What does this mean?!

[SingingPsyLady]

Hi everyone! Hoping this is happening or has happened to someone else and they can provide insight.

I applied to a PhD program (not clinical, more social-psych based). Application was due January 5th and I have been conversing with my POI since the end of October. She contacted me after all my material was submitted to speak to me "off the record". We talked for about 45 minutes yesterday very candidly and she asked me some run of the mill questions and answered whatever questions I had for her. She informed me that by the end of next week, their faculty will be meeting and that at that time, funding decisions will be made, including whether or not she will be able to have a grad student in the coming year. At that point, she will then make a decision on who she wants to "officially interview." As all of us have done, I am sure, I researched pretty extensively about how this whole admission process goes. Never once did I come across an account of someone's POI calling them to basically chit-chat off the record prior to an interview invite going out. The conversation was awesome, but also left me confused! So, here are the questions I have now and am hoping for some informative feedback:

Has this happened to anyone else and if so, did you end up getting an official invite for an interview?

How often are the faculty members listed as taking a student on their program's website, only to not actually receive funding to do so? I guess this is my biggest fear right now because I feel that she really does like me. Why take 45 minutes out of her day to talk to me if she didn't? If she doesn't get funding, and I don't get funded, I won't be able to attend. Is this likely to happen?

Thanks everyone and good luck to all applying and interviewing. The end of the waiting is near!

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[bcliff]

I would consider this a preliminary phone interview. It seems strange that your POI would describe it as 'off the record' though, since I would consider a phone interview to definitely be 'on the record'.

The only phone interview that I have had so far was similar - POI and I talked for about 20 minutes, he asked questions about my CV, experience, goals, etc., and I asked questions about the program and his lab, and then he said that official interviews would be sent out in first couple weeks of January.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My take is that by "off the record," the POI likely just wanted to have an honest/candid conversation that may not be formally taken into account during the interview process. Sort of a "get to know you" call.

By and large, I'd say those types of calls (and they aren't uncommon) are good signs, although it's going to vary so much from POI to POI as to what that actually means that there's likely no way to tell what significance, if any, it'll have with respect to admissions decisions. Heck, that might even vary year to year for the same POI.

As for the frequency of funding not being available, again, that'll depend. It seems less likely for funding to be pulled rather than just not offered, although there may be no way of knowing which of those two scenarios is the case with your POI.

 

[Doctor Eliza]

I had a negative gut response to the idea of "off the record." I'm wondering if it is "off the record" because she doesn't want other faculty to know about it or something. Admittedly, I tend to have a negative bias after having gone to a program to work with someone who turned out to be an abusive borderline who broke rules and violated boundaries left and right. At the interview phase she made me feel so special and was often very casual and familiar. In retrospect, it all fit with her pathology.

Not to be a Debbie downer. Just be alert to any signs that something is off.

 

[SingingPsyLady]

Thanks all for your input! It really is much appreciated!