How is interviewee evaludated at Phd interviews?

[waitforever]

Up till now I have done 2 campus visits/ interviews for Biostats phd programs, and it seemed I have failed these two interviews since I haven't heard any good news so far (or at least not of highest priority). However personally speaking I did think these interviews went well. So I am really curious how faculty usually evaluate candidates and would like to figure out what my problem was. What I have gone through at these interviews was either casual one-to-one chatting with professors or sit and listen to presentations about their current research. In terms of chatting, it was mostly about my experience and their research. How do faculty figure out whether a candidate is a good fit in the department based on these conversations? When they ask if you have any questions, are they actually testing if you have ever read through their research paper as well as if you have good insights into research?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

[cyberwulf]

Most places that do interviews have already ranked the candidates before the interview. A great interview might bump you up a few spots, a not-so-great one might move you down a bit, but in most cases your rank probably won't change much. It's possible that you were just outside the admissions line even before you visited, and your interview wasn't "great'' enough to change that.

[waitforever]

8 hours ago, cyberwulf said:

Most places that do interviews have already ranked the candidates before the interview. A great interview might bump you up a few spots, a not-so-great one might move you down a bit, but in most cases your rank probably won't change much. It's possible that you were just outside the admissions line even before you visited, and your interview wasn't "great'' enough to change that.

thanks @cyberwulf!! That has confirmed what i thought.

[coffeealwaysblack]

On 3/1/2017 at 11:57 PM, cyberwulf said:

Most places that do interviews have already ranked the candidates before the interview. A great interview might bump you up a few spots, a not-so-great one might move you down a bit, but in most cases your rank probably won't change much. It's possible that you were just outside the admissions line even before you visited, and your interview wasn't "great'' enough to change that.

Thanks for the insights.