Tomorrow is prospective student day. Yaaay! This is
particularly exciting because it means I get to “host” a student. All the
prospective students (16 in total) are staying in a hotel, so my sole
responsibility is to make sure I get my prospective student to the right place
at the right time. I am determined. I know I struggle with this in my daily
life (you know, showing up to things on time), but you know what? Challenge
accepted.
So given that this is happening, I thought I would take the
time to discuss how the application and interview process for graduate school
works (at least at the places I interviewed at) for anyone interested in
applying for graduate school (or anyone who is curious how the process works).
The application
process:
I think this is the hardest part because this is completely up to the
individual applying: what they decide to emphasize, who they ask for
recommendations, etc.. Every school is different and requires different
materials, but all seem to ask for letters of recommendation, unofficial or
official transcripts, and a personal statement of some sort. All of my
applications were due some time between mid to late December.
If you are applying to grad school, you should probably start
the personal statement at least a month or two before the applications are due to
account time for staring at a blinking cursor bar, time agonizing how to begin,
and time for Googling sample personal statements. After a few weeks of this, write/edit
your personal statement masterpiece in one sitting in the middle of the night..
right before a big test.. and don’t stop, not even for a bathroom break.. we
cannot choose when inspiration comes to us.
In another couple of weeks, once all application materials
are in order, you are ready to submit. At this moment you will feel panicked.
Like you must recheck all materials just in case you missed something. Then
check a few more times. Pushing the submit button is the hardest part because
that means everything that is in your control in regards to your acceptance is
out of your hands now. But also extremely relieving, because it is out of your
hands now. YOU ARE FREE!
After pressing submit on a grad school application
(Credit: whatshouldwecallgradschool)
The interview:
It has been a couple months, you probably have moved on with
life. Gone from moments of anxiety fearing you will be rejected from every
school to just saying “screw it.. it is
out of my hands”. But then when you are totally not expecting it, you will
likely get your first stomach dropping email: Invitation for an interview. When
I got my invitation to interview I nearly cried. Someone wants me! Yay! But only
maybe! But still Yay!
Interviews are totally covered by the school,
transportation, hotel, they often provide food at their events, etc.
Unfortunately, all of my interviews happened during the week. Between interviews
and recruitment (which is a much more fun trip given this means they have
already accepted you and are inviting you back to convince you to come) I
missed a lot of school. Sometimes it is only an interview, or only recruitment;
it really just depends on the department or school. I had two VERY different
interview experiences.
I interviewed at Yale and at the University of Illinois. I
had a blast at the University of Illinois. It was spread over three days, I
stayed with a current grad student in the lab, had one interview with my
prospective professor (who was very approachable) and a few other interviews
with people in the lab. I spent the rest of the time getting to know the area,
went to some local bars with other prospectives, played Settlers of Catan. It
was laid back and welcoming.
Contrastingly, Yale’s interview process was stressful. I
flew in at 12:30 am from a cross country flight. Stayed at a hotel, but didn’t
sleep, got up at 6:30 am to catch the 7:30 am bus ride to Yale. What made this
one different was that it wasn’t just one professor (like at UofI) that chooses
you. You have to impress the entire department. I had five back to back
interviews with Yale professors. Then we went to a reception and talked some
more (I understand this was supposed to feel laid back, but no chairs.. after
all that interviewing/tour walking..) they gave us beer and we continued to try
to put on our A game as we mingled with professors. Then more mingling at a
dinner, then at 10 pm or so, we were invited to go to the bars with the grad
students. I was too exhausted to go to the bar.. it might have been really fun,
but I was so drained.
So basically, interviews vary from school to school and
between departments. Hopefully yours is a relaxed one.
(In total, I applied to 4 schools. I did not get into two of
them, but I got into both Yale and University of Illinois. It was a very hard
choice for me to choose which to go to, but I decided to go with the professor
whose interests aligned most with mine, at Yale.)
Keeping all this in mind, I feel bad for my
prospective student tomorrow. It is going to be a jammed packed day! Hopefully
I can make this a less stressful experience for my prospective student.. and get him places on time. That would be good.
