dreamformed Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Hi everyone, My question is for those who have either gone through graduate school or are currently in graduate school. How should I prepare for an interview with a potential graduate supervisor? (She has seen my entire application package before booking this interview). - I have started to read a few paper that she have published to get a better idea of the research but....should I have a specific project idea in mind when I go to meet her? - What kind of questions should I expect? and what are they really looking to hear in the responses? - While I am there to meet her, what kind of things should I look for in the lab? If she does the interview in her office, should I request for a tour of the lab? - Should I dress as if I am going for a job interview (dress pants, collar shirt etc) or just everyday wear is ok? - Any books/sites etc that helped you prepare for the interview? And any other tips or pieces of advice you can offer would be great. It would be great if you could share your own experiences as well. Thanks, dreamformed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner10 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I had an idea of the research my supervisor does before entering the interview; that being said, I did not have a potential project in mind, no. Usually the supervisor himself/herself has an idea of what kind of project/what area they want a potential graduate student to do research in. I wouldn't worry about having a potential project in mind too much, particularly not for the first meeting. As for questions and responses, I think supervisors want to gauge how interested you are in actually doing research - there are a number of supervisors who, if they can tell you're only going into grad school to get into med, will not be too happy - this makes sense because that also leaves the possibility that you will ditch out on your project/program if you get into med a year after starting grad school. A potential supervisor will ask you the obvious questions: what's your academic record like, what previous research experience you have, etc. I found answering each question honestly, even if it may not be the answer one wants to hear, worked best. It means everything is on the table. I definitely chose a supervisor and lab that I felt comfortable with. I did get a tour of the lab in my first meeting and this played a significant role in my decision to join the lab I did. It's going to be a pretty long haul with your supervisor and the lab, so you should feel comfortable around them. I think meeting the lab is a standard thing to do. I suggest going somewhat dressed up but suit and tie is overdoing it IMO. Shows professionalism. I didn't use any books or sites to help me prep. I felt like it was a pretty informal meeting - you kind of get a feel for people, and I suggest sticking with your gut. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
affyuser Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 You should also find about her expectations from a grad student prior to finishing i.e. how many papers required ? How many years on average? Also, if you are starting as a masters student, finding out if she expects you to stay on for a PhD might be good to know, especially if you have plans for medschool after a masters. It helps to have your supervisor on board with your plans from the start. The other thing you must do before deciding to join a lab is talk with all the grad students and postdocs already working there - this should give you a good idea about the working environment in the lab and how satisfied people are with the supervision and the general nature of the work. I find that grad students and postdocs are pretty frank about stuff like this. Labs to avoid tend to have this unhappy vibe around them - and this is not just a lone disgruntled individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Very good advice from the two above posts. Like the person above me said, definitely ask to talk to her grad students. It's really important to do that, and it's your best way to find out if you'd be happy there. If she says no or thinks that's weird, run like hell. But it's a pretty standard thing to do, so I doubt that you'll get a negative response. These kinds of interviews are usually pretty informal, so don't stress too much. I'd probably wear dress pants, nice shoes, and a nice shirt, with maybe a tie if you're a guy. Nothing more formal than that, though. Good luck and have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamformed Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Thanks everyone for the responses! - If they already have seen my transcript, resume, reference letters and statement of interest, should I still expect to be asked questions about my academic record, research experience etc? (Generally I did well in most of my studies but have a couple of bad marks on my record too....just poor choice of courses, terrible profs and didn't study in the "right" way for their particular exams......would grad profs ask specifically about those marks?....I am really worried about this). - I am thinking that maybe in the first meeting, it might not be ideal for me to reveal that I am thinking of medicine after.....but if they ask, I could mention that I am keeping my options open for now. Does that sound right? - I am also worried about how would I show her that I am genuinely interested in research? (I have some experience as a summer student working in labs but totally unrelated to her research in particular). Any tips or advice on that? - regarding reading their papers and publications, is it sufficient to just read a few recent ones? What if her research is on multiple aspects and I am particularly interested in one of those which I told her about already....but I mean it would all depend on the funding etc so, I don't having a project in one of the other aspects that she studies. Having said that, should I read papers on a few of the aspects in the area she studies or should I just bother with the one I am interested in? - How long do these kinds of interviews usually last? Do the profs discuss funding matters at that time too? - If after the interview with her, I feel that I want to join her lab, should I bother to email other profs and try to have interviews with them...and then pick from that? I mean interviewing with other profs/other labs would give me something to compare her lab to. How many profs did you guys contact or had interviews with? And thanks for the advice on the dressing and the lab tour....I will definitely ask to speak with current grad students to get a better idea of the lab in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proton Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 A few things: -expect to be asked about your research experience for sure. Questions could include actual content, or questions about skills you learned, how would you approach certain situations, what do you like/dislike about it, etc. -I'd mention it in the interview that you're interested in medicine. Don't make it sound like you're just doing a grad degree to pass the time. If you say you're interested in a few paths including medicine and (whatever you're interested in) it lets them know that you're probably not going to stay there forever. Plus you need them to write you letters when you apply, and they will resent it if you make it sound like you're all gung-ho 100% research oriented and then ask them for a letter for med school later. I think I let my supervisor know by asking him what students who graduated from his lab have gone on to do, and a lot of them went to med school or did PhDs, so i mentioned those are two careers I'm interested in but that I want to learn more before I commit to either -if you're genuinely interested in research, it will show when you talk about it don't worry about that -ask about funding if they don't mention it. If you feel awkward about that, ask the grad students in the lab when you talk to them. -interviewing with a few labs is always a good idea. You may think you love something just because it's the only thing you know but there could be better if you just look a little. -if they ask about a specific mark, be honest, take responsibility and mention what you learned from your mistakes/situation/circumstances and how you used that to avoid making the same mistake in the future. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If they have you there, they think you're smart enough. I don't know where you applied, but where I interviewed I was surprised at how pleasant it was in almost all cases. It wasn't stuffily formal and was more like a conversation than an interrogation (the way some med interviews can be ) Relax, don't stress too much, just be yourself. Best of luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Just a couple things to hopefully reassure you a bit. I would be really surprised if they asked you about a specific mark, because they're usually much more focused on research than grades. But if they do, just explain like proton said and I doubt it will be a big deal. I have about 5 F's on my undergrad transcript and no one ever even mentioned them when I was applying to grad school. And I think it's fine to mention that you're thinking about medicine, and you can even tie it into research because research can be a big part of a career in medicine. Just be really open all of your potential interests and how getting a master's to learn to be a better researcher would play a role in all of the careers you're considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamformed Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks everyone for the great support! I will definitely keep all those great pieces of advice in mind when I go for the interview. I figure that she invited me to come for an interview after seeing everything (transcripts, reference letters, statement of intent etc)...which possibly means that she probably want me there. I am also thinking of taking a more recent transcript (with the fall semester grades) to show her that I have done well so far this year. Now, I am just a little concerned about how will I show that I have developed an interest in that particular field of research......all the courses that I took were just general undergrad courses and as I said before, my research experiences as a summer student for a couple of years are very unrelated to her research. Also, I have heard that a lot of profs prefer students who have applied for external funding. I have not done that yet and I believe that the deadlines have now passed.....have I put myself at a greater disadvantage by not applying for them? Just out of curiosity, do potential supervisors help students that they are interested in taking into their lab with regards to putting together a formal application package to submit to the school. (So far, she wanted all the documents sent to her before having a further discussion on possible graduate projects). If I applied to another program/school, should I tell them about it? Should I only mention if they ask or should I tell them myself regardless of whether they ask or not? Thanks once again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudphud Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Having external funding is always a bonus. At least with NSERC and CIHR, I believe they are transferable across institutions so applying for these before you begin grad school might be the one thing that seals the deal (plus it makes your application more attractive). However, IMO, most students I know start grad school without external funding, but are expected to apply for them once they begin (almost a given that you will be asked to apply for funding once you start). This can also be a bonus, because in most cases you can get a nice raise (i.e Vanier is $50,000 / year for a PhD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamformed Posted February 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thanks mudphud for the response! Yes, I do plan on applying for external funding once I start a masters in the fall. I wanted to apply this year (before starting graduate school) but was not sure where I was going to end up applying, potential supervisors and potential graduate projects since I believe that information needs to be part of the application package. Well guys, any other types of questions I should expect other than why I am interested (I plan on talking about the importance of research in this particular area and why it is valuable etc), my research experience (even though my experiences are very unrelated to the field that I am applying into for a grad degree, I plan to talk about how they have prepared me for research in general, the kinds of skills that I have learnt from my experiences that I think will be beneficial for the research I want to do for a grad degree etc) and I will read a few papers that the potential supervisor has published. Should I mention some specifics from those papers....and link to how I find those aspects/points very interesting etc? Any other kinds of questions I should expect? And usually at the end of an interview, they ask if we have any questions for them....other than things like a lab tour or funding possibilities, should I ask some specific questions? Is it good to ask questions at that time? If so, what kinds of questions should I ask her? Since I have submitted the entire application package to her....if she does tell me that I should now put in a formal application to the university/school I plan to attend....should I ask her for feedback on my application? Maybe how I can make the statement of interest etc better and ways that I can make myself look like a more competitive applicant in the eyes of the school I will be applying to (assuming the prof knows the ins and outs of the admissions process within the department? Lastly, since most of you mentioned that interviews with potential graduate supervisors are usually more like a conversion and very unformal, does that mean that the prof tells you right away if they are interested in having you in their lab? I am thinking that its not like an advertised job position and profs don't normally have hundreds of applicants at the same time contacting them for the same position...with regards to having a choice on who they want and who they don't want. Is it possible for profs to turn students down after having an interview? I am really scared for the upcoming interview since I really want to work with her and would hate to have to start the process of looking for a grad supervisor all over again. Let me know what you guys think or have experienced in your own journey through grad school. I would love to hear from you guys. Thanks once again for all the help and support! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev01 Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 this may be 2 late..but the #1111111111111111111111111!!!!!! thing i found they LOVEE is enthusiasm... u can be a pure genious...but if u dont show joy for research/there topic... theyll still look at u differently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev01 Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 this may be 2 late..but the #1111111111111111111111111!!!!!! thing i found they LOVEE is enthusiasm... u can be a pure genious...but if u dont show joy for research/there topic... theyll still look at u differently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev01 Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 this may be 2 late..but the #1111111111111111111111111!!!!!! thing i found they LOVEE is enthusiasm... u can be a pure genious...but if u dont show joy for research/there topic... theyll still look at u differently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev01 Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 this may be 2 late..but the #1111111111111111111111111!!!!!! thing i found they LOVEE is enthusiasm... u can be a pure genious...but if u dont show joy for research/there topic... theyll still look at u differently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinklystar_hp Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 this may be 2 late..but the #1111111111111111111111111!!!!!! thing i found they LOVEE is enthusiasm... u can be a pure genious...but if u dont show joy for research/there topic... theyll still look at u differently... its not too late for me:P i've just STARTED contactign potential supervisors but i'm planning to be real enthusiastic... i'll be the most cheeerful person they've ever seeen just to get that extra bonus lolz jk.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeghan Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 Keep in mind that as much as they are interviewing you, you are interviewing them as well. I think any good supervisor would respect that fact if they are made aware of it. Don't be cocky, but you need to know that this position is right for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinklystar_hp Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 so i have a question that popped in my mind while going through this thread: if u one hasn't applied earlier (last year) for external funding..what would be an ideal explanation for that is asked...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misskris Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 I have an interview soon with a potential masters supervisor, before I hear back from admissions results from this year (for med). Should I mention that I've applied and that I might not be pursuing my masters, or what is the best way to approach this? I don't want to wait too late before I interview with her and have the chance to know, but at the same time I don't want to just bail on a supervisor. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Don't even mention med. Express full interest, since it is your backup if med doesn't work out, so you don't want to come across as uncommitted. You shouldn't even say that the grad degree is your backup. Then, if you get the lucky call from med in May, and you were accepted to grad school as well, you just call up the grad supervisor and let them know you've chosen to pursue something else, or aren't ready for a grad degree or whatever you want to make up. Just know that any possibility for future work with this prof would most likely be shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Keep in mind that as much as they are interviewing you, you are interviewing them as well. I think any good supervisor would respect that fact if they are made aware of it. Don't be cocky, but you need to know that this position is right for you. totally agree. I contacted 1 supervisor about being my M.Sc. supervisor. I really liked the stuff he was publishing, as well as the stuff I heard about him. We had one chat on the phone and he paid for a flight/hotel for a week to fly across the country and just "see" the place. Of course I knew I was being treated great so it really helped my easy decision to go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradocs Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 I know this thread is a little old but I thought I would add to it for reference (its not that old) and for summary purposes. If I don't get into meds this May I will be looking for postdoc spots this summer, so this is as much for my benefit as for everyone else. I have also been on the other side of this discussion (ie why or why not to take a student in the lab) with my PI many times. Anyways, these are things I would ask/do: 1. Let the PI talk. That is my most precious piece of advice for interacting with profs no matter what discipline. If a prof has dedicated their life to calcium signalling, they are sure to like you if you let them tell you about their research. I find this gives me a good idea of who the prof is and what they do, but it is also an excellent way to give the prof a good impression with little effort. 2. In my experience the prof isn't as concerned with your knowledge of their field (esp science these days since it is hyperspecialized) as much as they are your enthusiasm. Other posters have said it better than I can, see previous posts in this thread. 3. Experience is third on my list because in many fields (esp those involving animal surgery and molecular biology) the training takes months. Training also takes an experienced person away from their experiments. It is one of those things that makes research tough to get into, but experience matters big time. Funding+experience is best but it is so hard to get money now for health science research the PIs probably don't expect it. 4. Finally, for my own sake I would: look at the lab's productivity (publications, presentations, graduations), the lab's personnel (it has been said before: are they happy?), I would make sure to get an idea of what I would be doing technique/study wise (one of my friends has to check on her animals at 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week for months at a time, no fun) and I don't think this has been mentioned before: I would get a copy of the prof's grant. The grant is a great way to learn about what you are going to be doing and to make sure you are not going to be working on a half-baked project that hasn't been thought through. Things that I think are less important are marks, extracurriculars, courses, interview answers and unrelated work experience. I say that interview answers are not super important because most profs aren't business people and don't usually have much in the way of discerning questions they want to ask. They usually just want to know if you would be a good fit in their lab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.