Did I just ignore an interview request from Mich?

[Bryan]

I applied to Mich Ann Arbor's PIBS program (specifically their Pharmacology Department). Today, I received four phone calls from two different numbers from the Michigan area after 5pm EST. None of the times did they leave a voicemail. The reason I didn't pick up was because I've received calls recently from an insurance scam where the person on the phone tries to pressure you into giving them your credit card number. For that reason I've been screening my calls waiting for voicemails when it's an unknown number.

So, anyone who's gotten interview requests from Michigan, care to share details so I know if this is real or not? Am I freaking out for no reason?

[fred987]

Why not simply call back, or google the number?

[Bryan]

Googling the number revealed that it was a general university of michigan outbound number. A lot of people said it was a telemarketer.

[Serric]

Call the PIBS department, explain the situation, and ask if that was indeed an interview invitation.

[LifeIsGood]

Serric, did I see that you got an interview from that program on another thread? Or was that a different program?

Edited December 18, 2009 by LifeIsGood

[workingonit]

I received my interview offer from Michigan on Tuesday (12/15)--so yes, definitely call them back. (Also UM is one of the few schools who seem to be actively extending interview offers now, since their interview is the middle of January--check the results page.)

[Bryan]

Haha. I got another call from Michigan today, and they left a voicemail. Yes, it was indeed Michigan. I guess I should no longer be weary of telemarketers now.

[tarski]

haha, wow. Yeah, I think it would be worthwhile to risk picking your phone up this month . Congrats on the interview.

[socialpsych]

For future reference, don't worry about it. I never picked up my phone during the application season last year (on the advice of some grad students I knew -- so I could always seem prepared and not flustered!). They will leave a message. They may not leave an interview invite, but at the very least they will identify themselves and ask you to call them back. It isn't a big deal at all to let it go to voicemail.

How funny though that, if I'm reading your post correctly, a lot of people on the Internet thought your real Michigan caller was a telemarketer!

[Serric]

Serric, did I see that you got an interview from that program on another thread? Or was that a different program?

Hey, LifeIsGood,

That might've been me, since I did get an interview invite to UM PIBS yesterday afternoon for the weekend in late January.

Also, congratulations (I'm assuming), Bryan! Let me know what interview weekend you're going to, and maybe we can meet up!

[NeuroNerd86]

I got PIBS interview via phone today too!!! I barely missed it because they called my work and I needed to step out:)

[Bryan]

Also, congratulations (I'm assuming), Bryan! Let me know what interview weekend you're going to, and maybe we can meet up!

Hey Serric, I haven't gotten my email yet, but I'm intending on taking the late January weekend (The 25th I think is what he said). This is very exciting since it's my first invite so far.

[Serric]

Hey Serric, I haven't gotten my email yet, but I'm intending on taking the late January weekend (The 25th I think is what he said). This is very exciting since it's my first invite so far.

Ditto on the excitement, Bryan. I had a nagging terror at the back of my mind of what'd happen if I didn't even get any interview invites, but this has DEFINITELY helped me relax about the whole process (and it doesn't hurt at all that Michigan's my top choice). Also, we'll be getting the official e-mail with all the official info on either Monday or Tuesday.

If it's PIBS and you took the late January weekend, I'll see you there as well on January 28th. I'll be the six foot white-ish guy with foot-and-a-half long dreadlocks. Have you ever been to UMich/Ann Arbor before?

Edited December 19, 2009 by Serric

[Bryan]

Ditto on the excitement, Bryan. I had a nagging terror at the back of my mind of what'd happen if I didn't even get any interview invites, but this has DEFINITELY helped me relax about the whole process (and it doesn't hurt at all that Michigan's my top choice). Also, we'll be getting the official e-mail with all the official info on either Monday or Tuesday.

If it's PIBS and you took the late January weekend, I'll see you there as well on January 28th. I'll be the six foot white-ish guy with foot-and-a-half long dreadlocks. Have you ever been to UMich/Ann Arbor before?

Hopefully that weekend will be available. I'll be missing a week of school because of it (as job stuff). I haven't been to Ann Arbor before. Have you? I really don't know what to expect...I have heard bad things about Detroit, but I don't want to associate the two in order to keep my hopes up that it's as pleasant as the program is good.

[Grad Hopeful]

Hopefully that weekend will be available. I'll be missing a week of school because of it (as job stuff). I haven't been to Ann Arbor before. Have you? I really don't know what to expect...I have heard bad things about Detroit, but I don't want to associate the two in order to keep my hopes up that it's as pleasant as the program is good.

I was also invited to the PIBs interview weekends, and hope to attend the January weekend (28th-30th) as well. I definitely would not compare Ann Arbor to Detroit. I currently live near Ann Arbor and it is actually a rather safe area.

[Serric]

Hopefully that weekend will be available. I'll be missing a week of school because of it (as job stuff). I haven't been to Ann Arbor before. Have you? I really don't know what to expect...I have heard bad things about Detroit, but I don't want to associate the two in order to keep my hopes up that it's as pleasant as the program is good.

I agree with Grad Hopeful; don't associate the two. The best way I can describe it (although might not be as helpful if you're not from California) is a (MUCH) cleaner, laid back version of Berkeley with fewer crazy hobos. Granted, I only spent three days there at the PREVIEW weekend, but I got the impression that it was quiet, safe, and had a lot of the 'big city' convenience (living 45 minutes away from SF, I'm spoiled for good ethnic food; and Ann Arbor does not disappoint) with the 'small town' feel (everybody was polite and friendly; people paused when you were taking a picture so they didn't ruin it; etc).

It feels like a lively, friendly little college town with a LOT of personality for its size (once again, spoiled by my current area, and I was very pleased). All the faculty and students I spoke to while I was there absolutely loved it, including one professor who had originally thought of it as a 'stepping stone' and, now, can't imagine leaving.

[Bryan]

Unfortunately, I've never been to Berkeley, and the last time I've been to Cali was when I was 2. However, I have heard pleasant things about Berkeley, and mixing culture + safety is always a good thing for me. I've spent the last 4 years in a culture-less but safe college, so I'm looking forward to having ethnic food available. In the mean time, I guess I can do google street view until the end of Jan.

[Ariana]

Hey are international student's applications reviewed later? Because on 14th Dec I got an email from Univ of Mich saying that my PIBS application was complete and under review when I had submitted my application and all the other required materials along with it on 30th November itself! U Mich is my 1st choice too, I hope that I at least get a chance to interview there.

[gremot]

Hey are international student's applications reviewed later? Because on 14th Dec I got an email from Univ of Mich saying that my PIBS application was complete and under review when I had submitted my application and all the other required materials along with it on 30th November itself! U Mich is my 1st choice too, I hope that I at least get a chance to interview there.

That's what I'm hoping! At least according to the "results search" it seems that the only people who have been contacted so far are americans - not only in Michigan but other schools as well... Then again it just might be a coincidence... (still hoping it's not )

[Hatem]

Tulip11, on 21 December 2009 - 08:49 AM, said:

Hey are international student's applications reviewed later? Because on 14th Dec I got an email from Univ of Mich saying that my PIBS application was complete and under review when I had submitted my application and all the other required materials along with it on 30th November itself! U Mich is my 1st choice too, I hope that I at least get a chance to interview there.

gremot

That's what I'm hoping! At least according to the "results search" it seems that the only people who have been contacted so far are americans - not only in Michigan but other schools as well... Then again it just might be a coincidence... (still hoping it's not )

Do grad schools interview international students too?

or do they just make a phone interview?

Edited December 21, 2009 by Hatem

[dzk]

I can confirm that international students are reviewed later.

[hinesaj]

I agree with Grad Hopeful; don't associate the two. The best way I can describe it (although might not be as helpful if you're not from California) is a (MUCH) cleaner, laid back version of Berkeley with fewer crazy hobos. Granted, I only spent three days there at the PREVIEW weekend, but I got the impression that it was quiet, safe, and had a lot of the 'big city' convenience (living 45 minutes away from SF, I'm spoiled for good ethnic food; and Ann Arbor does not disappoint) with the 'small town' feel (everybody was polite and friendly; people paused when you were taking a picture so they didn't ruin it; etc).

It feels like a lively, friendly little college town with a LOT of personality for its size (once again, spoiled by my current area, and I was very pleased). All the faculty and students I spoke to while I was there absolutely loved it, including one professor who had originally thought of it as a 'stepping stone' and, now, can't imagine leaving.

I know this is a little off topic, and probably the wrong place for it in the forum, but I thought I'd thrown in my two cents about Ann Arbor. I recently moved here in the fall after graduating from a school on the east coast. Ann Arbor is far from dangerous--the kind of town where people don't lock their doors, though that doesn't mean that their is the occasional robbery. As others have said, this is a really vibrant town, tons of cultural activities, great sports, and restaurants for a city of its size. Probably because of this, and U of M, its also more expensive than the typical city of its size is as well. Before I moved here, I was a little bit skeptical about applying to Michigan--I'm more attuned to city life, and thought that living in a smaller town for 6 years or so while working on graduate study would be stifling--but, now, A2 seems like it would be one of the most attractive places to study!

If you have any more questions about Ann Arbor, I'd love to answer them. I don't know everything (I've only been here a few months), but can definitely give you some perspective.

[Ariana]

They usually use phone-interviews for international students.

[Tall Chai Latte]

i got the interview phone call around the same time of 12/18 from Michigan PIBS. so ya it's definitely them!

[tellmealready]

Oh man this thread is great, haha!

and to think I am going to meet some of you guys in a few weeks...

PIBS FTW!!