Interview FAQ

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I understand. We had a guy in our program last year who complained after the incoming students introduced themselves (they were all attached) and he had no one new to hit on.
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Well I certainly think you should make clear in your interviews that you only wish to accept offers from programs with single women... It will make you a stand-out candidate, for sure!
 
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lol, I suppose it depends on if the grad students find me attractive, since we all now know that they play a part in the decision :). Yeah, on second thought, I better not mention that :)
 
at least you'll have a chance...these programs are approximately 99% female these days...
 
irish80122 said:
Ugh, is everyone who is going to grad school in long-term relationships? I am a single guy and was hoping that I may have a chance of meeting someone in grad school, but it sounds like the chances of that may be slim :(
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Ha, if you are a single, straight guy, you have entered the right field. You will be in the definite minority, and should have no problem finding potential partners. Now whether it's a good idea to date within your department is a topic for another day, another thread..
 
True, I have debated that as well, plus I know so many couples where they are married but live in different places because they are both professors, and I would rather not do that. However, we do have a husband/wife team at my undergrad institution and they team up on research all the time. I think that would be an amazing experience, but I may just be naive and not realize that it would lead to lots of problems, lol.
 
is it OK to wear a brown suit to interviews? I know med school interviews are very formal (a friend of mine wore a grey suit once and felt underdressed) but I'm assuming psyc programs are a little more casual. I'm especially concerned about East Coast schools.

Thanks!
 
alienarms said:
We should organize a support group for our SOs...For People Who Love People Who Love Psychology.

LOL!
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My husband would totally join this! I'm making him completely nuts right now!

I can just see it:
"Hi, my name is Bob and I'm married to an SDN-oholic"
"Hi Bob"
"She checks the site close to 800 times per day. She talks about nothing but grad school. She's planning to drag me across the country. Ahhhhhhh!!!!"
"It's OK Bob. You're among friends now"

My husband's name isn't Bob by the way...
 
and for my next stupid question....
i'm interviewing at a warm location. but i live in a cold location, and only have experience interviewing in cold locations.
LADIES: what types of shoes are appropriate??? I usually wear boots with my suit, but that just doesnt feel right when its 78 degrees!
 
One of my interviews takes place over two days in separate locations and I have only one suit. I don't think I should wear it two days in a row (I guess I could change the tie). When I speak with a grad student I'll ask him/her about attire, but if anyone else has advice I'd love to hear it.
 
alienarms said:
Ha ha, yeah. It is nice to know I'm not alone...I feel bad for my BF sometimes, but he's also not totally happy at his current job, so if we have to move I think it would be a nice change for him. He may change jobs even if we stay where we are now (Boston area).

lol That's funny, I'm in the Boston area too and my BF is willing to come with me where ever I get in. (Though he did rule out Florida and some other "too humid for his New England lungs" places.) It's funny how surprised his family was about the whole thing.."You mean you're following her? I guess it just shows how awesome our boyfriends are and what liberated ladies we are that it didn't even occur to me that this was a reversal of the traditional scenario.
:p
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amy203 said:
My husband would totally join this! I'm making him completely nuts right now!

I can just see it:
"Hi, my name is Bob and I'm married to an SDN-oholic"
"Hi Bob"
"She checks the site close to 800 times per day. She talks about nothing but grad school. She's planning to drag me across the country. Ahhhhhhh!!!!"
"It's OK Bob. You're among friends now"

My husband's name isn't Bob by the way...
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I'm sending the link to this page to my BF right now!
 
amy203 said:
is it OK to wear a brown suit to interviews? I know med school interviews are very formal (a friend of mine wore a grey suit once and felt underdressed) but I'm assuming psyc programs are a little more casual. I'm especially concerned about East Coast schools.

Thanks!
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I think it really depends on the school, department, and location. I interviewed at Penn State (Counseling) and felt slightly overdressed in black pants, boots, a button down white shirt, and a black blazer. But I have an interview at NYU next week that I ordered a fancy Banana Republic suit for...I just have a feeling it'll be a little more snazzy. So, we'll see! I'll report after that one.
 
Nimadea said:
alienarms said:
Ha ha, yeah. It is nice to know I'm not alone...I feel bad for my BF sometimes, but he's also not totally happy at his current job, so if we have to move I think it would be a nice change for him. He may change jobs even if we stay where we are now (Boston area).

lol That's funny, I'm in the Boston area too and my BF is willing to come with me where ever I get in. (Though he did rule out Florida and some other "too humid for his New England lungs" places.) It's funny how surprised his family was about the whole thing.."You mean you're following her? I guess it just shows how awesome our boyfriends are and what liberated ladies we are that it didn't even occur to me that this was a reversal of the traditional scenario.
:p
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Hey im in the same situation!!! My fiance is currently at UVa for Organic Chemistry and while i am trying desperately to get in there he will be following me wherever i get in (if i get in). He got the same reaction from family and friends "Wait, isnt the girl supposed to follow the guy?" I was like hmmmm let me think about that. Wherever i get in (if i get in) is the only place that will take me and he can get in pretty much anywhere if he wanted (organic chemistry is suprisingly not the most popular phd program). I mean there was no question in his mind it is just shocking how people reacted in the 21st century!!
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I'm just wondering if people have suggestions how to answer the question, "What do you see as the function of clinical training?" (since we all want to be researchers, of course). Thanks!
 
-Amy 203- a brown suit is more than fine, you definitely don't need to be in a black suit.
-Warm weather - ladies, yes, you can wear heels and not boots
-When in doubt, ask a trusted friend or a family member for feedback about how you look!
-You can use the same suit gentlemen but you may want to vary shirt color or the tie, etc. Or dress it down a bit for the dinner/potluck/ group outing.
:luck:
 
Sorg1123 said:
One of my interviews takes place over two days in separate locations and I have only one suit. I don't think I should wear it two days in a row (I guess I could change the tie). When I speak with a grad student I'll ask him/her about attire, but if anyone else has advice I'd love to hear it.
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Someone already said it, but the suit is fine just change the shirt and tie. It is a dark suit right?
 
I was originally going to wear a skirt suit to my interview, but it is supposed to be really cold and a really long day (8am breakfast all the way through to an after dinner party at a current student's apartment) so I was thinking about wearing some nice gray pants with my black suit coat...do you think that is too informal and I should go with the black skirt suit? Or go with what is more comfortable?
 
Oh and I, too, have a SO who is in the business world (finance) and may be accompanying me to wherever I go, and we are currently in Boston, too! Small world, huh? I think he is more hesitant to commit to coming with me because he is just finishing his MBA/MSF program this semester and worried about job prospects, which I can understand, but I don't want to do long-distance! He was a minor factor in where I was applying to school, but I have a feeling I won't have many choices of where I will actually attend. I'm sure it will work out...think positive, right? :)
 
If it is cold and you are going to be in the same outfit all day, I think the gray pants options you described is totally fine as long as it all looks nice and well put together. You might consider adding a brooch or a scarf to the suit jacket to jazz it/ dress it up a bit, especially if you are wearing a turtle neck under it. That's enough to show you put some thought and effort in that you care enough to try to make a godo impression.

Don't underestimate the importance of wearing something comfortable /that you feel confident in, especially if you are going to be in it all day. At this time of year, pants in a cold weather place is acceptable. If you are wearing a new skirt suit with heels and your legs are cold and you are not used to wearing this type of attire, trust me, it will affect your self-confidence... most women know what I am talking about. Unless of course, you feel *better* and more confident. Hope that helps! :luck:
 
WEIRD so there are at least, what, 4? people on here living in Boston talking about bringing their SOs to where they get their degree. That's hilarious! I wonder if there's a correlation between geographic location, relationship status, and SDN checking? haha.
 
serotonin said:
WEIRD so there are at least, what, 4? people on here living in Boston talking about bringing their SOs to where they get their degree. That's hilarious! I wonder if there's a correlation between geographic location, relationship status, and SDN checking? haha.
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Well, I certainly do refresh this page (and the Official Interview thread) every 10 minutes or so!
 
serotonin said:
WEIRD so there are at least, what, 4? people on here living in Boston talking about bringing their SOs to where they get their degree. That's hilarious! I wonder if there's a correlation between geographic location, relationship status, and SDN checking? haha.
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Umm, make that five. Boston, married, moving somewhere hopefully.
 
well let's all have a party:p !

Oooh, I have to leave work early today so I can get home in time for my phone interview with my number one choice-- with all of these "bombs" being found in Boston I have NO idea how long my commute will be!
 
off topic, but apparently all of the "bombs" in Boston today were litebrites of characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Super Nintendos!
 
serotonin said:
well let's all have a party:p !

Oooh, I have to leave work early today so I can get home in time for my phone interview with my number one choice-- with all of these "bombs" being found in Boston I have NO idea how long my commute will be!
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Haha, I had no idea there were even bomb scares in Boston until you said that! I just went to Bsoton.com to read about it....guess I will have to find a new route home from work! Good luck on your interview!
 
217 said:
Haha, I had no idea there were even bomb scares in Boston until you said that! I just went to Bsoton.com to read about it....guess I will have to find a new route home from work! Good luck on your interview!
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Oh, that explains all those helicopters.
 
Can we get back to the topic here?

What questions should I ask my POI?

Should I wear my gold or silver "Great State of Texas" belt buckle?
What is the minimum number of consecutive roundhouse kicks required for admission?
 
ummmm...great state of Texas belt buckle? lol
I mean I love texas (being a texan & all) but that might be pusing it. Where are you interviewing?
 
How many interviews everyone is planning to attend?

*Edit* This was just a bad question...I'm sorry guys didn't mean to freak you out. We shouldn't be worrying about # of interviews at that point. Nothing we can do about it anyway. I'm just obsessed with this process & its making me a little nuts.

Sorry!
 
Psychxiety said:
How many interviews everyone is planning to attend?
Right now I have 4 lined up at good programs & I'm wondering if that's a reasonable number. I don't think I will be getting any more. I mean how many we need to attend to have a reasonable chance of admission? Don't get me wrong...I know its not all numbers...just trying to get a consensus.

I just feel like so many people get shot down after the interview process. :(

Anyway, what do you all think...is 4 on the high end or low end?
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If fours on the low end, what does that make zero?! :scared:
 
Psychxiety said:
How many interviews everyone is planning to attend?
Right now I have 4 lined up at good programs & I'm wondering if that's a reasonable number. I don't think I will be getting any more. I mean how many we need to attend to have a reasonable chance of admission? Don't get me wrong...I know its not all numbers...just trying to get a consensus.

I just feel like so many people get shot down after the interview process. :(

Anyway, what do you all think...is 4 on the high end or low end?
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You want to sell your interviews? I wouldn't mind being on the "low" end right now.
 
Dr.JT said:
Someone already said it, but the suit is fine just change the shirt and tie. It is a dark suit right?
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Is a dark suit (Navy, in my case) considered more professional than one that's light gray?
 
I'm sorry guys...I didn't mean to raise people's anxiety about this. :oops:

I'm just nervous myself. It upsets me when I see that schools like BU invite close to 60 interviewees for 12 positions. It seems like they could narrow it down a little more than that.

Anyway, schools arn't done inviting...theres still hope. Check out how many posts there were on the invite thread today.

Good luck!
 
They teach classes in business dress at my uni & they say that solid black and grey are the most professional for men. Women have a little more liberty in terms of suit color. So I would go with grey.
 
LosingMyMind said:
If fours on the low end, what does that make zero?! :scared:
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Didn't I see on the other board that you have had 2 interviews with UW this week! You're sure to get an in person invite from them. They are one of the ones I haven't heard from :cool: .

Its not over till its over folks.
 
Well, I only have one interview as of today, and I am losing hope of being invited for any more :( I'm not really sure how it works, 1 could be enough to secure a spot (which is what I'm banking on!) or you could have 10 and not get any offers, there seems to be no method to this madness. Just go in with confidence, and know it isn't the end of the world if you don't get an acceptance this time around. I think you can feel pretty good about having 4 interviews already, though!
 
serotonin said:
WEIRD so there are at least, what, 4? people on here living in Boston talking about bringing their SOs to where they get their degree. That's hilarious! I wonder if there's a correlation between geographic location, relationship status, and SDN checking? haha.
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Hey I'm actually not in Boston. NOrthern Jersey 40 minutes outside NYC. Maybe its a Northeastern thing? Anyway im glad im not the only one. I feel somewhat guilty about it but after this long year of long distance i really cant do another!
 
It doesn't really matter if there are 60 people for 12 places or 100 for 3 places. All that matters is how many people YOUR person is brining in and how many places HE/SHE has. Now this could change a bit, but you should only worrying about your person.
 
Joetro...that is a good point but I'm not sure if it holds for BU. I was called by the head of the anxiety lab/dept (it seems like 1/2 of the people there work in anxiety) & not the people I specified. However, I will be interviewing with the 2 people I mentioned in my PS not with the woman who called me. Long story short, I have no idea how it works at Boston- but I guess I will find out!

Whatever the case, I'm just going to try to be excited & positive about the interviews. If nothing else its a chance to meet some people in the field who I will likely work with (or at least bump into at conferences) in the future. You can't underestimate the power of networking in this field.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Thanks 217- I'm sure you will have a chance at your program. Just know your audience & sell yourself. Since you have 1 you can focus all your energy on them & really do your background research. No worries if its the right program for you it will work out.
 
Sorg1123 said:
Is a dark suit (Navy, in my case) considered more professional than one that's light gray?
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Navy is fine. Navy suits have historically been the classic business suit for men, although these days you see more black and dark gray.
 
Does anyone know if you are supposed to bring copies of posters/publications/C.V. to interviews?
 
I brought a few copies of my CV to interviews but never handed them out. People really already know all that information on your CV since it is included with your application. They can look up the publication if they are interested.
 
Psych_Ho said:
-Amy 203- a brown suit is more than fine, you definitely don't need to be in a black suit.
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OK, I'm going with the brown suit. I think I will feel more confident in something a little more casual.

I live on the (very casual) West Coast, and wearing a suit makes me feel like a kid playing dress up!
 
Sol18 said:
I'm just wondering if people have suggestions how to answer the question, "What do you see as the function of clinical training?" (since we all want to be researchers, of course). Thanks!
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Can anyone comment on this?
 
amy203 said:
OK, I'm going with the brown suit. I think I will feel more confident in something a little more casual.

I live on the (very casual) West Coast, and wearing a suit makes me feel like a kid playing dress up!
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And, as an added bonus, you will stand out from the sea of black-suited chicas! I wore a navy pinstripe last time around and I was the only one in a color other than black (for the females). Unfortunately my cursed cats got ahold of it, so I suspect that I will simply rely on one of my black ones rather than shell out more money on a decent suit.
 
Okay, so it's definitely clear that we should be wearing a dark suit to the interview. What are we expected to wear to these social events though?

On another issue, for those of you who have already had a group interview (one which is not assessing group personality dynamics), what can be expected? I'm just wondering about the Suffolk interview particularly.

Any comments on these issues would be really appreciated!! Thanks.
 
Sol18 said:
Okay, so it's definitely clear that we should be wearing a dark suit to the interview. What are we expected to wear to these social events though?

On another issue, for those of you who have already had a group interview (one which is not assessing group personality dynamics), what can be expected? I'm just wondering about the Suffolk interview particularly.

Any comments on these issues would be really appreciated!! Thanks.
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Although I've had a number of group interviews for jobs, my first one for school will be next week so we shall see how that works out.

As for social event attire, people wear a wide range of clothing types. I've seen jeans/khakis and nice shirt, different suit, same suit without the jacket, skirts, etc. all at one event. Of course, I would take into consideration the setting. If you're going to a pizzaria, you might not want to choose the spiffy suit!

Cheers!
 
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