Interviews

After evaluating applications, the Admissions Committee of a graduate program shortlists students for interviews. Students are typically invited to the University, all-expense-paid, to interview with faculty members. Such interviews help the Admissions Committee take a complete and informed decision on the applicant. More importantly, such interviews give the applicant an opportunity to interact with faculty members, get a flavour of the program and meet seniors and potential batch mates in an informal setting.

What do I do if I am shortlisted for interviews?

1. Rejoice! Congratulations, you have cleared the first major hurdle and you are very close to achieving your goal of acceptance.

2. In the case that applicants live overseas, the graduate school makes arrangements for organizing Skype/telephonic interviews. But make sure you clarify this. Often, these trips are paid for. It is well worth the effort of applying for a VISA to travel for these interviews. Even if your flight tickets aren’t funded, you must seriously consider (if your resources permit) travelling to attend these interviews since it shows that you are genuinely interested in the program.

Do all schools and programs have interviews?

NO! In fact, very few programs have interviews before selection. This information is made clear on the Admissions Website. It is very rare for MS applicants to be interviewed. Even among PhD students, interviews are common only in disciplines like Biology but rare in Engineering. In some cases, a Prof may request a one-on-one Skype interview before accepting you as an RA or for funding. But few programs have a formal interview requirement.

What is a typical interview like?

Ideally, you will meet with 2-3 faculty members whose area of research you have expressed interest in. The aim of the interview is not to grill you and humiliate you and make you aware of all the things you don’t know. Instead, your interviewers are interested in seeing if you can hold an intelligent conversation. You will be asked questions on the projects that you discussed in your SOP. There may be specific details of your project that they may ask for. Questions like,

“Why did you do what you did?”

“What was the rationale behind designing this experiment this way?”

“Doesn’t this technique have the following demerits? How does this affect your interpretation of your results?”

After asking you a string of questions on your project, your interviewer may talk to you about the program and explain its strengths. Finally, he/she will ask you if you have any questions. YOU MUST HAVE QUESTIONS!

Most interviews stretch for 20-30 mins. If you prepare for your interview, in most cases you will walk out with the pleasant satisfaction of having had an enjoyable conversation with a scholar.

How can I prepare for my interviews?

1. You must know all details mentioned in your SOP inside out.

2. You must know all projects discussed in your SOP inside out. This will be your most important preparation. Do background reading on published literature on your project. Know why you did what you did. Understand your experimental design. Understand the caveats of your interpretations.

3. Read up on the work of the person you are interviewing with. It is essential that you can intelligently discuss his/her research if the need arises.

4. Know the answer to the following question, “Why are you interested in this program?” And sound convincing!

5. Prepare a list of questions about the program that you are interviewing for. If you are lucky to interview with your research idol, don’t feel shy to ask him/her questions on their research that has excited you to no end!

Tips for a Zoom interview:

1. Check, double-check and double-double check your internet connection. Make sure you have a backup.

2. Exchange your Skype/Zoom/Meet ID with the graduate school well in advance.

3. BE ON TIME FOR YOUR INTERVIEW!

Other general tips:

1. Try to catch some seniors and ask them to conduct a mock interview for you.

2. Your first question will invariably be, “So you have worked on XYZ. Tell me about what you did.” Plan what you will say beforehand. This way your answer will be crisp and to the point. Don’t memorize a script. But have a fair idea of the details you want to give. Don’t talk too much. Give room for them to ask you questions.

3. After your interview, send your interviewers a Thank-You email for their time.

Remember that if they have called you for interviews, they want you as much as you want them. So be confident. Be yourself. Be prepared.

Here’s a useful link to Grad School interview preparation. http://www.bcm.edu/gs/BeyondTheBeakers/Chapter%2015.pdf