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Join us for our upcoming webinar on Maximizing Winter Break for College Prep on 12/19 at 8 pm EST. Space is limited, register today!
Familiarize yourself with the program’s structure, curriculum and any special features. Learn about the faculty members, their research interests and recent publications. This shows your genuine interest in the program and can provide talking points during the interview.
Although you may not need to interview as part of your graduate application process, it is best to be prepared for those programs that have a required or optional interview. It’s hard to predict which programs will interview: For example, some MBA programs interview selectively, while others don’t interview at all. At a given university, some Ph.D. programs will interview all top candidates, while other departments don’t interview at all. Try to learn as much as you can before applying to determine whether an interview will be part of your application process.
Preparing for grad school application interviews involves several key steps to ensure you present yourself as a strong candidate. Be sure to follow this advice:
For research graduate programs: Study the program and faculty
Familiarize yourself with the program’s structure, curriculum and any special features. Learn about the faculty members, their research interests and recent publications. This shows your genuine interest in the program and can provide talking points during the interview.
Understand your application
Review what you have already submitted! Be ready to discuss anything you’ve included in your application, such as your statement of purpose, resume and any submitted work or research. Refresh your memory on your favorite courses, related internships or even extracurricular activities.
Prepare for your questions
Common questions:
Behavioral questions:
Practice your responses
Conduct mock interviews with friends, mentors or your AcceptU counselor to practice your answers and receive feedback. Practice both in-person and on Zoom/video.
Prepare questions for the interviewers
This is probably the most important piece of advice we can offer: Prepare questions! Think about questions you’d genuinely like to know more about, including the program, faculty, research opportunities and the culture of the department. Showing genuine interest and curiosity can make a strong impression. Be sure to listen to the responses of the interviewer so that it becomes much more of a conversation or discussion, rather than an interrogation.
Follow-up
Send a thank-you email to your interviewers, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to interview and reiterating your interest in the program.
By thoroughly preparing and practicing, you can approach your grad school application interviews with confidence and increase your chances of success. Book your introductory call with us today to get expert advice on preparing for your interviews.
Familiarize yourself with the program’s structure, curriculum and any special features. Learn about the faculty members, their research interests and recent publications. This shows your genuine interest in the program and can provide talking points during the interview.
Familiarize yourself with the program’s structure, curriculum and any special features. Learn about the faculty members, their research interests and recent publications. This shows your genuine interest in the program and can provide talking points during the interview.
