On-campus interview vs. Skype interview

[Fiona18psych]

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Hi all!

My PI contacted me and offered me an official interview (a doctoral counseling psychology program). My PI explained that I can either choose to attend a Skype interview or an in-person interview, and the program will treat applicants attending the two equally.

I chose the Skype option due to work. However, the program’s website specifically wrote that applicants not attending the on-campus interview will be disadvantaged due to faculty unable to determine fit. I also know that with the Skype option, I’ll talk with two faculty for 30 minutes, including my PI; and at the on-campus interview, I’ll have multiple formal and informal interviews with faculty and current students.

I now feel that I should have gone with the on-campus interview, but I already told my PI that I’ll do the Skype interview. Do you all think it’s necessary to worry about this or to email my PI again just to confirm?



Thanks so much! Good luck to everyone applying this year!!

 

[deleted656923]

If it’s a school and mentor that you really want to prioritize, then you absolutely MUST to do the in-person interview — in this case, email back the potential mentor explaining that you want to make it to the interview in-person if possible and ask if they can schedule you for that instead.

Otherwise, if you already have an offer somewhere else or if this is a school you don’t have much interest in, the Skype interview is the way to go.

 

[Justanothergrad]

I offer both. I dont care which you do. That said, you (and them) will get more out of in person because you meet and interact with more folks. I say this so that folks know not everyone views them differently. There are lots of reasons people need to not attend in person (social justice issues for those not coming from money, pragmatic issues with distance for international students, health issues, etc.). Also, in my mind, everything is data for you to consider about a program you are considering.

In this case, they openly approach them differently. If you want to go there, I would absolutely email to arrange in person.

 

[WisNeuro]

I'm with others. In-person is essential for a grad program. Both for you getting a feel for the atmosphere and to sell yourself to the program and faculty. I can't imagine committing to a 4-5 year plan without physically seeing things.

 

[Fiona18psych]

Thank you all so much for the advice! I’ll definitely take these feedback into consideration. Thank you!!

 

[psychrat]

I did a phone interview for the PhD program I got into and ultimately attended. Out of the cohort of 7, 2 of us did phone interviews.

 

[Sharewithme]

Just seeing this. Even though I think you're a leader in and true applier of the counseling psych field, @Justanothergrad, I'm with the others in that if there is any way possible to get to on-campus interview, go for it @Fiona18psych. You'll get more out of meeting with more faculty and your potential cohort. You'll also see how the environment feels for you.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

Just email them and try to get an in person interview if you can switch. In addition to the reasons stated above, in person you will have time to speak with and see how happy/miserable current students are. This is critical information.

 

[Sharewithme]

Especially @Justanothergrad and @Fiona18psych, I realized my INITIAL thoughts were to attend in-person. Doctoral counseling psychology programs are about deeper thinking. With the in-person interview, there's an exception to every rule, and counseling psychology supports case-by-case basis decisions. Moreover, and this is NOT an advertisement, I updated my website's interview section on the matter: Do I Attend And In-Person?

 

[irish80122]

I am also late to the party, but thought I should reply with a DCT point of view.

I agree that I would try to go in person if possible. I do not believe a program will put you at a disadvantage on purpose. However, if you do a phone interview we get a lot less of a sample from you. Often fewer faculty interact with you, and because of that you have fewer potential advocates in the admission meeting.

We have accepted students who did phone interviews, and did so just last year, so it can and does happen. If you are going to do a phone interview, I would try to talk with as many faculty members and graduate students as possible to give the program as big of a sample size of you as possible. Again, you never know which faculty member you will impress, and because of that they will advocate for you in the admissions meeting. That isn't always the PI, in fact it often is not.

Going into the politics briefly, every year we have fewer lines than core faculty, so some of our faculty will not be allowed to take a student. Having multiple faculty who feel strongly about a student definitely can have an effect on choosing to prioritize one faculty member over another for an offer.