Phone interview with Potential Advisor

[MidoAlhajji]

Hello,

 

Thanks guys for the great inputs in this forum; I'm glad I stumbled upon here at the right time. I have emailed several potenial advisors for my DrPH (public health doctoral degree). I got a postiive response from my first choice, and the professor agreed to chat with me on the phone about research projects etc. Important to mention that I haven't applied to the school yet nor have I sent the professor any documents. So my question is as follows: should I email the professor my personal statement, statement of purpose and resume before our phone call, so he can glean some info about my background and education/career goals?

I beleive my documents will answer a lot of the potenail questions professors tend to ask during interviews (e.g., why PhD? why our school? etc...). Can this backfire though?

 

Any thoughts on this? I appreciate your inputs.

 

Thanks,

Mo

[peachypie]

I think it would be fair to send a CV to the person shortly before you talk with them so they can get a general sense of your background.  I wouldn't send a personal statement or the like since in theory that should all come across as you speak with them about potential projects etc and what your interests are currently as to why that would be a good fit for you at this particular institution. Good luck and remember to relax and be yourself.  The rest will fall into place.

[jujubea]

Not good to send them your SOP in case that person is on the admissions committee. Can give the impression of impropriety. Unless they specifically tell you they're not, and that they want to see your SOP.

[TakeruK]

Sometimes these invitations are extended just so they can have a quick chat with you in order to get a "feel" for you--they might not even want to see your CV or other "application documents". If this were me, I would thank them for setting aside some time for me and ask if they would like a copy of my CV. Even though your CV/SOP might answer a lot of their questions, I think the purpose of these phone interviews is to find out that same information from you as a live human being instead of a dead piece of tree

[MidoAlhajji]

Very glad I asked! Thank you all. I'll just wait now and "study" my SOP to be able to address some of the obvious questions.

[GeoDUDE!]

To add to Takeruk's advice: personality matters a lot more than people want to admit. PI's don't necessarily want the most intellectual students (doesn't hurt), but the student who will work best in the lab.

 

So if you are very likable, interviews are great!

Edited September 29, 2014 by GeoDUDE!

[jujubea]

....I think the purpose of these phone interviews is to find out that same information from you as a live human being instead of a dead piece of tree

 

"dead piece of tree" 

[MidoAlhajji]

I forgot to ask; should this interview go well and smoothly, would I have better chances to get into the program? or is it just a usual step that doesn't carry heavy meanings necessarily?

[grad_wannabe]

>should this interview go well and smoothly, would I have better chances to get into the program?

 

I don't think it's a question of "good interview = better chances" but more like, if the professor gets the sense from the phone call that you are 1) a good match for the program, and 2) an overall reasonable/insightful/interesting person to interact with, then hell yes that'll help your chances.

[Crucial BBQ]

I was on the phone earlier today with the head honcho at one of the labs/programs I am interested in.  I shot him an email this Monday past and he wrote back shortly after.  We exchanged a few more emails and then he gave me his number and told me to a call.  I was fairly nervous, but quickly relaxed (...because his voice on the phone did not match what I had imagined it to be based on the picture on his faculty/lab profile page.  Kind of reminded me of Griffin from Family Guy).  

 

We were on the phone for a little over a 1/2 hour and it went really well.  He gave me a lot of great info, including some "insider" (okay, probably the same stuff he tells everyone who takes the time inquire) information on how to improve my chances of admission, funding opportunities, and a bunch of other stuff.  

 

He did ask me a bunch of questions but they were more or less topics for me to think about and address in my SOP and not so much to talk to him about (he mentioned that he himself has "2 1/2" students (one is lost in flux somewhere) and that he personally only takes on 2-3 students at a time.  

 

Good stuff though for sure. 

Edited October 29, 2014 by Crucial BBQ