[推荐]PhD Interview专题

through

Interview不完全手册

何为面试？这我就不用解释啦吧，实在不懂的话在飞跃上问那些水车吧
什么？你不会说英语？那还来飞跃干吗？洗洗睡吧。

闲话说完，转入正题

1。面试的时间

一般面试的时间是晚上9点以后至晚上12点，早上6点至9点，根据教授的时间安排而定，而且一般会在之前的一天发email通知你面试时间和面试者身份，所以大家也不用太过紧张，注意每天都要查email就是了。（如果email上没有把时间换算过来的话，要注意换算一下）

◎遇见“突然袭击”怎么办
突然袭击不外乎两种，一是你没看见email，二是比较BT的学校没通知
偶还知道有的哥们为了防止突然袭击，申请的时候一个电话号码都没填，^_^，逼着鬼子发email问。
我们这里只说现场救急办法，比较可行的方法是冒充不在，你可以哑着嗓子说我不在，估计要多少时间以后回来之类的，要留言否，为自己争取一些宝贵的时间准备一下。
--May I speak to XXX? This is XXX calling.
--......
--May I speak to XXX?
--Sorry he is out.

2。面试前的准备工作

首先当然是心态啦，不用太紧张，你越紧张听力会越差，越听不懂就越紧张，这样就开始恶性循环啦。你要想现在是鬼子想要你，是鬼子套腰包打电话来问你愿不愿意去。总之最好要放松。老外一个是考你英语，一个也是考你的心理素质。
面试前最好准备一下本文后面的常见问题，可以的话找个同学对练一下，熟悉一下对话的感觉。
专业的基础知识有时间的话最好复习一下，尤其是用英文怎么说，很多东西你会只想的起中文。
找鬼子教授的paper看看，找找有没有可以一问，又不会陷得太深的问题^_^
再看一遍你的ps和resume，想想你自己在里面陈述过的一些research项目，鬼子的面试基本上都是从ps开始的。
最后还要想几个自己要问的问题，以防冷场。

◎良好的环境创造成功的面试
偶以为最好你可以有一张宽敞的书桌，电话放在桌上，桌子靠墙，这样可以把打印好的常用问题和想好的答案贴在面前的墙上，专业的书藉可以摊开放在桌上，也可以放个文曲星什么地（有用吗？怀疑的说），有条件的话可以把电话接个分机，找个有经验或者英语好的牛牛做旁边现场知道（^_^，用笔写字指点你）

3。面试开始了，电话铃响了

先深吸一口气，把听筒拿起来
一般前两句肯定是：
Professor: This is Professor XXX,who is that?
You: Oh,this is XXX speaking,How are you?
接着就开始寒暄了，一般先问一下天气问题（或者类似的东东）。然后开始切入正题。
具体的可能的问题我列在文后，这里就不罗嗦了
整个过程大致持续10－40分钟。最后别忘了说Thank you for calling me!

◎如果教授没有打电话来或者没有按时间打电话来（迟到一个小时以内你就忍了吧）。比较可行的办法是上网找该系的电话主动打过去问问。

◎很多面试的鬼子其实不是老美，欧洲国家的也就算了，要是非洲和印度的，hoho，就比较痛苦了，不过也有可能碰见同胞^_^(说不定发音还不及你呢）。

◎先下手为强，你可以先强调一下电话效果很差，就为以后巨多的pardon找到了理由^_^

◎有可能鬼子用免提好几个教授一起上，这时候要注意分清主次，如果已经知道是那个教授要你啦，要特别注意他的问题，拿主意的还是他，其他人只是陪衬。

4。面试结束后

发一封email给教授感谢一下，同时表表忠心。


附录

1）可能遇到的问题

1. Why are you interested in ***?

2. Why you want to have your graduate study in US?

3. What are you doing now? / please describe your research interest.

4. What's your plan in this univ.?

5. What's your plan after you finish your study?

6. Did you use any English textbook in classes?

7. Will you like to study in a small but with high quality university or a big university like Harvard or Princeton?

8. Do you apply for other university or contact with other faculties in the
university?

9. How about your ability to be a teaching assistant?

10. Who is the great person in the world in your eyes?

11. Why pursue phd?

12. Can you come july?

13. Do you have any special or excellent idea during your research experience?

14. Would you please introduce your recent research work?

15. The research project is very dificult?

16. I have noticed that you had experience in industry, would you please introduce your work before?

17. What is the time in beijing?

18. What's the weather of Beijing?

19. How about the whether here or in some place today?

20. where are you from?what do you do in your spare time?

21. What is your favor?

22. What are your strengths?

23. Please introduce yourself.

24. do you have any friends in XXX?

25. Do you have sisters or brothers?

26. How many students in your University?

27. How many department in your University?

28. what"s your research interest?what do you plan to do in XXX?

29. If I give you the OFFER, HOW LIKELY YOU WILL GO？(Sure, UIUC has good reputation, and you are doing what I'm interested in. balabala...)

30. what you like, experimental of analytical?

31. could you describe something about your work at XXXX university?

32. Why are you going to USA not staying your homeland to study?

33. What will you plan to do in the future?

34. Which coure do you choose this term?

35. What is your major now? Say something about your work, etc.

36. Are you a graduate student, what is your job?

37. Why do you want to study in XXX?

38. How do you study your English?

39. Do you think you are a nature leader?

40. Which program do you think is most meaningful in your past work?

41. What programming language do you know?

42. How do you know about our department?

43. What do you think about our department?

44. Is there some special faculty you are interested in?

45. Have you contact with any professor?

46. There are some differences between the education systems of US and China.
What preparition have you made?

47. Have you received any offers? Which school gave you offers?

48. Any formal TA training? Have taken TSE?

49. Do you have any experiences in teaching?

50. Tell me something about your teaching or conduct meeting experience.

51. When is the vacation of your University?

52. I see by your transcript that you''ve done very well in most of your courses. XXX seems to be an area in which you don''t do as well. Can you tell me why?'

53. How did you a C student in XXX, get placed in an honors level course?


The professor may tell you the several word listed below.
1) This speak is to test your speaking English.
2) Do you have some question on me/ or on my institute?
3) What are you doing now?
4) As for XXX, are you insterested?


提问:
1. How many hours per week should a Teaching Assistant work for?
2. How about the stipend of assistantship? Will it be sufficient to cover li
ving expense and tuition?
3. How is the weather in ***? Is it hot/cold in *** in summer/winter?
4. How is the study in your school?
5. How is the housing?
6. when can I get your decision?
7. How many overseas students in your university?
8. How many years should I spent to get my Ph.D.?

客套话:
Prof: Hello, may I talk to ***?
I: Yeah, this is *** speaking. Is that prof. ##? Hi, good afternoon/evening/
morning?
......
最后: Thank you for calling, good bye.

听不懂时：
I beg your pardon. Excuse me!
Yeah, I know it, but I don't know how to express it in English.

听不清时:
Sorry, I can't hear you very clearly, would you please speak a lit
tle more loudly?
Sorry, the phone line is not clear, would you please speak louly?
I beg your pardon?

不好回答时: Well, I have no idea of it now. Can I reply you later by email?

表忠心：I am EAGER TO BE ONE MEMBER OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND JOIN IN YOUR PROGRAM
Yes, I want to. But you know, I can not go without full financial aid.

打你手机时：I am at the dorm now. you may call at....
This is my mobile,there are some signals in the line. Would you please dial my number of 86-10-6279XXXX after 5 minutes ...


个人问题
1.My Strength:
。。。。
2.My greatest weakness
。。。。。
3.What's your greatest accomplishments?
。。。。
4.Describe yourself:
。。。

through

====================================================
Useful Dialogue

◎Yeah, This is xxx speaking. you must be prof xxx(greeting)
◎how are you? thanks for calling(over)
◎Sorry, I cann't hear you clearly, would you please speak a littel more loudly?
  (disguise the things not understand)
◎Yeah, I know it, but I don't know how to express it in English.

====================================================
Common Questions

Introduction
◎Please introduce yourself.
◎What's your major and research work?
◎Please tell me your working experience.

Weather
◎How about the whether here or in some place today?

University
◎Why you choose this univ.? ( Why are you interesting in XXX University? )
◎Will you like to study in a small but with high quality university or a
  big university like Harvard or Princeton?

Career Plan
◎What will you plan to do in the future?

====================================================
Teaching Exp.

◎Did you use any english textbook in classes?
◎How about your abblity to be a teaching assistant? (I told him it's no problem if use Chinese, but I need some practice in English.)
◎Any formal TA training? Have taken TSE?
◎Tell me something about your teaching or conduct meeting experience.

====================================================
Research Exp.

◎What are you doing now ( project thesis content evaluation deficiency )?
◎As for XXX, are you insterested?
◎research interest & research background,
They are interested in what you have done and also your opinions.
Moreover, They are interested in important projects like sponsored by the Na
tional (Social) Science Foundation,etc.
◎Do you have any special or excellent idea during your research experience?

====================================================
Personal Ques.

◎Do you have some question on me/institute?
◎Why are you going to USA not staying your homeland to study?
  Why you want to have your graduate study in US?
◎What is your major now?
◎What is your favor? Hobby sports and music.
◎What's your plan in this univ.?
◎What's your plan after you finish your study?
◎Do you apply for other university or contact with other faculties?
◎If we give you this offer, will you accept it? Now, you could ask me
  questions about this position.
◎If you have any classmates in this university.
◎why pursue phd?
◎When is the vacation of your University?
◎You are a undergraduate or postgraudate student?
◎Where are you from?
◎Have you contact with any professor?
◎How do you study your English?
◎Who is the great person in the world in your eyes?
◎What programming language do you know?
◎Is there some special faculty you are interested in?
◎what is your toefl score
◎The research project is very dificult?
  tell him you work 16 hours a day, plan 5-6 years finished it
◎if I give you offer, can you come july?
  tell him you only can come august,else he will feel you are
  not strong enough.
◎There is a lot difference between the China & Amercia
  education systems, what you will prepare for it and for the school.

====================================================
My Ques.

climate, living expense, tution and fee, the amount of TA, Research Project

through

开头：
P:Hello, Is this M speaking?
/or/ This is XXX speaking.May I speak to ....?
M:Yes, It is me. You must be Prof. ***, How are you?
P:How are you?
M:Fine,I am waiting for your calling.
/or/ yeah,it's me and I am waiting for your phone interview.
听不清/懂时办法：
1.M:Sorry, your voice is not very clear.
2.I am sorry but the phoneline is not very clear.
3."would you please speak a little more loudly?"
4.I'm a little excited and nervous.
5.please speak slowly and I cannot catch you。
6.Sorry, i can not hear you very clearly, would you please speak a littel mo
re loudly?
7.Yeah, I know it, but I don't know how to express it in English.
最后问候：
1.Thank you very much for your calling.
2.It's nice talking to you.
3.I do appreciate you give me such a good chance to talk to you.
随后附上一封email确认一些不能肯定的东东.
________________________________________________________
提问内容：
research work
1.I've read your PS, so I want to learn something about your research experi
ence.Would you please say something about that?
Tell me something about your teaching experience.
2.你做的课题的具体内容，结论，得到的评价，自己感觉有何不足。
3.They are interested in what you have done and also your opinions.
Moreover, They are interested in important projects like sponsored by the Na
tional (Social) Science Foundation,etc.
They are interested in what you have done and also your opinions.
4.Do you have any special or excellent idea during your research experience?

5.You published a paper in Engilish, is it written by yourself
or done by collaborating with your colleague.
6.你做的课题的具体内容，结论，得到的评价，自己感觉有何不足。
7.Do you have any special or excellent idea during your research experience?

8.Do you have a paper as the first author?
个人能力
1.What programming language do you know?
2.Have you taken TSE?
3.icc:How do u learn English?
  me:We chinese students mainly learn English through formal class
   and have little chance in communicating with foreigns.But I
   think We chinese students would grasp it fluently if given
   enough chances
4. How about your abblity to be a teaching assistant? (I told him it's no ro
blem if use Chinese, but I need some practice in English.)
5.What is your Toefl score?
随便问问
P:Is this your office?...
M:It is my laboratory.
1.Where are you from?
2.How about the weather here today?
How about the weather here or in some place today?
3.Please introduce yourself.
4.What do you do in your spare time? what's your hobby?
5. Who is the great person in the world in your eyes?
申请目的/计划：
1.icc:why are you interested in TWU?
  meibrary School rank of USNEWS
2. Why are you going to USA not staying your homeland to study?
3.what are you going to do here?
  What's your plan in this univ.?
4.why pursue phd?
5.What do you plan to do in the future?
6.what are your plan in 5 to 10 years
7. Why are you going to USA not staying your homeland to study?
有关application/offer:
1.Who are your recommedors?
2.问你有无教书、主持会议的经验
3.你有无同学在此校就读。
4.你为何选择此校，有无选择别的学校?你对本校和其他学校的看法。
5.If we give you this offer, will you accept it?
  if I give you offer, will you come in July/june?
6. Will you like to study in a small but with high quality university or a b
ig university like Harvard or Princeton?
7.Prof: Have you applied for other universities?
  me: Yeah, I have applied to about 10 universities, including ...
  do you apply any other school?
  Do you apply for other university or contact with other faculties in the -
--university?
Why do you apply for university of XXX?
Is there some special faculty you are interested in?
7.问你感兴趣的faculty和research group.
8.你来我们学校想选什么课？
9.你觉得有什么课程对你将来作项目有用？
10.We are conisidering to give you scholarship and the decision will be made
next week.
工作经历：
1.Please tell me your working experience.
以前/目前学习状况：
1. Did you use any English textbook in classes?
2.icc:What are you currently doing?
me:I am a graduate student of Peking University
3.icc:What is your graduate program?
   special interests of field?
4. What is your major, why are you choose this major?
5. what is your special interests of field?
6.What kind of courses have you taken?（better prepare some words to explain
your major courses）
主动提问：
Do you have any questions concerning your graduate study?
I asked him following questions:
1.climate
what's the climate like in **?
2.living expense, tution and fee, the amount of TA, Research Project
,plan
3.How about the stipend of assistantship? Will it be sufficient
to cover living expense and tuition?
4.That's all I want to know.
其他准备事项：
1.成绩单/课程名称
2.ps
3.resume
4.recommendation letter
5.interest , the name of the courses

mike1999

thanks a lot for your efforts!!

anchoret

Thanks a million for your work.

lixiaoyang

millions of thanks

beaver

呱唧呱唧呱唧呱唧。。。

swimmingmaple

All my best wishes for you!~~

小鱼儿

great!


i believe you can    manage everything~~~

Yanzi

I think there might be two senarios. One is multiple professors making decisions, the common case.The other is the Ph.D. coordinator making the acceptance decision. One example for the latter. I have had a phone interview from Univ.of Connecticut, Ph.D. program. The    h.D. coordinator    was espcially interested in the Finance area issue ( I am not applying for the finance area) and asked my opinions. I could not make it and I guess he decided not to accept me in the phone interview.