Preparing for a graduate school interview can sometimes be confusing because you never know what to expect. After all, different universities have different interview styles.
Should you get ready for all types of interviews? Absolutely not. It might not be timely possible, and it would not be necessary.
The good news is, all of such interviews have some common aspects. If you know what they are and have an idea about how to respond in those common situations, you will most probably hear good news at the end.
After all, you have already done the hard part. You were selected for an interview among many candidates. That is a win right there. You just have to make a little bit of an extra effort to get into your dream school.
If you follow these tips when preparing for a graduate school interview, you will surely get that extra little push to face your interview in the most successful way possible.
You have already won half the battle.
Not many students understand that those getting an invitation to a graduate school interview already won more than half the battle.
If you receive an invitation, it means that the graduation committee has gone through all of the applications and selected you as one of the most competitive candidates.
They would like to have a formal meeting because your application made a good impression.
You just have to maintain that first impression and hopefully improve it during the interview.
Do not forget to pat yourself on the back for what you have already done.
Read the email properly.
With the excitement coming up with an invitation email, some students do not pay serious attention to all the details in the email.
These minor errors could lead to negative impressions in the interview.
Pay close attention to:
1. Date and the time of the interview. If there’s a time difference(Due to different time zones), make sure to create a reminder on your calendar.
2. Is the interview panel interested in any specific subjects(One of your recent papers, projects etc.)?
3. Is there a requirement for a presentation (A slide presentation of one of your projects or a paper presentation)?
4. Is there any dress code?
Go through your application again.
Do not forget to keep the consistency of the information you provided during your interview if the interview panel gets an idea that the information you provided (Especially in your statement of purpose letter and your CV) will make a wrong impression, which probably ends up cancelling your application.
Therefore, make sure to go through your application package when you are preparing for a graduate school interview.
Fill the voids
If you have any time gaps in your CV where you did not mention anything, there is a higher chance that the interview would ask for an explanation. Make sure to keep a closer attention about this aspect when your are preparing for a graduate school interview and make sure that you can explain yourself in such a situation.
Also, if you happen to have low test scores, which is not up to the required level demanded by the university, be ready to explain why you have got lower marks. It should also be noted that you must be honest and humble in answering these questions.
In short, you must be prepared to defend yourself responsibly if the need arises.
Do your homework
You do not have to know everything about your interested field of study. There is a higher possibility that the interview panel would be interested in your knowledge and understanding of your area of chosen research. But, they must understand that you understand what you are getting into.
The interview panel might ask questions such as :
1. How your previous research knowledge can be applicable to get the best out of your graduate program?
2. What are the most exciting aspects of your chosen field of study?
3. How do you think your interested field of study can advance human lives in the future?
You can talk about the theoretical frameworks, methodology, equipment you have experience in.
It is a good idea to address these questions through the experience you gained in your previous projects so that the interview panel can understand that you have the intellectual ability to apply the knowledge you previously gained into other areas.
Prepare to talk about how the program can help you.
You must have a clear understanding of what you will do with the knowledge and experience you gain from the graduate program.
It gives the interview panel the idea that you are serious about going for higher studies.
Therefore, be ready to talk about future professional plans after completing your graduate studies.
Make sure to list down some of your future ambitions when you are preparing for a graduate school interview.
Adaptability
Can you facilitate yourself to be sustainable during your graduate program?
This has been a frequent question asked in almost every interview. If you’re applying from another country, you’ll have to pay a lot more attention to this question.
to be specific, the interview panel would question such as :
1. Would it be enough to pay your fees and other supplements by the funds you will receive?
2. If your program does not provide funding, How do you plan to fund yourself?
3. Can you adapt to climate change? (If applicable)
4. Graduate school is a highly stressful place. Would you be able to handle that pressure? Do you have any experience that involved you handling such situations?
5. Would it be hard for you to get a visa from your country? What are your plans to get your visa within a short period?
It would be best to understand that you could not come up with proper answers to those questions on the spot. You have to go through some resources to understand these scenarios, and you may have to spend some time developing a proper solution.
So, make sure to go through these types of questions when you are preparing for a graduate school interview.
Prepare some questions beforehand.
At the end of the interview, the interview panel would ask you if you have any questions to ask from them.
It is vital to ask a couple of questions if this situation arises.
It shows that you care about their program and are serious about going into a graduate program.
You can ask about:
1. Specific labs and their research that you are interested in
2. Conferences and publications practices in the department
3. Funding options
4. Department-specific clubs and societies to socialize with other students
Prepare for the worst-case.
After all of this hard work, what if your internet connection is cut off at the time of the interview? Therefore , it is important to check your technological aspects beforehand when you are preparing for a graduate school interview because these things happen all the time. So it is always better to have a backup plan when it comes to technology.
If you are using a WIFI connection, ensure an LTE connection is ready. You can use your mobile phone’s WIFI for this task. Or you can use your phone or tablet for the interview.
Set up an appropriate background. Try to avoid default backgrounds (If you are using Zoom conferencing) unless you happen to have an entirely green background.
Finally, make sure to check your video camera and microphone beforehand.
Take a rest: You’re all set!
After all, this is not an exam you are about to face. You are way past that trouble now.
If you have already taken care of the tasks mentioned above, take a good rest and think about how you will face the interview.
Join the interview at least 10 minutes before the given time and be calm at all times!
Good luck!
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