Should I interview with a PI I have worked for?

[Baller123]

Same as title... Got an interview at a school where I have worked with a professor already, should I request an interview with them? Will they expect me to do so?

@Neuro15 you usually have answers. Any thoughts?

[TakeruK]

Do you want to work for them again? If so, then yes.

[Baller123]

I might be overthinking this, I don’t want to work in that area of neuroscience anymore. I was just wondering if there is an expectation to interview with them. Thanks for the answer.

[Neuro15]

8 hours ago, Baller123 said:

Same as title... Got an interview at a school where I have worked with a professor already, should I request an interview with them? Will they expect me to do so?

@Neuro15 you usually have answers. Any thoughts?

You can ask it won’t hurt, especially if that person will write you a favorable evaluation. Some programs won’t let you interview with a faculty member you’ve worked for though (I know mine did not). I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s an expectation to interview with them though. 

Edited January 7, 2018 by Neuro15

[synapticcat]

2 hours ago, Baller123 said:

I might be overthinking this, I don’t want to work in that area of neuroscience anymore. I was just wondering if there is an expectation to interview with them. Thanks for the answer.

I'm in a really similar position. I'm interviewing at a program I completed an REU with last summer, and while I was there I really hit it off with my PI and the rest of the lab members. While the work they do is cool, it's not what I'm interested in studying in grad school (no matter what I do, I'm never gonna be an e-phys kinda girl, haha). It's a bummer, because that lab's culture/work environment is perfect for me otherwise!

My PI from there was one of my letter writers, so I find it unlikely they would want me to interview with him. I would be surprised if there was any kind of obligation or expectation for you to interview with them. In my case, several of the people I interacted with while I was working there are involved in admissions, so I'm guessing I'll see my fair share of familiar faces. 

I think it's totally acceptable for you to reach out to the PIs who do the work you are most interested in pursuing. In my (limited) experience, my former PI was definitely not offended that I was interested in other labs in their program - on the contrary, he was happy I had liked my experience there enough to apply! 

Edited January 7, 2018 by synapticcat

[StemCellFan]

I'm in a similar situation.  I work at one of the programs I'm interviewing at, but I don't have a desire to work in any previous labs as a graduate student.  I don't think there is any expectation for you to interview with them.  If you want to meet with them, you can see if the program will let you, though.

[weewoo]

I'm in the same position. If you're not interested in their work, I'd say don't worry about it

[Janiejoneswoah]

Strategically, I would say no it's better to interview with somebody else... although it might not matter if your PI is not on the admissions committee. Usually the programs match you with a couple of PIs on the ad com and a few who you have said you are interested in. Although the ad com will account for the other interviews, the most important thing is to make a good impression on the PI's who are actually on the committee. Any opportunity you have to meet somebody new on the committee is an opportunity to get somebody else to fight for you in the admissions meeting. If your PI already likes you and are on the ad com, they will likely already fight for you. If they don't much like you and are on the ad com, you aren't going to change their mind in an interview. If they aren't on the committee, as I said it probably doesn't matter much since you would interview with them or somebody else not on the committee.

[Baller123]

1 hour ago, Janiejoneswoah said:

Strategically, I would say no it's better to interview with somebody else... although it might not matter if your PI is not on the admissions committee. Usually the programs match you with a couple of PIs on the ad com and a few who you have said you are interested in. Although the ad com will account for the other interviews, the most important thing is to make a good impression on the PI's who are actually on the committee. Any opportunity you have to meet somebody new on the committee is an opportunity to get somebody else to fight for you in the admissions meeting. If your PI already likes you and are on the ad com, they will likely already fight for you. If they don't much like you and are on the ad com, you aren't going to change their mind in an interview. If they aren't on the committee, as I said it probably doesn't matter much since you would interview with them or somebody else not on the committee.

This was the thought process I worked through as well