Deciding Factors for Admission

[teds2]

Hi guys, just want to get people's input on what they think are some of the important factors that go into the POI's decision in offering admission to potential candidates after the interview.  From my understanding, most schools will shortlist candidates based on their GPA/GRE in the first round and POIs will then read individual candidates' application package to decide who to interview.  But what actually happen after the interview?  I am curious how professors decide between the 4-5 candidates that they interviewed to offer admissions.  Thanks guys for your input!

[periwinkle27]

I think more than anything it is all about fit. This is my first time applying, so I cannot say from personal experience, but I think the POI will just get a sense whether or not you willl fit well into the lab. Of course this includes many factors like past research experience, independent research work (honors thesis/fellowships), expressed interest in the POI, the lab, and the school, how you "mesh" with the POI and the grad students, and questions you may pose regarding future research directions. I think once you get to the interview point, your GPA and GRE scores won't matter. They chose you for a reason. They already see you as a potential member of their lab.

[OhSoSolipsistic]

This of course varies with each program and POI, but I've heard that LORs are often a major factor when choosing between candidates who interviewed well.

[almondicecream]

I think it's way too variable to try to separate out some pattern.. some programs already mostly know who they want, but they just want to weed out any potential crazies, so it's mostly just to make sure your personality isn't impossible to work with. Some programs I've heard are really tough in interviews, grilling people on their study ideas, and those I'd assume put more stock in interview performance. You'd probably be better off directly asking their current grad students how they typically weight variables when making decisions.

[buttercup8d]

Personality fit, interest in their lab's work and demonstrating a sophisticated level of thinking are important criteria.

I think managing your anxiety during these interviews is also super important because they want to see how you think on your feet. I've been going through several interviews and becoming more relaxed with each one, which means I can be more of myself. I did notice that some applicants have crazy levels of anxiety which is extremely off-putting (imagine how the faculty must feel) OR they don't have a true interest in the program (based on the questions they ask), which the faculty will most definitely pick up on.

Edited February 9, 2017 by buttercup8d