Interview tips (particularly Emory)?

[IndEnth]

Hi guys,

 

as you can imagine from the title, I was advanced to the next round with Emory. I'm a bit surprised that so many unis seem to have interview rounds this time, as I heard from people who advised me on the process that it's rather rare.

I already did an interview with UC SB (and got in) but was wondering whether anyone has any tips on Emory. It's not in my top 5, but still a good uni, and won't be as easy to impress as UC SB I assume.

Has anyone been there, done that and likes to share?

 

Thanks a lot!

[Moofasa]

I would say really know your POI's research and be able to relate it to your own. Also, know other aspects of the program that make you attracted to it. 

Just an extra note, I'm pretty sure the interview is a strong indication that you will get accepted. 

[IndEnth]

I have had two interviews so far and was accepted both times, so it does seem to be a strong indicator. Yet, every time profs go out of their way to tell you that this is not a sign at all, just another stage etc. So I wonder whether they interview shortlisted people and then waitlist some and accept others? One way or the other, I think it's unlikely to lead to a total reject, especially because rejections have already been sent out.

Since none of the professors I indicated in my SoP will be on the interview, and I'm really not very familiar with Emory, I was just hoping for some specific insights.

 

[ultraultra]

I had one interview so far which, granted, felt more like a recruitment thing than an interrogation but they asked me about: familiarity with the department approach (good time to whip out things you know that make the department unique), why I wanted to go there / why I felt like I "fit", who I wanted to work with, my research experience and current projects, my general academic goals, my proposed project / what I wanted to learn (I emphasized methods). 

In advance I made sure to review my POIs websites and recent work, and also had a look through the course offerings, and also talked to my advisors about what they knew about the school. Maybe this wouldn't work for every school but I also emphasized how there were so many people working in my subfield that no only are there perfect people to supervise my current interests, but also people there working on basically anything I could conceivably imagine myself becoming interested in.

Good luck!