I don’t know why that helps put my mind at ease, but it does. I also know a few graduate students in various fields, and I’ve started talking to them about some of the challenges and stressors they experience. For now, focus on putting your best self forward and getting those offers first! Make use of this incredibly valuable resource – you’re paying for it with your tuition, whether you use it or not! familiarize yourself with the training emphasis and faculty research interests. As someone with an interest in apocalyptic narratives of the past, apocalyptic speculation about the future is also something I find fascinating. BeMo®, BeMo Academic™, BeMo Consulting™, BeMo Academic Consulting ™, Platinum™, The Admissions Experts™, CASPer SIM®, MMI SIM®, SJT® & Get In Or Your Money Back® are trademarks of BeMo Academic Consulting Inc. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any universities, colleges, or official test administrators. Search Now. If possible, get expert feedback on your responses to a variety of questions like these, so that you can refine your approach and ensure that your narratives are doing the kind of work you want them to do. Most graduate schools start new students in the fall, but many programs interview in the spring. Learn how to prepare for a graduate school interview by reviewing the following grad school interview tips: Do I Really Need a Mock Admissions Interview?, a short video; How to Practice for a Video Interview or Essay; Acing Your PhD Interview; Acing the PsyD Interview: The 3-P Plan; Ask Away at Your Admissions Interview Knowing what to expect during the interview process allows you be better prepared. Review your own interests, goals, and qualifications. While I immensely value the education I received, the courses I took, and the professors who supported me, the diversity of perspectives was not as expansive as I wish it could have been. The same advice goes if the thing you’d like to change about your academic experience so far is something you yourself did or didn’t do. Check out this blog, which asks, "Does a Master's or PhD help your med school chances?". Are There Different Types of Psychology Degrees? You’re under constant scrutiny and your work is subject to constant critique - you're much more likely to be alerted to things you're doing wrong than applauded for things you're doing right. Additional Resources. However, you’re about to enter an arena where everyone is at least as accomplished as you are. Doctoral programs are stricter with admittance, requiring higher GPAs and related community service or internships in the field of study. Some conduct a formal interview, taking 30 minutes to an hour of your time. Overall, grad school interviewers want to evaluate: How you articulate and express your opinions Your potential success in grad school and in the future Whether … Communicate in Detail & Hone your storytelling skills. However, a response to this question needs to convey more than just gushing jubilation at the idea of getting to study these things professionally. This question is common in many types of interviews and is used to open a line of communication and test your ability to ... 2. That sense of perplexity is what led me to begin thinking about more than just the narratives, but HOW these are transmitted, accepted, challenged, etc., in the public sphere. Check out three difficult grad school interview questions and answers here: Image credit: Sari Montag, via the Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode. At the same time, it points to some key theories and scholars to demonstrate that they are well-read in general, and offers some insights into what has led to the decision to pursue further studies, all of which shows promise for moving forward and further nuancing that pre-existing knowledge. The ways in which a history that, at the time, seemed to me rather far in the past, was seen as immediately relevant – a symbol of a larger struggle that has been teeming for centuries – was eye-opening for me. But, if there are landmark names in your field whose actual works you’ve never read, work them into your rotation along with some things that are more current. They’ve posted many times about mental wellness in academia, as well as some of the unique stressors that come with life in higher education. If you can throw out some key names and some current ideas or theories in your area, you’ll impress the interviewer(s). If asked to give examples of personal limitations, again, be honest. Be able to... Take the perspective of faculty members. How will you contribute to our program? In September, professors and research supervisors must be asked for a letter of recommendation and the GRE test must be taken. It’s weird and philosophical, I know (hey, you said you wanted to go to grad school, right? As well, even if you do have a clear research agenda, it will almost certainly change before you finish your degree, as that is – quite simply – just the nature of research at this level. This question is difficult because of how informal it can come across when asked. First, you never know exactly what questions you’ll get on interview day. Not all graduate programs require an interview, but – increasingly – this is becoming more common. It may sound strange, but it is the perfect anecdote for some of the stress of school. Preparing for a Graduate School Interview To properly prepare for a graduate school interview, be sure to: Research the university or college. Nearly any claim someone makes can be evaluated critically through a different lens. Here are some of the most common and some of the most difficult or tricky questions candidates often face in interviews. The good thing is that your interviewer knows all of this. As well, once you’ve completed your education, you will be an ambassador for their program, whether you realize it or not. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. While my undergraduate degree and general interests lie with history, there is a growing body of work on the mediatization of historical narrative, and that’s where I’d like to begin my studies. If you can view these as mere bumps on the longer path to success, and focus on what you’ve learned when confronted with your own limitations or failures, then you’ll be able to navigate a touchy question like this one successfully. [Note: as this must be answered with reference to a particular field, this is written from the perspective of someone applying to grad studies in history.]. Indeed, it may be one of the most obvious. The graduate school interview is, in most cases, your application committee’s first chance to get to know you face to face. Along with evaluating your academic bona fides, they also want to ensure that you’re a person they’d like to see every day! Your experiments will fail. A dose of humility is always welcomed. You’re in competition with the same people you grow close to over the course of your degree (your cohort – the other students accepted the same year as you). I actually take my books and laptop there frequently, sitting at a picnic table in the shade of a massive tree, looking out across the lake – it’s one of the best places to get work done. Confess. But, in all of these cases, do not simply leave it at that! By the time of the interview, choose at least two professors from the school whose work stands out as interesting and focus on them. What Types of Jobs are Available with a Master’s in Nursing? Maybe there’s a current grant-funded project you’d like to be part of; maybe one school has a particular methodology or curricular plan that you find particularly attractive; maybe there are faculty members at other schools with whom you’d like to work. The interview is not necessarily the right time to judge whether the school’s values, ethics and atmosphere is the right fit for them – this can be done with research, school tours and open days well before the interview stage. They know what their “ranking” is; they don’t need applicants to tell them that. They want to be fairly certain that you’ll accept an offer, if it’s extended; at the same time, you need to cover your own bases and apply to multiple schools, if that’s what’s right for you (though we don’t recommend casting an overly-wide net with applications). We corresponded by email, and they sent me some of their syllabi and reading lists, which added supplemental material to the courses I was already taking. Learning how best to streamline your application process and give your best possible interview is imperative. They know you’re not a grad student – yet. Often, in undergraduate studies, you’ll read a lot of secondary sources – that is, readings about key theories, thinkers, and methodologies in the field, written by others. Just be sure to think through the image you project, if you discuss these in an interview. Many interviewers ask behavioral questions (i.e. applicants gain admission to clinical psychology doctoral (Ph.D.) programs than to law school, medical school, or any other type of advanced graduate degree program, and your interview brings you one enormous step closer to gaining admission! As you wait to hear back from your top choice schools and programs, here are the important considerations to weigh. Instead of reinventing the wheel, check out this blog on the dreaded interview question, "Tell me about yourself" – just note that this was written for med students, but the exact same advice applies here. If, for example, there are primary works in your field that you haven’t had the chance to read yet, then get thee to a library! You will likely have a better chance to get accepted the second time around, if you were invited to an interview (especially if you were wait-listed). By the time of the interview, choose at least two professors from the school whose work stands out as interesting and focus on them. WHY do you love those specific things about the field? To explain the enrolment process and when the school … Are you someone who is not naturally inclined toward organization? Oudekerk, B.A. This is another tip that was provided by the … Most Affordable Doctoral Programs in Psychology Online, Most Affordable Master’s in Art & Art History Online, Best Master’s Degrees in Speech Pathology, Most Affordable Online Master’s in Political Science, Most Affordable DBA Online Programs – Online PhD Business, Most Affordable EdD Education Online Programs, Most Affordable Doctorate in Nursing Education Online, Most Affordable Master’s in Human Resources Online Degree Programs, Most Affordable PhD in Criminal Justice Online Programs, Most Affordable PhD in Theology Online Programs, Careers for a Master’s in Marketing Graduate. Great! Laboring on an online master's in organizational psychology degree can open doors for people persons to apply an understanding of employee behavior to enhance workplace quality. If you’ve listed something in your application and/or CV, you must be prepared to talk about it with your interviewers. We’re breaking these questions down into three categories: General, Academic, and Personal. Turn it into a positive conversation about what you’ve overcome. I’ve been following the Chronicle for Higher Education online for the past year, as I wanted to start gaining an understanding of the realities of graduate school. Ensure you can break down key concepts, unpack complex jargon, and explain the things you’ve done as if you were speaking to someone with no specific knowledge in the area. In an open-file interview, they can ask you about anything in your application. This will help you determine what qualities they seek to foster, what kinds of research they tend to support, and the direction they’re looking to go. I am up-to-date on his work and have been following it for some time now; working with him as I complete my degree would be ideal, due to my interest in this particular area. This is quite normal. I can take breaks, listen to birds chirping, watch squirrels play, or just feel the breeze on my face. Applying to graduate school: the interview process. Grad School Interview Questions - General, Grad School Interview Questions - Academic, Grad School Interview Questions - Personal. Applications continue until January, as different schools have different deadlines. Can you explain your research to non-specialists?/Specifics on past publications or projects, What is your research interest?/What are you hoping to research? You may get these questions, you may get others more specific to the school/program/discipline to which you’re applying. Tell them how you are working past (or how you have worked past) such limitations. Poor time management? What Guidelines Must Be Met To Be Accepted To Medical School? This response is concrete enough to see a logical trajectory emerging from it, while also respecting the current limits of the interviewee’s knowledge. This same format can be applied at different schools, simply by focusing on what about each of their programs is especially meaningful to you. I look forward to the day when I’m presenting at conferences, so that I can meet these scholars and thank them in person – I don’t know if they realize just how important their insights were in fostering my passion to continue my studies. If you do end up with multiple offers, you’ll have some choices to make at that time. While you should feel comfortable enough to speak in a collegial way with your interviewer(s), you still need to be attentive to the fact that you are being evaluated at all times. Every year, graduate students abandon their studies under the weight of it all, and some – particularly those with pre-existing struggles with mental health – are driven past the point of no return. I want to understand this more deeply and explore the ways in which contemporary social media similarly collapses boundaries between past and present. But, you do want to be strategic in what you disclose in an interview, since you're making a first impression (your quirks can come out after you've been accepted!). Also, rest assured that the point of multiple people talking with each student isn’t to test them, it is to warn of potential personal, social, or work ethic problems. What have you done to start creating boundaries, so that you won’t be overwhelmed? She also just weaves deeply rich and incredibly elaborate worlds that I love spending time in and pondering, even if they are rather unsettling, at times. Her work on social media, state power, and the public sphere offers some new and interesting questions about how narrative and counternarrative arise, spread, and gain or lose legitimacy in the 21st century. Scroll through to review all of our questions, or use the links below to navigate to specific sections, if you prefer: This is almost certainly the most common interview question, regardless of where or to what you are applying. Your first step in preparing for your grad school interview is to research the school and, in particular, the department to which you wish to apply. To be honest, I have also applied to X school and Y school, both of which have excellent programs and scholarship opportunities in-line with my interests. If you already have some possible research trajectories in mind, by all means, speak about this; but, don’t panic if you’re not yet 100% certain where you’ll go with your research. So, memorizing answers to these particular questions here may not be the best use of your mental resources. For my undergraduate thesis under Dr. Koenig at XYZ University, I was able to draw on Dr. Stevenson’s theories to explore the 2016 Standing Rock protests and media/social media response, a project that allowed me to respectfully approach members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe for an interview, to better understand what they saw happening in this historical event and the popular support shown on major social media sites, like Facebook. I’m incredibly excited by the possibility to continue my studies at the graduate level, but it is clear that some effective coping strategies are necessary. Your application materials and statement of purpose have piqued the review committee’s attention, and now, they want to see if you’re as awesome as you seem on paper – that is, if you’re both someone with promising ideas and someone they’ll be interested in bringing into their departmental community. (2007). The most popular masters program is business administration (MBA), with education trailing behind, both career-focused paths. Select a Category Select a Subject. How do you stay on top of your school and other work, and how will you continue to do so as a graduate student? You love the field? Having this kind of conceptual understanding and approach will help you tell your stories in a natural and spontaneous way. These are key characteristics necessary to succeed in graduate school. This doesn’t mean reading only those things related to your area of scholarship, but you absolutely do need to have such things in your regular rotation. That’s not to suggest there’s anything wrong with enjoying the former of either comparison – you do you! However, beneath those gaps you’ve identified lurk even greater depths of knowledge – not just things you know you don’t know enough about, but those things you can’t even recognize as possible points of knowledge, due to the current limitations you’ve acknowledged. However, it is still significantly short of a concrete research proposal, but that’s okay. Here’s a great video on “Tell Me About Yourself”, if you’d rather watch. One of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for your grad school interview is to understand what questions will be asked of you. Prepare and prioritize a list of open ended questions to ask. In my upper-level courses, it became clear that any idea or theory is up for debate and critique. Out our top 12 tips for applying to re finishing undergrad, use school! 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