Questions about Interview

[kim20k]

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Do you know how many applicants are usually invited to an on-campus interview?
What will be their chance of admission?
I do not know what to expect from the interview and how to prepare for it.
Could you give me some advice?
Thank you,

Best,

Kim

 

[erg923]

psyd or ph.d? it varies greatly by each individual program, so its hard to answer. The websites outcome data usually states how many were invited to interview and how many they offered admission. Know the research of the person you are interviewing with if its a ph.d. Be able to state clearly why you want to become a psychologist. Dress professionally and be able to state why you trhink the program is a good match for you. Do you have a professor in your department you are close with, one of your LOR writers for example? They should be able to give you some advise and prep you.

 

[buzzworm]

I haven't been on any grad school interviews myself yet, but from what I've heard it's a good idea to be able to talk intelligently about the research that you've contributed to -- undergrad thesis, research assistant jobs, publications, etc. Basically any work you've done that they know about. So before mine, I'm definitely planning to reread my thesis and the publications/posters that I've contributed to. Also, I've heard that pretty much everyone wears a suit to the interview.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I haven't been on any grad school interviews myself yet, but from what I've heard it's a good idea to be able to talk intelligently about the research that you've contributed to -- undergrad thesis, research assistant jobs, publications, etc. Basically any work you've done that they know about. So before mine, I'm definitely planning to reread my thesis and the publications/posters that I've contributed to. Also, I've heard that pretty much everyone wears a suit to the interview.

Would a nice skirt combo be a good substitute for a suit (for a female, obviously)? I don't have any suits, but I do have a few nice skirts.

 

[buzzworm]

Would a nice skirt combo be a good substitute for a suit (for a female, obviously)? I don't have any suits, but I do have a few nice skirts.

If you do a search through the old threads, I think there's a long discussion about how to dress for interviews. I'm pretty sure the consensus was that a skirt suit was fine, but I'm not sure about a skirt with just a blouse and no jacket.

I probably would buy some sort of suit -- I know several people who have bought them specifically for grad school interviews.

 

[deleted176373]

Do you know how many applicants are usually invited to an on-campus interview?

Highly variable. Most Ph.D. programs shoot for between 2-5 for each professor.

What will be their chance of admission?

See above... Do the math. 🙂 1 slot, 4 applicants on the interview. 25%.

I do not know what to expect from the interview and how to prepare for it.
Could you give me some advice?

My Ph.D. program (or competitive Psy.D. program) biased advice where you are looking to match closely with a specific adviser. Know the literature that provides the foundation for their research or methodology.

For example, if you are working for a slot in Yale's Ph.D. with ummm, let's say Kelly Brownell. You better know something about the literature in which his research is based on and you probably should know what the "toxic environment" is and how it plays a role in his research. You should know that he got his Ph.D. in 1977 from Rutgers (post-doc work at Brown) and who was his mentor at Rutgers (G. Terence Wilson). You should also know who he has influenced as well and who on the Yale staff that he has collaborated with. You'll also want to know something about his graduate students as well. Finally, you'll want to have a reason for working with him other than he's famous and you're the most bitchin' student since wonderbread.

Mark

 

[krisrox]

you'll want to have a reason for working with him other than he's famous and you're the most bitchin' student since wonderbread.

Uh oh, I need to change up my whole approach...

 

[AlaskanJustin]

My Ph.D. program (or competitive Psy.D. program) biased advice where you are looking to match closely with a specific adviser. Know the literature that provides the foundation for their research or methodology.

For example, if you are working for a slot in Yale's Ph.D. with ummm, let's say Kelly Brownell. You better know something about the literature in which his research is based on and you probably should know what the "toxic environment" is and how it plays a role in his research. You should know that he got his Ph.D. in 1977 from Rutgers (post-doc work at Brown) and who was his mentor at Rutgers (G. Terence Wilson). You should also know who he has influenced as well and who on the Yale staff that he has collaborated with. You'll also want to know something about his graduate students as well. Finally, you'll want to have a reason for working with him other than he's famous and you're the most bitchin' student since wonderbread.

Mark

although I agree with Mark mostly, if you have quite a few interviews then this becomes a little too tedious, especially trying to know who he/she studied under etc. My argument would be to know their current research, because sometimes their past research does not match with their current (and what you want to do) research. I agree it is important to know WHAT is going on, so knowing any collaborations would be important IF and ONLY IF (wish they had a math notation toolbar on this thing) the collaboration is the research you want to do, i.e., U Minnesota has a prof doing things involving genetic screening on the twins study, well I need to know the MD involved with the project on the other side.

If you try to do what Mark said for every primary POI at say 6 interviews? You will want to commit seppuku. Of course the more informed the better, BUT I would also argue that there is such thing as too informed (almost stalkerish).

One final point, I fully agree with mark that saying how you work with that lab is key, maybe come up with an idea or two, or say how one of their studies could be expanded and elaborated on. Try to sound insightful but not like an expert, because we are not experts, merely inquisitive minds.

Justin

 

[buzzworm]

If you have the Insider's Guide, there's also a whole chapter on how to prepare for the interview. It lists the common questions that interviewers ask, how to dress, how to handle "stress interviews", etc.

 

[deleted176373]

although I agree with Mark mostly:

If you try to do what Mark said for every primary POI at say 6 interviews? You will want to commit seppuku. Of course the more informed the better, BUT I would also argue that there is such thing as too informed (almost stalkerish).

Justin

Well I agree, you don't need to know the names of their pets and kids. You don't want to be the person who says, "Did you drive the BMW today or are you in the Hummer H3 you picked up for the wife last summer." There is prepared and then there is creepy stalker. Avoid creepy stalker. 🙂

Mark

 

[cara susanna]

Be able to talk about your research and where you want to go with your research (like, even a vague idea for a study would be good). Also be able to answer some standard questions. It took me two interviews before I was able to give a nice answer to "So tell me about yourself." Unfortunately, they didn't ask me that again. 😉

 

[PsychPhDone]

I used the plane rides to get creepily familiar with them. 😉 There's only so much SkyMall you can read.

 

[AlaskanJustin]

I used the plane rides to get creepily familiar with them. 😉 There's only so much SkyMall you can read.

blah well its a gift and a curse, my 8+ hours of battery life (6+ hours running movies) on my asus netbook. Seems like a great idea to get to know them before hand on the plane, but mannnn watching avatar is sooo much better

🙂

 

[cara susanna]

I did that too! Printed the articles beforehand and read them on the plane.

 

[hamsterpants]

It took me two interviews before I was able to give a nice answer to "So tell me about yourself." Unfortunately, they didn't ask me that again. 😉

These are the kind of questions that make me freeze up! you think I would be used to it after 18 years or so of interviews in the corporate world.