<p>@neurohopes</p>
<p>No, I haven’t been to an interview yet. VCU is on feb 5 and UVA is on feb 12.</p>
<p>VCU says that there is nothing formal planned for Saturday except a tour of campus, so should I attended?</p>
<p>Also during the interview how common is it for the professors to test your knowledge in the field of which you are applying to? Basically, what do these professors typically ask? (besides your past research and current research interests)</p>
<p>anyone going to ucsf this coming 28? pm me if u need a buddy.</p>
<p>@xxxxxxx / aldo003b
Thank you! This was very helpful.</p>
<p>Hi all,
I have grad school interviews coming up at locations where my girlfriend has interviewed for Medical schools, but has yet to hear back from. As we are trying not to end up far apart next year, is it ok or advisable to mention this to my interviewers, or will it hurt my chances (or hers) of getting accepted?
Thanks</p>
<p>when i interviewed i thought i was going to get rejected after the interviews but i did not. there was one interviewer that gave me a really hard time. he asked me stuff in great detail and was really interrogative. it even came to a point where he said he felt bored. and at that point he started asking me quizzy things…on that note, i never once ever said the words “i don’t know.” i tried my best to look back to all of the things i learned and answer his questions as best as i could. i felt like my boat was sinking at that moment but i asked him questions that he too could not answer.</p>
<p>Lelouch:</p>
<p>I think you should have some idea about the field you want to go in. I don’t think you should say you want to go into genetics but have no idea what techniques and tests are used in that field (generally know that they exist…don’t need to know precise details). I say this because I was asked during both of my interviews what type of lab I would like in terms of the techniques. I wanted to focus on electrophysiology, but I could do pharmacology, genetics, or a number of things within the main field I chose. So basically have some idea of the type of work you want. I think it is acceptable to say that your are open to a number of different subtypes within your field, but don’t say that you have no clue and offer up no details. Basically, you would say you like x subtype but are open y and z subtypes as well.</p>
<p>They won’t ask too many details about your research interests besides what they are and why you chose them. If your past research experiences match what you are currently interested in, then yea, expect some detailed questions about it.</p>
<p>I too worry about being underage for the bar socials…</p>
<p>I was thinking of getting prepared in this way:
I mentioned 5 faculty names in my SOP, and mentioned two of their names along with one of their publication. Now I am going to read those articles, jod down something that I like/ don not understand/ stuff like that.
now the problem is I will be having interview with around 6-8 people…and I can not go through those many articles…
so what should I do? Please give some suggestions/ an easier way out!</p>
<p>besides, I have worked on 3 independent project, the latest one being my Masters thesis project (in the same field as those mentioned proffs work on). So I guess they will be asking me questions on my research too?</p>
<p>@ kinase</p>
<p>I’d read a couple recent papers from the people working in your masters field and make sure you understand them, for the others just skim a few. for my last round of interviews I read two papers for each PI and it ended up being a waste of time, they seemed more interested in selling the place than grilling me on their work. Maybe plan some questions for them though, I got caught a few times later in the day with nothing left to ask people about the program…</p>
<p>Kinase:</p>
<p>Yes, expect more detailed questions if your research matches theirs in a significant way. I had that situation come up and we did get into more technical things. For the other professors, I read their research bio on the school website and if I was really interested, read their latest paper. I was never quizzed by professor about their research besides them asking why I am interested in their work or whatever. However, I am very comfortable one-on-one so it worked for me to ask questions about things that interested me when they described their research to me. If you don’t feel so comfortable, it might be good to have some questions ready about their research before you go in.</p>
<p>really though, interviews aren’t bad at all (and this is coming from a person who is abysmal in novel social situations). the hardest part the last couple weekends has been the small talk with other applicants and grad students. interviews were fun.</p>
<p>Yalebio: who were you among the 15-20 people? PM me :)…Columbia’s cmbs weekend was absolutely awesome…</p>
<p>wait what, oncogene? I have the CMBS interview on the 29th…</p>
<p>^^ They have two weekends: 22nd and 29th.</p>
<p>@hamster09 :</p>
<p>That sounds so harsh… where was this?</p>
<p>
I disagree with the idea that social factors are those that get interview candidates rejected, or that one should or must drink in order to be accepted to a graduate program. At most schools, your acceptance or rejection is a matter for faculty, and how cool the graduate students think you are is of no consequence. I’m more or less a nondrinker, and I didn’t have any problems at interviews – I just asked for soda or juice and enjoyed myself.</p>
<p>For the most part, if you’re rejected from a school post-interview, it will be because of your interviews with professors – because, for whatever reason, the professors who interviewed you didn’t feel you’d be a good fit for their graduate program. Perhaps you didn’t seem interested in science, or you didn’t know what you were talking about, or you just rubbed somebody the wrong way. Or else they only had x spots in their entering first-year class, and there were x*yield people who had better interviews and seemed more promising than you did.</p>
<p>The recruitment part of the weekend is fun, but it’s for you and your decision-making process. The interview part is for the program’s decision-making process.</p>
<p>
The two-body problem is well-known in academia, but it probably isn’t necessary to bring it up during the interview. It doesn’t really help or hurt, unless one of you has already been accepted and you’re trying to use the other’s status as a bargaining chip.</p>
<p>
It’s great to answer questions in the best way you can, but it’s fine to say “I don’t know” if you really don’t know something. It’s certainly better to admit you don’t know than to act like you know when you don’t.</p>
<p>@shannonista </p>
<p>it was at Mt Sinai. will you be at the yale and columbia recruitment weekend? seeing that you and i are both pharmacology people maybe we could buddy up. lol. who did you chose to interview with at yale?</p>
<p>Neurohopes - I’d say it only matters if that was the only ‘social’ aspect of the interview. At least at my program, the students are consulted regarding ever interviewee, mostly to assess whether the student understands what he/she is getting into, has the maturity to deal with it, etc. If there was a borderline student who no one could attest seemed well-adjusted, etc. then that student might not be admitted. But A) others schools may handle this differently, and B) most schools have more than one informal session with students and faculty. I wouldn’t stress about it.</p>
<p>has any one heard from harvard’s OEB program?</p>
<p>@hamster09 </p>
<p>Yes, I will be at Columbia and Yale recruitment weekend 
It will be nice to have someone familiar (sort of… hahah) like you at these events! </p>
<p>I pm’d you. Check you inbox~</p>