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[jamirojay]

I have just been invited to an admissions interview for a PhD program I hope to join. After the excitement wore off, I began looking for sources of information about the process. I've located several websites with generic information and have asked several faculty I am friendly with about what I should expect, but I'll welcome any advice anyone has to give.

Specifically, I have been invited to interview with a PhD program in marketing at a large research university (it's an SEC school).

Thanks in advance.

[yemaya]

I'm not in business and so, cannot give you any specific information related to your field, but here are a few thoughts:

1.) Treat this almost like a job interview and dress appropriately.  If you are applying for admission with funding,  you don't want to wear anything too expensive-looking.  (You might ask your faculty for some specific advice as the norms of dress can vary by field.)  Make sure you're clean and well-groomed (including finger nails).  Avoid cologne.

2.) Do your homework.  It's helpful to know a little bit about the current research and/or interests of any faculty you are interested in working with.  They will inevidibly know more than you, but you want to look well-informed. 

3.) Prepare some intelligent questions about the program and/or research projects.  The idea is that you want to look like you've really put some thought into the program and you don't get caught asking questions that could readily be answered via their website or their grad school's website.  Questions about placement can be good if they don't already post.  Same for questions about what sort of funding is available in support of dissertation research.

4.) Be prepared to articulate your areas of interest.  These schools may not expect you to have a dissertation topic set in stone, but most places will want candidates with a reasonably refined set of interests. Along those same lines, be ready to answer that question about what you hope to do with the degree.

5.) If you are invited out for a meal, let them order first to get a sense of budget.  Refrain from drinking alcohol unless the others do and limit yourself to one drink.  (You'd be surprised!)

6.) If you are a smoker, try to avoid smoking right before meeting someone or smoking in front of your interviewees unless everyone else is lighting up.  (And whether you're a smoker or not, it doesn't hurt to carry some mints - not gum - mints with you.)

7.) If you meet with current graduate students, don't ask them about their funding (which they aren't supposed to talk about) or what certain professors are really like.  Even if the faculty member is awful, grad students are unlikely to talk smack about their advisor, especially to someone they don't know well.  Also, in spite of what you see around the fora, gossip's kind of a no-no.  Questions about housing (i.e. do people generally live on or off campus) and the area around the university are usually fine too.

8.) It's ok to bring reading material if you're going to have down time between appointments, but keep it conservative, if not field-appropriate.  For example, something like The Economist, Wall Street Journal or the NY Times is pretty safe.  Sports Illustrated and the like, not so much.

9.) Refrain from commenting on political, religious or hot-button current events issues.  You might piss someone off.