Questions to ask POI: Phone discussion

[Maziana]

I'm going to have a brief phone chat with one of my POIs in a few days! Of course, I'll know more about the department/school when I visit, but I can't turn down the chance to get a few questions answered now. Before I applied, I shot him an email or two, but he only said my research interests were definitely compatible with his and encouraged me to apply.

Any ideas of what I should ask? I know I want to know what the lab is like, how many grad students are in it, what current projects exist in the lab, and I have more specific questions about his research... But I wanted to check and see if you guys had any ideas of things you'd want to know.

[Dedi]

Congrats! I had a phone chat with my POI a month ago (probably around the same time you posted this topic). I know this is very delayed, but I'm curious on how it went (:

 

Also, as I've found, if you come up with questions after the chat, you can e-mail your POI. Mine doesn't seem to mind since many of my questions aren't on the website anywhere (and I'm very naiive about grad school).

[Maziana]

Congrats! I had a phone chat with my POI a month ago (probably around the same time you posted this topic). I know this is very delayed, but I'm curious on how it went (:

 

Also, as I've found, if you come up with questions after the chat, you can e-mail your POI. Mine doesn't seem to mind since many of my questions aren't on the website anywhere (and I'm very naiive about grad school).

 

haha, it went very well! Very true about the emailing questions too! Actually, with this prof, he had called me before when I was at the bus stop, and I asked if I could call him back...

 

As a reference for others who might be curious: I forgot exactly what I asked, but it included things about his current research, the students in his lab, funding, and so on. I got a better idea of some specific projects I could work with him on! I chatted a bit too, about the area, and the application. I was nervous at first, but I've had a few other phone chats since, and they all have went very well! Personally, I was talking *after* my acceptance, so my talk might have been different from people in other situations. The few professors I've talked to have wanted me to come, and haven't asked me anything difficult - only about my jobs/research and research interests. Can't wait to visit the program in person!

 

I did have one interview, and even then, no one asked me any weird trick questions... so I doubt there are many professors who do that? In my field, anyway.

[Dedi]

haha, it went very well! Very true about the emailing questions too! Actually, with this prof, he had called me before when I was at the bus stop, and I asked if I could call him back...

 

As a reference for others who might be curious: I forgot exactly what I asked, but it included things about his current research, the students in his lab, funding, and so on. I got a better idea of some specific projects I could work with him on! I chatted a bit too, about the area, and the application. I was nervous at first, but I've had a few other phone chats since, and they all have went very well! Personally, I was talking *after* my acceptance, so my talk might have been different from people in other situations. The few professors I've talked to have wanted me to come, and haven't asked me anything difficult - only about my jobs/research and research interests. Can't wait to visit the program in person!

 

I did have one interview, and even then, no one asked me any weird trick questions... so I doubt there are many professors who do that? In my field, anyway.

I had the phone chat before being able to apply, but the questions were around the same. The only thing I really didn't ask about is funding. I figured that would be something to ask about after I apply.

 

And, you're right. The POI I talked to gave me sort of a mini-interview, but didn't ask anything difficult. I wasn't as nervous at first because he called me an hour earlier than expected (time zone differences), so I wasn't ruminating as the time approached.

 

Overall, we talked about applying to the programs and life in the lab (including current and future projects). We tried setting up another phone chat but we were both too busy and our schedules kind of clashed.

 

Apparently it is normal for the Cell and Systems Biology faculty to do phone chats with prospective grad students before they apply (meaning you have to e-mail them ahead of time) because fit is probably extremely important to them. I don't think they do formal interviews there...