The Last Interview?

My last scheduled interview is now over and I must say, I have a mixed set of emotions about the whole experience. I spent Thursday morning traveling and arrived to my destination at 11am; making the most of the time, I unpacked, ironed and caught a quick nap. I awoke starving and made my way down to the lobby to have a quick bite to eat. Eating quickly, I found that I had quit a large amount of time and so I decided to go explore the campus. I walked around for a while, taking pictures and looking at all of the nature surrounding me. It really was quite beautiful there. Several of my friends attend this school and I had plans on the first and second nights to meet them for drinks. Friend "A" called me early and asked if I was already on campus because he had a break; the two of us met up and he showed me his lab as well as around campus. I saw the undergraduates in their natural environment; something quite fun to observe. It was great catching up with him and we planned to meet later for drinks after he was done teaching. I returned to my hotel to read about the professors who I may be meeting with and then grabbed dinner. Having not much to do, I returned to my room and watched a few movies. After drinks with my friend, I figured I would call it a night and that is when my roommate showed up. He was a nice enough guy; he introduced himself and we exchanged pleasantries as he ironed his clothes in preparation for the next day. As soon as he was done, we both called it a night.

The first day of the actual interview was quite rapid. There were several faculty presentations where everything was discussed; from the funding the school receives to the requirements of the students. The faculty then gave a few presentations about their work (lasting several hours). We then were ushered to another building and here 3 more presentations were delivered where the facilities and associated businesses were reviewed. Finally we broke for lunch at 11 and it was at this time other graduate students from the program joined us. It was an excellent time to get to discuss labs and professors with them in an attempt to get their opinions. After lunch we had 2-15 minute interviews; 1 interview involved 3 professors and the other consisted of 3 graduate students. These interviews were conducted in a pannel like form and all asked similar questions. They were:

1) Discuss your current research
2) Why Immunology?
3) Why this school?
4) What do you like to do beyond science?

The other professors of course asked more questions than that and some were definitely more probing. I found the way that I was asked some of questions (i.e. tone or structure) to be mildly off-putting. I was hoping to meet with some of the professors on a one-on-one basis but that didn't seem to happen. After the interviews we were taken on several tours and then shuttled to a professor's house for dinner. Here we talked with more grad students and faculty. Again, I was hoping the faculty whose research I am interested would be present, but alas, they did not show. I returned back to my hotel room around 8 and my other friends took me to downtown to have a few beers and discuss the whole process. It was great seeing them and I gained some wonderful insight into how their university conducts the process.

The second day was much more brief; we began by having breakfast and heard several short lectures from professors about their work. There was then a student poster session, followed by 2 short talks from students about their work. Finally, a winner of the research was awarded, and the program director thanked all those who helped in the planning of the recruitment event. We were then set to have lunch when I got pulled for one more interview by one of the faculty who originally reviewed my application. She again asked almost the identical questions as before. My roommate and I were the only two to have such an experience and it left me wondering why? Of the number of applicants who attended, I have been lead to believe that about 50% of us will be offered admittance. So the question remains in my mind "Was this a good thing to have this additional interview? Was it because they were on the fence about us and they wanted to know more?" I don't know...I hope it went well. I guess we'll see soon.

Now back to the lab to finish experiments and data counting so I can finish, officially, my thesis.

Next at Bat

In total, it was almost a full week that passed between my initial projected deadline and my actual completion of my first draft. Though I am frustrated by the process, my professor seems supportive and understanding of the situation. I believe that this is something required for being a mentor; a kind of patience that I do not necessarily possess...or have yet to acquire.

Having completed my first draft, I uploaded it to a third party site so that my professor could download it (as it is too big to email) and immediately began putting together data for my thesis committee meeting. I began preparing this presentation at 1:00pm on Sunday afternoon and finished around 1:30am Monday, stopping occasionally for a few food breaks. Though not fully prepared or practiced, I presented my research to my thesis committee at 1:00pm Monday afternoon. Lasting a little longer than an hour and 30 minutes, I was thoroughly exhausted; having stood and spoken for that long, I was glad when I was once again finally able to sit and have some water. The whole process was very similar to a lab meeting where we present our data to our lab-mates, they are allowed to interrupt and as questions through out the process. This, however, I was not necessarily ready for and quite frequently lost my train of thought; something I obviously saw frustrating my professor as she watched me speak. The lesson that I've learned throughout my under/graduate career is that I am not one who can speak extemporaneously about my work. I need practice and time to make sure I get the points out that need to be made in a clear and logical order.

Having completed two major milestones for this week, I took a small break in the form of dinner and a few drinks with my parents before beginning to read a paper that I need to present to my research lab for Wednesday's meeting. This entry serves as yet another break from that endeavour as I find myself trying desperately to stay focussed on the subject at hand, but lacking the energy required. This presentation must be completed by Wednesday evening, before 5pm. The post celebratory event will be to return home only to pack my belongings and prepare myself for the journey of Thursday; I am to travel, once again, to another interview. It too, is a two day process. I may have a roommate and so I do not know that I will be able to record here my adventures. However, I shall, to the best of my abilities, steal away to write when I can and then upload the results.

In the weeks and months yet to come, there are a lot of things to accomplish before I have a final draft of my thesis. There are experiments yet to run and data still to quantify. I don't know how I'll do it all, I am exhausted already and I know I have a marathon to run in less than a month. What will happen next is anyone's guess. I am glad, thus far, that I've committed to writing at least once a week; it has served as an excellent source to vent frustration and exhaustion.

Wish me luck on my interview.

The First Interview

1/23/13

It is the eve of my first grad school interview and though I have an itinerary of what will follow in the next several days, I am still unsure of what to expect. I have several one-on-one meetings with people on the graduate committee tomorrow and don't know what kind of questions they'll ask, which I find worrisome.

I've met the competition, most of them anyway, and they seem nice enough. Two of the work for a university "Core" facility currently and one is an undergrad. For those unfamiliar, a "Core" facility is just that...a program the university runs that acts as its own autonomous entity (at least to my understanding) that produces research as well as products used for assays for purchase.

Where these students have the ability to do high throughput screening and work, I feel like the process of achieving my masters in a university where I have to write my thesis, puts me at a slight advantage over them; I mean, that is a requirement for a PhD...a thesis defense and several publications. So you have to demonstrate that you can write and produce results, which I think I've shown in my application.

In any case, I've travelled to my destination and as I sit here, reviewing those on the committee I will meet tomorrow (reading some of their research), I think what an interesting moment this really is. I mean, they've paid for me to travel here and stay at a fairly nice hotel for 2 days...that must mean that they are interested in me. Hopefully I don't screw it up too badly.

We'll see what happens tomorrow

1/25/13

The second day of interviews has come to an end and it has been thoroughly exhausting. In 2 days, I've met with countless people and had more food than I am used to eating.

It has all become a whirl wind and I know that it wasn't by accident. It was to showcase only the best parts that this school has to offer and tuck away anything that may detract. Yesterday contained, among many other things, 3 one-on-one meetings with different admissions people; I felt it went daily well, but really, how do you know? Today also contained 3 individual meetings but this time it was with perspective faculty. The first meeting was...not a good fit, nice guy but no funding and I don't know how well we'd interact...he seemed more of a hands off prof. The second meeting went well, I met with a leader in the field who, due to recent funding yrs, also doesn't have funding but was filled with friendly advice and spent a wonderful half hour talking shop. My third and final prospective professor was by far my most fun. Also a leader in her field, she explicitly discussed having me in her program and talked about the work she'd have me do. I have to say, it sounds amazing and I would be very happy to be a part of her research team.

I have arrived back to the airport, earlier than the other students (I requested to be returned prior to the 26th due to a prior commitment). I was told, by two of the organisers, that the decision on my application would be made soon....but I would be very happy.

Here is to a safe flight home

Note:

My flight home was interesting. As I sat at the airport waiting my flight, a candidate from another program at the same university I was just at (whom I'd not met previously) struck up a conversation about the whole process. Quite an interesting single serving friend.

Additionally, I've returned home to find another rejection letter. I do know that it wasn't the school I necessarily wanted, but no one likes getting rejected. I know that, based on the website of another university, if I didn't hear of a request for an interview by today then I would be receiving a rejection notice. Alas, today has come and gone and no email.

Oh well, we do what we can when we can, where we can.

New score:
1 interview completed
1 more to go
4 Nos
5 unknown