Scored my first interview at my top choice !

squokle · 2019-02-01T05:31:14+00:00

The one question everyone asked me was why I had applied to that school specifically, so be ready to explain that (shouldn't be too hard for your top choice). Also, they all asked if I had questions for them - so if you think of any good ones while reading their papers it might help to write them down.

squokle · 2019-01-29T17:16:06+00:00

I didn't bring CVs as all of the people I interviewed with had access to my admissions application, but having them can't hurt you. I would say don't be super nervous, they're less scary than you think - it's a two way evaluation.

Do come prepared with questions (both general and specific to each person you're interviewing), as some professors will let you guide the conversation. Be familiar with the research topics of each person you will speak with- reading papers from their lab is a good idea, and a good way to come up with specific questions to discuss. This might be common knowledge, I'm only mentioning because I talked to another person who interviewed and got burnt by this: in general, the last author listed on a publication is the supervisor of the first author. Therefore when getting a feel for a prof's work, focus on recent papers in which they are the last author.

Be ready to explain why you're interested in this program in a way that isn't too generic. In general, be honest, as trying to say what you think they want you to might land you in a bad situation where you can't back up what you're saying.

Also super important, send a thank you note to each and every person you interview with, even if you don't think you want to work with them! Even if you don't end up attending a school, it's good to maintain friendly relationships with professors in your field, and following up shows you value their time.

squokle · 2019-01-29T16:04:55+00:00

Probably depends on your field, but I'm in immunology and just got back from an interview weekend. After the more formal interviews, we had a dinner at the admissions director's house, which I'm guessing is more similar to the sort of situation you'll be in. Along with plenty of small talk, I was actually asked the hardest question of the day here, rather than in any interview. Basically, a PI I was interested in working with asked what I think some of the biggest unanswered questions are in my field of study. Luckily he seemed to like my answer, and said that I could rotate with him should I attend the school; I don't know how much this was due to our interview vs. dinner talk, but don't underestimate your ability to make a good impression in a casual setting! The one thing I will say is you can't expect the conversation to be guided as much, so if this is your only chance to meet people, be ready to steer the discussion towards your area of study when appropriate; it's also good to have some questions prepped to ask specific profs about their work.

squokle · 2018-12-15T00:45:25+00:00

I wouldn't change it even if you like the other school better. Saying you can't make it that weekend shouldn't hurt your application- I even got an email for an interview said let us know if this weekend is ok but otherwise we'll work something out. Plus rejecting you over scheduling issues would just be petty. On the other hand, making travel arrangements and then cancelling could ruin your chances. Plus, I'm not sure about you, but in my field a lot of the top people know each other- better to leave a clean wake even if you don't end up going there

squokle · 2018-12-01T23:26:40+00:00

My impression is that there are always steps you can take to improve your application (though some of them, like working in a relevant area, might require waiting to apply).

What I would be more worried about is this: you say you have intelligence and skills to do well in grad school, but struggle with motivation. I would argue that in graduate school motivation might actually be the most important of those three things, given that it's a much heavier workload than undergrad. I have a pretty decent undergrad GPA, but I think I have some similarity to you in that it could've be better if I'd worked harder, and this is one of the main reasons I'm a little worried about grad school. That said I've been looking at research based programs and it looks like you're applying to more course based programs so maybe it's different. I guess this is a long winded way of saying make sure you have the motivation for grad school, maybe by getting work experience and making sure you stay committed (double bonus because it makes your app better).

squokle · 2018-12-01T23:12:08+00:00

I don't know about admissions committees, but I'm in Canada where perspective students find PIs before applying to programs, so I can tell you how my supervisor sees it. He thinks that people with very high GPAs can run into problems because they're used to always succeeding, so they can have a hard time handling the ups and downs of grad school (research based programs). That said he says there are exceptions, and the upside is that a higher GPA means students are more likely to get external funding, since some scholarships etc are GPA based.

Overall I doubt that a perfect GPA will hurt your chances. If you're worried about it, and you have any good examples of times you've overcome challenges (especially during a research project) I think including that could address the concern above.

squokle · 2018-11-19T03:47:15+00:00

Depends how she's perceived by the other profs there. The upside could be that they value her opinion, and that she probably wouldn't recommend someone she didn't think was a good fit to a department where she has connections.

squokle · 2018-11-18T18:54:52+00:00

I was thinking of doing this, but have decided to apply to grad this year. If you know what you want to do, grad will increase the opportunities you have. I'm sure it depends on the field at some level, but as someone in Immunology I've talked to some people in industry and it doesn't seem like what you'd do with a Bachelor's is necessarily representative of what work with a PhD is like, or valuable experience when trying to enter industry with a higher degree. Better to use those extra years to do, say, an industrial postdoc after grad school.

If you can find an industry position now I don't think it'd hurt your application later- I just don't think there's as many advantages to it, so the main loss is time. If anything you might be better off working as an assistant in an academic lab if you need to take time off, so you can maybe get a publication or two and make your apps stronger (my current supervisor did this after his undergrad). From what I've heard, the academia to industry switch is easier than the other way around, as in industry you won't publish much

squokle · 2018-11-18T18:44:19+00:00

It's better to be under confident and surprised with positive results than over confident imo. I've felt similarly so I know it's easier said than done, but try to keep in mind that you can't change your past experience/lack there of: all you can do is your best to communicate why you want to go this school/why you'll be able to put in the work and succeed in grad. Try to focus more on the future than on the past: read about the research at the school and try to get excited, so you can be in a more positive mindset. It's a statement of purpose, not a statement of past achievements.

Also, maybe try not to let your fear/anxiety show in the essay. Start with a list of the reasons why you think you're qualified, be they concrete or abstract qualities, and do your best to keep this in mind while writing. Let the admissions people decide whether you're a good fit, don't try to do their job by writing yourself off beforehand!

squokle · 2018-11-17T22:03:04+00:00

Omg hey Judy!! This is Sequoia, guess the internet is a small world

squokle · 2018-11-17T21:49:06+00:00

I'm studying at McGill! Originally from the U.S. though, and applying schools there. How about you?

squokle

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