PhD Interview Questions | What do PhD supervisors look for in applicants?

Thank you Professor Casey, you mentioned everything that I wanted to know. Thank you for suggestions and this amazing channel. This is very very very helpful! 🙂

Really help me!😋

Ma'am, thanks for the pieces of advice on this video. I am preparing for a job interview in two days. Would it be okay if I contacted a member of the research group before the interview? btw who do you think will interview me? Research group members or any other professors of the University? Please share your insights.

Hello! I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for making them. I have a question around getting a masters and then later on getting a PhD. I have a couple of undergrad degrees in engineering and a MBA, but always wanted to go back to get a PhD. However, I do not want to quit my job just yet. I’m still in that mid career level, ~7yrs in industry, so I was thinking of doing a masters while working. Then maybe in 5-7yrs go back and get a PhD. How long would it take to get a PhD if I broke up coursework like this?

Very encouraging and informative. Thanks!

Thank you for this video. It is very helpful

Phd interview tomorrow

How do I answer the question: How has your previous education and or work experience prepared you for Doctoral Studies at the University?

Hiii thanks for the infos can i ask how to realise which professor has grants and funds ?

Thanks so much Casey your video helped me in securing PhD program which scholarship based. Many thanks and much appreciated🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

I gave my PhD interview and prof didn’t asked about my self intro or any other questions but research work ..he’s super cool and I answered all questions ..
It’s nerve wrecking experience..when can I expect decision!?
Do all applicants to PhD got interview calls or only few !?

The false impression given is that any university will take a student for a PhD studies and every supervisor will agree to supervise, the reality is totally different.

Hi Casey! Thank you for these videos! I really want to know whether you can apply to a phd program in a different field from your bachelor’s. Like i want to apply into a clinical psychology program but my undergrad is in medicine. So is it totally a red flag?? Please do reply, it will be very helpful

Super

Hi Casey, thank you for the insight! I have my PhD interview tomorrow morning!

This is the kind of advising people pay for. Thank you Prof. Fiesler for your kindness.

Casey your videos are beneficial! I really appreciate them. Either way, I have a question for you. Do supervisors look just for candidates with proven lab experience for lab-based programs? Or do they put above this the genuine passion and interest of the candidates in the research topics? Thanks in advance

thank you so much for your information/advice.

Why not be too specific?

Please what are the courses available for PhD and is IELTS required?
What is the cost of living and school fees?
What is the process of getting scholarship?

Hi Casey. What's considered rude according to the American academic context? Maybe can you make a video about this

Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. I have my PhD interview in a few days and this was very helpful!

Your supervisor cares about exactly one thing: that you get the job done. There are no perfect rational criteria for that, but passion is one thing. A minimal familiarity with the problem is another. Work ethics will certainly help. And please, folks, try to bring a sense of humor and some failure tolerance. In other words... be average people. That's half the bill. The other half is luck. Nobody can give you a guarantee that you will be lucky.

Whats wrong with doing a phd as hobby? Doesnt hobby show passion

Thanks prof!!! Your video is helpful ❤️❤️🤞🏻subscribed!

I don't know why people are sweating this so much. I applied for a PhD position twice and I got accepted twice and ultimately ended up rejecting one. I had no background in either astronomy or high energy physics (the two fields I applied for) at the time, but I had a very strong experimental physics background with six years as a paid research assistant in a major laboratory. I had a portfolio of successful experimental hardware designs that proved that I could build whatever experimental hardware was necessary to conduct the lines of research necessary for either position.

That is really the key for someone to pick you: is there a good chance that you will deliver what the research requires? It doesn't matter whether that is theory, chemical lab bench skills or archeological field work. If you have a proven track record by the time you apply, then it's not very hard to convince the adviser to take a chance on you.

entering grad school I saw in the first semester everyone fighting to get a 4/4 GPA but ofc there is always one subject that might get you a B even if you score the highest n get an A grade in your all other subs. The same happened to me and I got so worried because being in a non-EU country and aspiring to get admission in PhD on scholarship in an Eu country I thought that you need to have a perfect application with work experience and excellent grades and research articles. Is a CGPA of 3.8+ good enough for a competitive PhD application?

Hello again! I recently commented that I was rejected and gave up hope but got an interview invitation with my one of my top choices. This interview will consist of an hour long question and answer then a 30 minute writing exercise/sample. Everywhere I looked, people were saying it is odd to have a writing sample during an interview. Makes me way more nervous! Thank you for this amazing advice!

This is very informative! Thank you!

I really pulled a lot of pointers from your videos during my phd application journey and they helped me get into NYU. I start in the fall. Thanks so much for the insights!

:( they asked about research right away without even giving me some time to warm up... I was super nervous 😓

Thank you so much for this video and your transparency! It made me feel less nervous for my upcoming interviews!

I checked many videos like this but all of them are useless, they just say you should show your passion if we know how can we show our passion why do we need to see your video???? we are here to know exact sentences that help us to show our passion,I dislike this video because it is not for us it is just for view

Your videos are so helpful. Watching this before my PhD interviews as well. :) Thanks Prof!

Thank you Casey! Your advice is so good!

How to find and convince the PhD supervisor of my thesis and what universities are the PhD accepted? Note that I have a master’s in management

Do think when someone had a mistake in his statement of propous like forgetting to mention one of the criteria that he should talk about like forgetting to ralk about his strengths and weaknesses and than he reuploaded another one with an apology for forgetting that criteria with honesty do you think that will be considered positively or negatively on his acceptance for the phd program. That actually what happened to me when I applied into Colorado state university for this upcoming academic year

Mam firstly you are soo gorgeous 😍❤️,
Secondly I just cleared my PhD interview just because of your suggestions. It really worked for me.
Thank you 😊

Thank you Casey ,the video was quiet helpful

Re-watching this an hour before my interview at my dream uni. Wish me luck 🥺

Weakness comment translation: don’t humble brag.

I had my interview today and it was very short. they only asked me a few questions about my proposal (one prof had 5 questions and another only asked 3 questions). Do you think this is a bad sign? I am really worried now. :(

Such a sweet supervisor you are

Thank you so much for your videos.

Hi Prof. Casey, Thank you very much again for all your great videos. I am in process of applying for my PhD and got an interview a month ago which went well (thanks to your videos!) and Professor encouraged me to apply in the program and notify her once materials are all in. I recently completed my application with all materials in and got an email from professor that she reviewed my application and wants to meet again with me for some more questions she has and also encouraged me to bring any queries I have. I was wondering what I should prepare for this time (like any particular area) and should I be worried for this, like I am panicking that I did something very wrong and I will be discarded from the process totally?

rewatching this before an interview! it gives me great confidence and good vibes! Thank you and wish me luck

LOKI!

Great Great Great video, I have a video this morning. Thanks for the info.

Thank you so much Casey's for your valuable information. It gives me courage to face my interview 🤗