"invited to meet the faculty and students"

[blindluck]

what exactly does it mean, "Following your application to our graduate program, I would like to invite you to come and meet the faculty and students "?

I'm treating the situation as an interview...but I'm not sure, it could just be a tour. I haven't recieved the full information regarding this yet. If anybody else has recieved something like this, did you get to pick the day/days you went, or is that already set?

Any advice on how to prepare for an interview? Do you take your papers and lab notebook type stuff, or it is pretty general? How formal/casual should I dress, I don't think a suit is approporiate, but I'm not sure?

Any help would be much appreciated!

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[tr]

what exactly does it mean, "Following your application to our graduate program, I would like to invite you to come and meet the faculty and students "?

I'm treating the situation as an interview...but I'm not sure, it could just be a tour. I haven't recieved the full information regarding this yet. If anybody else has recieved something like this, did you get to pick the day/days you went, or is that already set?

Any advice on how to prepare for an interview? Do you take your papers and lab notebook type stuff, or it is pretty general? How formal/casual should I dress, I don't think a suit is approporiate, but I'm not sure?

I think most graduate schools require an interview day as part of the admissions process. They generally pay travel expenses, I think. Usually there are a few available dates, of which you can choose the one most convenient for you. You should be able to talk knowledgeably about your research, but you don't need to bring your lab notebook. Nobody wears a suit; you'll look like a tool. Leave the monkey suits to the med students and just dress nicely. Good luck!

 

[blindluck]

thanks! yea, i was pre-med for a while, so i had that whole interview process drilled into me.

if interviews are a "few days", i wish i had applied earlier, so i could have done this during winter break instead of during the semester. oh well, hopefully my profs will understand....although even though they're phds, they always find it odd that somebody isn't pre-med.

thanks.

 

[Sonya]

no need to br ing your lab book. Sure, bring your papers and distribute them to everyone (why not, if you have already published something before gradschool, it's worth showing off).


everyone wore a suit at my last interview, which was Vanderbilt. full suit, with a coat, usually black. If you have a suit, it can't hurt to go on the formal side (if at your interview, no one is wearing one, you can always take off the coat). Vanderbilt told us to wear suits in the invite... maybe you can ask the school how formal it is.

to prepare... be able to describe (briefly and in detail) any research you have done. be able to answers detailed question related directly or indirectly to your research, or similar topics. Also, be able to talk about your future research interests, if you have any idea about that. Other than that standard inteview stuff... look them in the eye, smile, act like you want to be there and want to go to that school, etc.

Good luck,
Sonya

 

[Fixed Gear]

If they're not calling it an 'Interview' per se, it likely means that you are going to get an offer.

At my interviews, no one wore suits. Well, one guy did. I usually wore dress pants and a shirt + tie, but some people just wore button-up shirts or even rugby shirts.

 

[blindluck]

i guess i should have clarified earlier that i'm a girl. so what i meant more was like is the whole "skirt suit" thing really necessary. because i know for med school interviews, they're pretty anal about that, but if you guys say it can go both ways, i'll find some place in the middle.

i know it seems stupid that i'm stuck on what to wear...but they already know all the "science/academic" stuff about me through talking on the phone, email and at my campus, so im not really sure what this interview is about, other than to get to "know the real me".

 

[Sonya]

even at medschool interviews, pants suits were okay for girls. there was no way i was going to freeze in a skirt suit, anyway. pant suit or skirt suit is fine. At my NWU interview, only a third of the people were wearing suits... the rest were wearing dressy shirts/pants. some even were wearing more casual clothing. I'd say, if you own a suit, may as well use it.

*** be prepared to answer very detailed questions about your research and any halfway related topic!!

one interviewer asked me some tough questions, which were not exactly stuff I would know from just doing the research. If i kept up with literature surrounding the topic, then I would know it.

I think PhD people care less about the "other stuff" compared to medschools. In fact, interview are largely for the school to convince YOU to come!

 

[blindluck]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind and I'll def freshen up on the literature.

I dont really know anybody else who is applying to Ph.D programs, so that just makes me more nervous that I need to be...but I think I'll survive.

Do any of you know how this whole interview selection works? I mean, a lot of the school I applied to had deadlines in mid Jan/early Feb, only a few in Dec, so I don't see how so many of you all already interviwed?
Does it depend on the department?? Most of my programs only sent me notifications a 2/3 weeks ago stating they were going to start the review process. Does it make a difference that I submitted all of my applications the day before they were due? Or are all of you really just that fab?

Where did you all apply and how long from after the deadline did you hear back?

 

[betshsu]

Don't freak out about visiting the school. If they didn't say it's an interview, it's probably not an interview. Whether or not they interview is completely dependent on the school and they generally state whether an interview is required for admission upfront in the application process. When I applied for my PhD, some schools interviewed and some did not. Many schools will fly out people they have offered admission to in an organized weekend event, so you can see the school, meet current students and faculty, and meet other students in the admitted class. This is definitely not a visit to treat as an interview, but instead an opportunity to learn more about the program and its culture and the research going on in the department. If it is an interview, sometimes they will state dress code in the interview offer (ie, the year I interview at Hopkins they specifically stated "business casual" because they didn't want people showing up in suits). From your description, it sounds more like it is a recruiting weekend where they are going to try to convince you to come to their school.

 

[Fixed Gear]

Don't freak out about visiting the school. If they didn't say it's an interview, it's probably not an interview. Whether or not they interview is completely dependent on the school and they generally state whether an interview is required for admission upfront in the application process. When I applied for my PhD, some schools interviewed and some did not. Many schools will fly out people they have offered admission to in an organized weekend event, so you can see the school, meet current students and faculty, and meet other students in the admitted class. This is definitely not a visit to treat as an interview, but instead an opportunity to learn more about the program and its culture and the research going on in the department. If it is an interview, sometimes they will state dress code in the interview offer (ie, the year I interview at Hopkins they specifically stated "business casual" because they didn't want people showing up in suits). From your description, it sounds more like it is a recruiting weekend where they are going to try to convince you to come to their school.

I agree 100%.

Likely, they are more concerned with selling their school to you than they are with meeting you. These sort of events are really to woo students and show the positives their school has. I'd say you should try your best to relax, just take everything in and ask any questions you have for them.

 

[blindluck]

Thanks for all the info guys! It's reallyl helpful.

One more question, at these "interviews" did you meet all the faculty and were you supposed to appeal to one/a few of them? I know I dont get an advisor until later, but am I supposed to let the ones whose research I'm into know that I'd want to be in their labs? Or is all that sorta left until after the program officially starts? I mean...I don't want to end up in a lab that doesn't have sufficient funding...but I dont want to be a brown-noser either.

 

[betshsu]

Whether you choose a research advisor before you start the program or after you start the program depends on the school. Some schools, you have to RA for someone right away for your tuition and salary to be paid. Other schools, you have a year to choose an advisor--if the school is funding you, then it's through a fellowship or some funding situation the department has set up. Either way, you should be using the visit to figure out which faculty members are doing research you're interested in, their lab environment, and possibly what they're funding situation is like.

 

[Sonya]

most of my applications were due in december, so I guess that's why I have interviews in feb.

let a professor know if his lab appeals to you. it's appropriate.

 

[blindluck]

betshsu - When you applied to Hopkins (was it the med school, grad school or public health school?), how long did they take to get back to you?

I'm still waiting on them and the appl deadline was jan 15th, I can't tell if 4 weeks is time enough or if it takes longer. Some schools replied back within 2 weeks and others, it's been over 2 months and I'm still waiting!

 

[betshsu]

betshsu - When you applied to Hopkins (was it the med school, grad school or public health school?), how long did they take to get back to you?

I'm still waiting on them and the appl deadline was jan 15th, I can't tell if 4 weeks is time enough or if it takes longer. Some schools replied back within 2 weeks and others, it's been over 2 months and I'm still waiting!

I've applied to Hopkins twice for graduate school.

The first time was way back in 1999, for their PhD program in Biomedical Engineering. That program interviews... I think I interviewed in March/April and got my acceptance a week or two later. This means I was probably informed of the interview in Feb or early March.

This year I applied for the MPH program at Hopkins. I was accepted about 3 weeks ago. But the Hopkins MPH program has a very early deadline (Dec 1) because the program starts in July.

From my experience with applying to grad schools, you either get your interview/acceptance notification by March (sometimes later, but if they're offering you money, they can't force you to make a decision before April or May--I can't remember which anymore) or you don't hear anything until May/June when the reject you. Granted, this may not hold true if you're just applying for an MS--I applied only to PhD programs. I can't tell if this holds true for MPH programs or not yet--it's still pretty early in the timeline for hearing back from schools (ie, I haven't gotten a rejection yet).

Also, I don't think 4 weeks is enough time to expect a reply back from a school. It takes them a while just to get all your credentials together and send you application up to the review committee (sometimes nearly a month).

 

[blindluck]

well march is just around the corner, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed that they respond soon!

(i applied to phd programs, the public health school already started the review...but the med school campus is just so slow)

 

[crackerj]

Yeah, I have also applied to Neuroscience PhD program at Hopkins this year but I have not heard anything from them since mid December (rejection possibility??). I have been admitted to two programs at the moment (and I am really happy about it!!) but I really would like to hear from Hopkins soon.

The bottom line is that an interview is not only a good opportunity to observe where you will pursue PhD for many years, but also a great chance to give people an impression of who you are as a person. So the best thing a person could do at the interview would be to be able to explain one's research experience in a scientific way (intro-method-results, etc..) and apart from that, just be natural.

I've applied to Hopkins twice for graduate school.

The first time was way back in 1995, for their PhD program in Biomedical Engineering. That program interviews... I think I interviewed in March/April and got my acceptance a week or two later. This means I was probably informed of the interview in Feb or early March.

This year I applied for the MPH program at Hopkins. I was accepted about 3 weeks ago. But the Hopkins MPH program has a very early deadline (Dec 1) because the program starts in July.

From my experience with applying to grad schools, you either get your interview/acceptance notification by March (sometimes later, but if they're offering you money, they can't force you to make a decision before April or May--I can't remember which anymore) or you don't hear anything until May/June when the reject you. Granted, this may not hold true if you're just applying for an MS--I applied only to PhD programs. I can't tell if this holds true for MPH programs or not yet--it's still pretty early in the timeline for hearing back from schools (ie, I haven't gotten a rejection yet).

Also, I don't think 4 weeks is enough time to expect a reply back from a school. It takes them a while just to get all your credentials together and send you application up to the review committee (sometimes nearly a month).

 

[1Path]

Yeah, I have also applied to Neuroscience PhD program at Hopkins this year but I have not heard anything from them since mid December (rejection possibility??). .

My understanding is that the first "batch" of interviews for Hopkins' PhD programs offered through the med school were completed the last week of January/first week of February. A second group of interviews will go out if folks from the first group withdraw their applications however, I don't know how true this is for every program at Hopkins.