Questions for Graduate School Visits

Ask yourself:

• Do I like the city and the setting of the university?

• Do I feel comfortable with the faculty and students?

• Am I comfortable with the proximity to my family?

Ask students:
 

Do they like it here?

• Faculty members

• Lab

• Department

• University

• City/geographic area

How is the TA-ing situation?

• Do they like it?

• Level of time commitment

Are things that have been portrayed about the place actually true?

What is the cost of living situation?

• Is the stipend level sufficient?

Tell me about the coursework and requirements.

What is the overall research atmosphere/culture?

• Regular seminar programs

• Intellectual atmosphere

• Laboratory rotations

What about other financial support issues?

• Funding for conferences, etc.

• Any problems with stipend?

What is the atmosphere of the lab, department, university?

• Level of professional and personal interactions

• The "spirit"

• Any politics

Ask faculty:

• What do you teach here?

• What is the largest and the most typical class size for a graduate class? Are classes restricted to graduate students or are undergraduates common in your graduate classes?

• What are the criteria and process for selecting teaching assistants, research assistants, and fellows?

• I will probably need financial assistance. Can you tell me how most students fund their studies here?

• Will I get to develop my own topics, or will I be expected to work on a professor's ongoing research?

• What is the mean time to complete (a) class work, (b) research, (c) dissertation? (i.e., what is the mean time to complete the Ph.D.? Ask about the program as a whole, but perhaps more importantly, by professor.)

• What is your attrition rate? Of those who don't finish, what are their reasons?

• What kind of student thrives in your program?

• How reliable is your financial support year to year? Is the first-year offer always sustained given attainment of academic goals?

• Can you tell me about your placement rates and types of jobs obtained by recent graduates? (Avoid relying on testimonials and anecdotal evidence.)

• May I meet some currently enrolled students (in person or via phone or email)? (Be sure to ask about their research topics and be sure to take notes on specific profs mentioned.)

• How can I be a strong candidate for a program like this?

General Grad School Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself.

• Why did you apply to this program?

• Where do you see yourself in ten years?

• Why did you choose to attend Truman State University?

• Describe your favorite undergraduate course, and why.

• Describe your least favorite undergraduate course, and why.

• Why should we choose you from among the many applications we've received?

• What accomplishment in your life are you the most proud of?

• Tell us about a time you failed.

• What will you do if you don't get into a graduate program?

• What other graduate programs have you applied to?

• What aspect of our program are you most excited about?

• What aspect of our program are you the most concerned about?

• What are your greatest strengths, and how will you utilize them in this program?

• What is your greatest weakness, and what are you doing to overcome it?

• How would your professors describe you?

• What are your career goals? How will this program help you achieve these goals?

• Explain a situation in which you had a conflict and how you resolved it. What did you learn?

Law School Questions

• In what area of law do you want to practice?

• What contributions have you made to the community?

• Describe a time when you made an unpopular decision.

• Tell us about a cross-cultural experience you've had.

• How will you keep your personal opinions separate from law?

• Should same-sex marriages be lawful?

• Would you defend a client who had committed murder?

• How do you feel about legal advice being on the web?

• How did you decide to go to law school?

• What legal topics are you most interested in?

Medical School Questions

• How can you tell if someone is truly compassionate?

• What are you passionate about?

• What is the one thing that distinguishes you from the rest of the candidates?

• What will you do if you don't get into medical school?

• Which of your accomplishments on your application do you consider your biggest success?

• Which of your accomplishments on your application do you consider your biggest failure?

• What are some of the things that you will have to give up as a doctor?

• What is the biggest problem facing medicine?

• Why didn't you go into social work if you like working with people?

• How do you handle stress?

For more sample interview questions, visit www.studentdoctor.net