

Thank you both for your input and advice.  I do think practicing my "spiel" with a friend or two ahead of time would definitely be helpful.

 

Geodude - 10?  I can see why that would be nerve wracking.. but it's great that you got the chance to meet with so many POIs in person!

[Wander]

You may have already had your meeting, but I wanted to post this resource anyway for anyone else reading the thread (I'd be shocked if it hasn't come up elsewhere on this site): theprofessorisin.com. It's mainly geared at current graduate students and those seeking positions on the academic market, but you don't have to think very hard to see why nearly all of this advice applies to students looking to get into graduate school.

 

How not to act in an interview: http://theprofessorisin.com/2013/05/10/the-six-ways-youre-acting-like-a-grad-student-and-how-thats-killing-you-on-the-job-market/

 

Working Conferences (the "don't cling" advice really applies at conferences, and less so for this sort of meeting): http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/08/17/how-to-work-the-conference-part-one-of-two/

 

The Campus Visit: http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/11/22/dr-karens-rules-of-the-campus-visit/

 

The Informal Chat: http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/11/09/chat-ching-dealing-with-the-informal-conference-chat/

 

 

It's worth poking around everything on the site also, I found it all very helpful.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Wander