How Best to Prepare for this Interview?

[BilboSwaggins]

Hello,

 

I've been asked to come and interview for a program I applied to, as well as to go to lunch with some of the current students.

 

My thinking is that I'll prepare for it by reading the most recent paper by each student (if they have one) and professor, as well as memorizing a bit of their biographical data and research interests, but I figure I'll see what everyone here suggests as well.

[peachypie]

I'd read 2-3 abstracts/paper of professors you  know you'll be meeting with.  Skip the graduate students because the lunch will likely be informal and more about you asking them about life as a student there.  grad students will talk about research but that is not what they are there to do.  Don't memorize biographical data and research interests, that is just too much.  Spend a bit just getting a general idea of the research interest of the professors and that is about it.

[sjoh197]

I agree with peachypie... your methods are too much. If you want to read some papers by the professors you are going to meet, that's fine, but you really don't need to read into each student's research. They are there to gauge how you behave with your peers, and outside of the reference of a professor. I would prepare by knowing what questions you would like to ask both the professors and the students. (Sometimes the students will answer your questions more candidly). 

 

Love your handle by the way. 

[rising_star]

Honestly, you don't even need to read the full papers of the professors you're meeting with. Reading the abstracts (and maybe the conclusions/discussion) of each paper so that you can get a sense of their research and its trajectory should be more than enough for your interviews. For the grad students, you really want to focus on understanding what it's like to be a student there, to work with various PIs, where to live, etc.