Interview

The Interview
You & The School

Some people dream of
success, while others wake
up and work hard at it. unknown
C. Gita Bosch, PhD, MBA
Academic & Educational Consulting
theacademicconsultant.com

The goal of this session is to provide you with
tips and strategies for a successful graduate
school interview. We will cover preparing for
the interview, potential interview pitfalls and
how to overcome them. We will also discuss
how to make the most of first (interview) and
second (after acceptance) visits to schools in
the context of selecting a school for
matriculation. Much of this information is
applicable id MD/PhD programs and
somewhat to MD programs.
B

The interview -- objectives

School You

Be interviewed by Interview the
the faculty, faculty, students
students and and
administration administration

 They want to see  Is this the right fit
the application for you?
come to life
B

The interview -- objectives

 Make a positive  Be
and professional  Professional
first impression  Prepared
 Personable

 Learn about the  Enthusiastic
facilities  Engaging/interes
ting
 Knowledgeable

Better to remain silent and be
B thought a fool than to speak out
theacademicconsultant.com and remove all doubt. Abraham Lincoln

Be prepared

 Who are the interviewers
 Get a list
 What are they interested in
 How many interviews are there
 What is the format
 Have copies of your CV/personal statement
 The Program
 What is the program like
 What is it about the program that interests you

B

Before the interview -- prepare

 Rehearse with a faculty advisor
 Give them a copy of your PS

 Practice some standard questions

 Familiarize yourself with the
School/Program
 Web pages
 Why are you applying to that School/Program?

B

Before the interview -- prepare

 Familiarize yourself with the interviewers
 Look at their web pages & papers

 Email the interviewers or faculty in whom
you are particularly interested

 Review your application packet, esp. the
Personal Statement

B

What are they looking for?

 Commitment to & understanding of research
 Sustained research experience
 Summer undergraduate research programs
 Senior research thesis
 1-2 years full time experience in a research lab
after college

 Understand what biomedical scientists do

 Demonstrate an aptitude for science
B  Grades in challenging science courses

What are they looking for?
 Commitment to a career in sciences
 Academia
 K-12
 Undergraduate/graduate
 Research Institute/Medical Center
 Government
 NIH
 NASA
 White House
 Business
 Biotech
 Law
 Journals (e.g., editors)
 Industry
B  Pharmaceutical companies (big pharma)

Who are the interviewers

 Faculty (research/clinicians)

 Faculty who teach in the programs

 Current students

 Administrators

B Readers are plentiful; thinkers
theacademicconsultant.com are rare. Harriet Martineau

At the interview
Show them the
person you presented
in the application

 Dress appropriately
 Comfortable clothing & shoes

 Relax and be professional & social

 Introduce yourself (the handshake)

 Sit up, smile and speak clearly; participate in the
conversation; show confidence
B

Dress codes
Traditional or formal
Formal attire business attire
One step down from formal attire
Tux and tails Business suit (usually dark),
Long evening gowns white dress shirt and tie
Dress shoes, socks Business suit, skirted, at least
Closed-toed and heeled knee-length
pumps, hosiery Dress shoes, socks
Closed-toed and heeled
pumps, hosiery

B
theacademicconsultant.com Fashion goes in one year and out the other.

Dress codes
Business attire Business casual
One step down from formal One step down from business attire
business attire Dress trousers, dressy collared
Suit or dress trousers and shirts and sports coat, no tie
sports coat, dress shirt and Khakis and golf shirts
tie
Dressy separates, slacks,
Suit, skirted (at least knee- skirts, blouses, sweaters,
length) or pants, dressy dressy dress
separates with jacket,
Closed-toed shoes
business dress
Casual or Campus Casual
Dress shoes, socks
Jeans, collared/tee shirts
Closed-toed and heeled
pumps, hosiery Sneakers, sandals, flip-flops

B
theacademicconsultant.com Fashion goes in one year and out the other.

Interviewing the school

“…all great  Lab and classroom
institutions are space
continually changing--
-renovating, building,  The campus
recruiting, developing
new programs and
 The surrounding
collaborations, and area near campus
pursuing new ideas.”
(Harold Varmus)

Plans are only good intentions
B unless they immediately degenerate
theacademicconsultant.com into hard work. Peter Drucker

At the interview
YOU SCHOOL

 You are always “on”
 Be careful of bad behavior

 Emphasize your strengths and experiences

 Show enthusiasm & commitment when you talk

about your research

 Show some interest in the interviewer’s research

 It is OK to say “I do not know”
B

At the interview
YOU SCHOOL

 Confidence
 Body language
 Eye contact
 Sense of humor
 Active listening
 Acknowledge
 Reflect
 Question
 Summarize My intent is simply to know
 Clarify my material so well that I'm
very comfortable with it.
B Confidence, not perfection, is
theacademicconsultant.com the goal. Scott Berkun

The interview
 Let the interviewer take the lead

 Pay attention to the questions

 Have a list of your own questions

 Are students and faculty readily available
when you visit

 Is the culture/environment what you need
B

Overcoming shyness

 Rehearse with a trusted faculty

 Review your strengths

 Write some notes & questions
 Review before (not during) the interview

 Anticipate questions and plan your answers
B

Interview vs. Second Visit

 Interview
 Get a feel for the School/Institution and
determine if it makes it to your short list

 Second visit
 See and feel what is important to you

B It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is
theacademicconsultant.com the privilege of wisdom to listen. Oliver Wendell Holmes

Second Visit

 What is the format?
 Can you select which faculty you see?
 How much student contact is there?
 Are you prepared?
 What do you want to know at the end of the
visit?
 Do you have a list of questions?

B

Optimize your second visit

 Talk with faculty in your areas of interest
 Talk with lots of students
 Explore the institution & neighborhood
on your own
 Look at the bulletin boards
 Sit in on a class in your major (content &
style)
 Sleep over in the residence hall
 Take pictures SKGSBS lots of notes
and
B

What not to do

 Arrive late for your meeting
 Leave your cell phone on
 Have your iPod on
 Bad-mouth your boss
 Complain/whine
 Lie about your experiences &
qualifications

B

What not to do

 Get defensive about a particular
question
 Let your nervousness/ shyness show
 Unprofessional (too familiar)
 Look at your watch
 Sound rehearsed

B

What to do

 Present yourself
 Professionally
 Effectively
 Honestly
 Show you know what you are getting into
 Clearly present your current interests
 Show you understand your current
interests may evolve as your field of
interest evolves
B

What to do

 Figure out if this School/Program is the right
fit for you
 Make notes right away about each
School/Program

 Figure out if the research there excites you

Get your facts first, and then
B you can distort them as much
theacademicconsultant.com as you please. Mark Twain

Possible interview questions

 Tell me about your previous research/yourself.
 What do you enjoy most/least about research?
 Why do you want to go to graduate school/become
a scientist?
 What area of research do you plan to work in?
 What qualifies you for graduate school?
 What are your areas of strength?
 What are your areas of weakness?
 Why did you do poorly in subject X?
B

Possible interview questions

 What do you think you can expect in
graduate school?
 What are your career plans?
 Is there anything else you would like to tell
me about yourself?
 Do you have any questions about our
School/Program?
 Make sure you have some questions ready!

B

After the interview

 Write thank you messages
 Follow-up with an advocate
 Follow-up based on when you expect to hear
from them (not the next day)
 Promptly acknowledge an offer of admission, ask
how long before they need your decision
 Promptly provide additional information if
requested

Politeness and consideration for
B others is like investing pennies and
theacademicconsultant.com getting dollars back. Thomas Sowell

Our imagination is the only
limit to what we can hope to
have in the future (Charles F. Kettering)

B

Interview

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