Psych PhD interview dates?

[VulpesZerda]

Hi all, today I found an amazing, hard to pass up deal for a trip to Europe (rt flight for $400--glitch fare) and the only dates available by the time I got to it were in mid January. I put Jan 10-20 on 24 hour hold to think about it.

Thinking ahead, if I am lucky enough to be invited for an interview, are these dates likely to be an issue? Basically what I'm asking is, when are interviews typically? Most of my deadlines are Dec 1 or 15. I get the feeling that a program would not be happy at all if I couldn't make the date they asked. (By the way, I posted here instead of in the interview forum because I thought interview dates could possibly be a field specific thing.)

[Applemiu]

Definitely some phone interviews are going to be around that time.

[VulpesZerda]

Definitely some phone interviews are going to be around that time.

 

Okay, thanks. Looks like I have a difficult decision to make.

[Gvh]

Definitely some phone interviews are going to be around that time.

 

On a semi-tangential note, is it relatively normal to have "preliminary" phone interviews prior to being invited to a "real interview"? I have heard of some people being asked by POI's to have an informal phone meeting after contacting them, but is this also fairly standard practice?

[Generis]

Could be a good thing!

 

[VulpesZerda]

Could be a good thing!

 

 

Haha, interesting! If anything, travel could be a talking point when having a more casual conversation, I guess. It's probably the one thing that could make me seem mildly interesting.

 

But, as an update about my OP, I will not be booking this trip unfortunately. I realized that I made a mistake reading my school's schedule, so I would be missing a few classes. That didn't seem like a good idea at all, on top of the possibility of interviews. I do hope I can plan something nice-ish after the process is over, though. It would be celebration of being done, and would distract me from the waiting game a little!

[clinicalpsychphd20]

I think you should be good for Jan 10 - Jan 20 as long as you can check email (you may have to answer emails agreeing to interviews / etc), and as long as someone can keep track of your phone so you can RSVP for interview invitations. I was in Cancun for MLK weekend when I was interviewing and it was fine. 

[Realities]

For anyone else who is interested, I had in-person interviews on various weekends from January 17 to March 7, so I would definitely caution that keeping these times, as well as the earlier two weeks in January, open is a good idea.  I received several phone calls from POIs in the early January days as well, and I fear that missing those calls would have cost me an interview or two.

[VulpesZerda]

For anyone else who is interested, I had in-person interviews on various weekends from January 17 to March 7, so I would definitely caution that keeping these times, as well as the earlier two weeks in January, open is a good idea.  I received several phone calls from POIs in the early January days as well, and I fear that missing those calls would have cost me an interview or two.

 

Great advice for all, thanks!

 

What do most people do the summer before they start their program? I wonder if that would be a better time for me to take a trip.

[Realities]

Great advice for all, thanks!

 

What do most people do the summer before they start their program? I wonder if that would be a better time for me to take a trip.

 

Summer would be an EXCELLENT time to take a trip.  Most people tend to recommend relaxing/doing fun things in the summer before starting your program.  For me, it's been a mix of preparing for the move, fun things, trying to finish up UG research, and reading more of the literature of the field I'm going into, bit by bit (I'm going into clinical but have only worked in developmental/social labs in the past).  Definitely put some time in there to relax (and take that trip!) - you don't want to be burning out before the program even starts.

[psych21]

Oh yes, travel and relax... best options. What I did: The summer before starting my program I went out with friends nonstop, sort of to make up the fact that I would be gone for the next 6 years. (In my country, most people stick around their hometown for their entire lives) I didn't read a thing to "prepare" and I didn't feel it was needed, either. I moved to my PhD city 3 weeks in advance and took my time to get settled.

[VulpesZerda]

Summer would be an EXCELLENT time to take a trip.  Most people tend to recommend relaxing/doing fun things in the summer before starting your program.  For me, it's been a mix of preparing for the move, fun things, trying to finish up UG research, and reading more of the literature of the field I'm going into, bit by bit (I'm going into clinical but have only worked in developmental/social labs in the past).  Definitely put some time in there to relax (and take that trip!) - you don't want to be burning out before the program even starts.

 

Oh yes, travel and relax... best options. What I did: The summer before starting my program I went out with friends nonstop, sort of to make up the fact that I would be gone for the next 6 years. (In my country, most people stick around their hometown for their entire lives) I didn't read a thing to "prepare" and I didn't feel it was needed, either. I moved to my PhD city 3 weeks in advance and took my time to get settled.

 

Sounds great! Let's just hope I get in so that I can apply this advice :-)