For the seasoned interviewees: I have questions, (maybe) you have answers.

[peachypie]

How many people are usually at these interview/recruitment weekends? Does it vary greatly by school? Anyone been to an interview at MUSC?

I have no idea what MUSC is? South carolina?

Number of recruits/interview weekend will vary by:  number of recruitment weekends as well as how big the program is.  Typically umbrella programs will be ~3X the number of applicants/matriculants as individual programs.  I'd say my recruitment weekend numbers numbered from like 12-30 for the weekend I was there.  Some of those programs were going to take 4-6 (12) and others would take 20-30 in an umbrella program (30 with multiple recruitment weekends).

There is no rhyme or reason to the numbers sometimes, but they'll probably interview about 3X the number they want, extend invites to 2/3 and expect 1/3. Depends on how competitive the program is and how large of a class they want/can get and what historically they have gotten of ratio of accept to matriculate.

[MidwesternAloha]

Thanks for the perspective! This is an umbrella program w/ 5 recruitment weekends. Yes, MUSC is the medical University of South Carolina

[person5811]

Say we drank a little too much at the very end of an interview? Should we email someone and apologize briefly? I feel soooo bad about it (I know, I should have thought about that then....)

[velli]

Say we drank a little too much at the very end of an interview? Should we email someone and apologize briefly? I feel soooo bad about it (I know, I should have thought about that then....)

 

You should do whatever you would do in a normal social context. If it was harmless fun and you're just embarassed, I'm sure everyone understands whether or not you write to apologize. Interviews are stressful. If you did something that's actually worth apologizing over, you should probably write the email. Alternatively, if you're super shy, you can cut your losses and pretend that was a school you wouldn't have gone to anyway. Take my last suggestion with several kilograms of salt.

[Bespoke]

Say we drank a little too much at the very end of an interview? Should we email someone and apologize briefly? I feel soooo bad about it (I know, I should have thought about that then....)

Did an incident occur? If not, no one probably even noticed.

I did not hold back on the drinking at the one weekend I've had so far. Most students were afraid to start drinking so I figured I would set the curve.

Maybe it even shows good initiative and leadership.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Bespoke

[ERR_Alpha]

Say we drank a little too much at the very end of an interview? Should we email someone and apologize briefly? I feel soooo bad about it (I know, I should have thought about that then....)

Unless you punched a grad student or something of that caliber I wouldnt. My program actually likes when people aren't afraid to drink and have fun.. As long as nothing catastrophic happens.

[person5811]

Did an incident occur? If not, no one probably even noticed.

I did not hold back on the drinking at the one weekend I've had so far. Most students were afraid to start drinking so I figured I would set the curve.

Maybe it even shows good initiative and leadership.

No one really saw me super drunk, except for the person checking me out of the hotel. I was having a hard time explaining I wanted to check out and I know this person was frustrated with me. Also, my roommate (fellow interviewee) noticed, and might have been pissed I woke her up at 3:00 am. The thing is I don't have her email to apologize to her directly and I have no idea who I talked to while checking out.

[Vene]

No one really saw me super drunk, except for the person checking me out of the hotel. I was having a hard time explaining I wanted to check out and I know this person was frustrated with me. Also, my roommate (fellow interviewee) noticed, and might have been pissed I woke her up at 3:00 am. The thing is I don't have her email to apologize to her directly and I have no idea who I talked to while checking out.

Then I wouldn't really worry about it, but try to drink a little less in future interviews.

[bsharpe269]

Then I wouldn't really worry about it, but try to drink a little less in future interviews.

 

Agree with this. Don't draw more attention to it. I was at an interview this weekend and the grad students told a story about a prospective student who got drunk. He took his clothes off in the hotel and was naked for a while apparently. He was admitted to the program. Someone got drunk and threw up this weekend apparently. People were laughing about it the next day but no one seriously cared.

[gliaful]

Agree with this. Don't draw more attention to it. I was at an interview this weekend and the grad students told a story about a prospective student who got drunk. He took his clothes off in the hotel and was naked for a while apparently. He was admitted to the program. Someone got drunk and threw up this weekend apparently. People were laughing about it the next day but no one seriously cared.

Maybe no one (important) seriously knew. Or maybe current grads get a kick out of it.

 

In any case, this makes me feel better -- although I don't plan on running around naked or puking, it's nice to know that there's at least a little wiggle room.

 

I fly out for my first interview Thursday and I need to know: what do I need to print off to board my flight? Is it just the itinerary? Or do I just need a number printed on my itinerary?

I haven't flown in a long time and I don't remember.

[nutellarain]

Maybe no one (important) seriously knew. Or maybe current grads get a kick out of it.

 

In any case, this makes me feel better -- although I don't plan on running around naked or puking, it's nice to know that there's at least a little wiggle room.

 

I fly out for my first interview Thursday and I need to know: what do I need to print off to board my flight? Is it just the itinerary? Or do I just need a number printed on my itinerary?

I haven't flown in a long time and I don't remember.

You need the airline confirmation # in order to check in at the kiosk. Actually, you can probably easily check in with your full name alone, but the confirmation # makes it faster to find your flight info. If you are checking a bag, they often will just scan your ID and then you don't need anything at all! 

 

If it makes you feel less stressed, I would just print off your itinerary and bring it. That's what I did so I could look up my flight # without pulling up my email. Some people probably got a bit too drunk at my first interview (we went out until like 3 am..), but the grad students seemed to think it was funny and not care at all. Try to relax and enjoy yourself! 

[username1824]

If you're not checking a bag, most airlines let you print your airline ticket from home, so you can go straight to the security checkpoints when you arrive. Pretty good time saver, and it just makes one less thing to do.

[chibimolinero]

So I finally received my itinerary for my interview this week. There are a total of 6 faculty interviews over two days. I know when they sent out the invite, they asked if there were any specific faculty that I wanted to meet with or if I had particular research interests. I listed three (maybe 4?) profs and outlined my interests. Unfortunately, it seems they didn't do the best job matching me or were unable to get the people whose research was a good match.

 

So the question is, for professors whose research really doesn't interest me (like, at all), do I just be honest and straightforward about what I am interested in, or do I try to relate my interests to their lab/act open to their research?

[blinchik]

@chibimolinero, I would still read their papers and try to understand their research as well as prepare for posing relevant/intelligent questions and connecting their research to your interests/experiences if possible. If you are asked about your research interests, then by all means articulate them, but I would not advise doing anything that makes you seem uninterested when they are taking time out of their day to meet with you. I listened to many lectures this past interview weekend that were completely outside of my areas of interest, but you should still make an effort to ask questions and seem like you are fascinated - who knows, maybe you'll find their research to be compelling after all!

[bsharpe269]

So I finally received my itinerary for my interview this week. There are a total of 6 faculty interviews over two days. I know when they sent out the invite, they asked if there were any specific faculty that I wanted to meet with or if I had particular research interests. I listed three (maybe 4?) profs and outlined my interests. Unfortunately, it seems they didn't do the best job matching me or were unable to get the people whose research was a good match.

 

So the question is, for professors whose research really doesn't interest me (like, at all), do I just be honest and straightforward about what I am interested in, or do I try to relate my interests to their lab/act open to their research?

 

I definitely wouldn't act open to their research if you are not. If you do that and are accepted then you might find yourself at a school where you don't fit at all. You seriously don't find any aspect of their research interesting? I think that the research of just about any scientist would interest me... not to the point that I will go study it of course but I can generally pick out SOMETHING interesting that I would want to ask questions about. I would try to find points of common interest (even if they are small) and discuss those. Or maybe you use similar methods even though you study different topics and you can ask about the facilities for those methods or something. I would try to look at this from the perspective that you get to have awesome conversations with tons of brilliant scientists who could be your future professors. Find out what brought them to this school and what the best aspects of the school/culture are. Don't fake who you are or what your interests are but it never hurts to be open minded.

[chibimolinero]

@chibimolinero, I would still read their papers and try to understand their research as well as prepare for posing relevant/intelligent questions and connecting their research to your interests/experiences if possible. If you are asked about your research interests, then by all means articulate them, but I would not advise doing anything that makes you seem uninterested when they are taking time out of their day to meet with you. I listened to many lectures this past interview weekend that were completely outside of my areas of interest, but you should still make an effort to ask questions and seem like you are fascinated - who knows, maybe you'll find their research to be compelling after all!

 

I definitely wouldn't act open to their research if you are not. If you do that and are accepted then you might find yourself at a school where you don't fit at all. You seriously don't find any aspect of their research interesting? I think that the research of just about any scientist would interest me... not to the point that I will go study it of course but I can generally pick out SOMETHING interesting that I would want to ask questions about. I would try to find points of common interest (even if they are small) and discuss those. Or maybe you use similar methods even though you study different topics and you can ask about the facilities for those methods or something. I would try to look at this from the perspective that you get to have awesome conversations with tons of brilliant scientists who could be your future professors. Find out what brought them to this school and what the best aspects of the school/culture are. Don't fake who you are or what your interests are but it never hurts to be open minded.

 

 

Thank you for your responses. I was definitely planning on still reading up on their current research, but it's a good point about not wanting to end up somewhere that I don't fit in. I'll be sure to keep an open mind going into the interviews.

[nutellarain]

Thank you for your responses. I was definitely planning on still reading up on their current research, but it's a good point about not wanting to end up somewhere that I don't fit in. I'll be sure to keep an open mind going into the interviews.

Just wanted to add, I was matched with a few faculty whose research wasn't terribly interesting to me, but they actually had some new projects for future students (not listed on their website or recent pubs) that I found very interesting! So yeah, just keep an open mind

[Bonez]

So I finally received my itinerary for my interview this week. There are a total of 6 faculty interviews over two days. I know when they sent out the invite, they asked if there were any specific faculty that I wanted to meet with or if I had particular research interests. I listed three (maybe 4?) profs and outlined my interests. Unfortunately, it seems they didn't do the best job matching me or were unable to get the people whose research was a good match.

 

So the question is, for professors whose research really doesn't interest me (like, at all), do I just be honest and straightforward about what I am interested in, or do I try to relate my interests to their lab/act open to their research?

It seems like a lot of schools do this. I have been to two interviews so far and received the itinerary for a third. I seem to get about half the people I request to meet with, and the other half the school picks. I've been lucky that most of the interviewers that the school selects have been at least somewhat related to my area of interest. That said, I have also had a few interviewers that have nothing to do with the work I'm interested in. It makes me wonder if that's an intentional move by the department.

 

For the interviews that you aren't really interested in:  I would be frank about what your interests are, but try not to seem disinterested in what they do. If all else fails you can ask them about the techniques they use. I've found that most PIs have some fancy-schmancy piece of equipment in their lab that they are particularly proud of. You might learn something new, and I think its always a good idea to get an idea of what tools would be available to you at your potential new institution. This person might end up as a co-advisor on your dissertation. 

[stygldbby]

So I finally received my itinerary for my interview this week. There are a total of 6 faculty interviews over two days. I know when they sent out the invite, they asked if there were any specific faculty that I wanted to meet with or if I had particular research interests. I listed three (maybe 4?) profs and outlined my interests. Unfortunately, it seems they didn't do the best job matching me or were unable to get the people whose research was a good match.

 

So the question is, for professors whose research really doesn't interest me (like, at all), do I just be honest and straightforward about what I am interested in, or do I try to relate my interests to their lab/act open to their research?

 

this happened to me at my last interview, and to be honest, i ended up really enjoying talking with all of my interviewers. hearing about their research first-hand was very enlightening. i could tell which professors had read over my personal statement more carefully because they really made an effort to try and pick out parts of their ongoing or future projects that might align more directly with my specific interests when talking about their own research, but even without that, i really did get the sense that all of the interviewers were more focused on getting to know YOU/your research interests/whether you and the program (not necessarily the interviewer's lab specifically) were a good fit/etc rather than whether you shared the same exact research interests. that said, coming off as completely uninterested or bored probably won't win you any brownie points...

 

overall, my approach was to be curious/engaged in the discussion but also, when asked, be honest about where my own research interests lie. after all, you applied to the school because AT LEAST one person is doing the kind of work you find exciting, and there are a lot of reasons why a prof might not have been able to fit into your interview schedule. in fact, i actually ended up meeting one of my choices later at a mixer and having a great convo regardless of not being able to be interviewed by him!

[glow_gene]

this happened to me at my last interview, and to be honest, i ended up really enjoying talking with all of my interviewers. hearing about their research first-hand was very enlightening. i could tell which professors had read over my personal statement more carefully because they really made an effort to try and pick out parts of their ongoing or future projects that might align more directly with my specific interests when talking about their own research, but even without that, i really did get the sense that all of the interviewers were more focused on getting to know YOU/your research interests/whether you and the program (not necessarily the interviewer's lab specifically) were a good fit/etc rather than whether you shared the same exact research interests. that said, coming off as completely uninterested or bored probably won't win you any brownie points...

 

overall, my approach was to be curious/engaged in the discussion but also, when asked, be honest about where my own research interests lie. after all, you applied to the school because AT LEAST one person is doing the kind of work you find exciting, and there are a lot of reasons why a prof might not have been able to fit into your interview schedule. in fact, i actually ended up meeting one of my choices later at a mixer and having a great convo regardless of not being able to be interviewed by him!

 

I second all of this. I was trying to muster up a big ol' response despite being sick, but this pretty much covers it! Thanks, stygldbby

[notsaxophones]

So I finally received my itinerary for my interview this week. There are a total of 6 faculty interviews over two days. I know when they sent out the invite, they asked if there were any specific faculty that I wanted to meet with or if I had particular research interests. I listed three (maybe 4?) profs and outlined my interests. Unfortunately, it seems they didn't do the best job matching me or were unable to get the people whose research was a good match.

 

So the question is, for professors whose research really doesn't interest me (like, at all), do I just be honest and straightforward about what I am interested in, or do I try to relate my interests to their lab/act open to their research?

 

For some interviews, I didn't even talk to the professors about my their research. I had 6 people I met with at Ohio State, and I think I only talked about the specific research occurring in the lab with 3 of the professors. What I found is that you REALLY need to have questions about the program ready, and if you can explain your research in an interesting manner, they may just keep on asking you questions about your research. Or other things that your lab does that are in no way size shape or form related to your research (that happened twice, glad I've been in this lab for 4 years, lol)

 

And I don't know how competitive your school is to get into, but for one guy who worked with animal models (which I am not interested in), I just admitted to him that I've never worked with animal models and am not sure if I want to - but then turned around and asked him how working with the animals works in his lab, so that I could understand how these things I've never done before work in real life. There is always a way to show you are interested in "how things work", whether or not you actually want to work with it - just put a positive spin on it! (And yes, that's the one school I've been accepted to so far)

 

EDIT: Meant to type "their" research -- but there were also two professors who I didn't talk about my research with either! (One was a collaborator of my lab, so we talked about the project he collaborates on; the other had attended a conference where I gave a talk and I had asked to interview with him so that I could essentially have a break to chat with someone I had met before)

Edited January 28, 2015 by notsaxophones

[gliaful]

I'm on the plane flying to Nashville for my first interview and I have yet another question. One of my longtime friends lives in Nashville and I've only seen him twice in the last 5 years. I told him that I was interviewing at Vanderbilt and now he really wants to meet up. Do you think I could tell him to meet me at whatever bar we end up at (night out with grad students)? Or would this be too distracting/ detract from the goal of getting to know current grads? What have you done when visiting a city where you have family/close friends who are (understandably) pushy about seeing you during your visit?

[ERR_Alpha]

I'm on the plane flying to Nashville for my first interview and I have yet another question. One of my longtime friends lives in Nashville and I've only seen him twice in the last 5 years. I told him that I was interviewing at Vanderbilt and now he really wants to meet up. Do you think I could tell him to meet me at whatever bar we end up at (night out with grad students)? Or would this be too distracting/ detract from the goal of getting to know current grads? What have you done when visiting a city where you have family/close friends who are (understandably) pushy about seeing you during your visit?

I think that would be fine. The night out is supposed to be for you to relax a bit and get to know people. I don't think anyone would mind.

Edited January 29, 2015 by ERR_Alpha

[Vene]

I'm on the plane flying to Nashville for my first interview and I have yet another question. One of my longtime friends lives in Nashville and I've only seen him twice in the last 5 years. I told him that I was interviewing at Vanderbilt and now he really wants to meet up. Do you think I could tell him to meet me at whatever bar we end up at (night out with grad students)? Or would this be too distracting/ detract from the goal of getting to know current grads? What have you done when visiting a city where you have family/close friends who are (understandably) pushy about seeing you during your visit?

I don't think that'll be a problem.

[ballwera]

Here's an interesting scenario for y'all. I have an interview at Ohio State, from reading their website it looks like you are required to take a course and do a lab rotation during their summer term. This term runs from June 15th to July 31st. I am getting married July 25th, with plans to take our honeymoon immediately following the wedding. Is this something I should bring up over the interview weekend?