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tjk · 02-13-2006, 06:20 PM

Hey. I was offered a call by a professor to talk about the department and the work in his/her research group in particular. I already got accepted but I'm afraid I'd do badly. Somehow I almost always screw up when talking to professors about research interests. Sometimes I'm too much of a theorist and sometimes too experimentalist for each of them (I'm actually something in between). Would it be impolite to deny his/her offer? I'm interested in joining his/her group and don't want to make a bad impression. I'll see the prof at the recruitment weekend anyway, but I feel like I'd do better if I talk to him/her in person.

uabman · 02-13-2006, 06:34 PM

I hear you.....if he left a phone message, understand that this is just "custom" and he doesn't really expect to call you back....just act as if you never got the message.

VeganHead · 02-13-2006, 07:18 PM

Is it ok Uabman to just ignore it? I too have fear that I would mess up my chance if I were to talk on the phone with my future profs. If you are going to see him/her anyway, I think you should send him/her an e-mail thanking them for the message and express that you are also excited to talk with them when you meet them in person. That way, you'll have more time to prepare and at the same time acknowledge their initial contact. I do agree with Uabman though that they would not expect you to call them back and be able to talk clearly about collaborating over the phone.

cridamour · 02-13-2006, 07:43 PM

Grad school is a great time to face your demons. Get over this idea that you screw things up over the phone. If he was meant to phone you, let him phone you, no harm can be done, you're in already!

tjk · 02-13-2006, 07:51 PM

S/he hasn't called me yet. S/he sent me an email after I got in and mentioned that s/he could call me if I'd like.

Impatient! · 02-13-2006, 09:06 PM

If you want to work with this person, I think you would be nuts not to respond! It sounds like he/she is trying to recruit you for an RA position, which usually has funding and benefits. And if you don't respond (even if you pretend you never got the message) you're going to create the impression that you're unreliable and not very enthusiastic. I think that would be a lot worse than telling a theoretician that you are an experimentalist or whatever. Just my

!

tjk · 02-14-2006, 12:45 AM

all right. Looks like I'll be talking on the phone with the professor

Thanks for all of your replies!

cridamour · 02-14-2006, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjk

all right. Looks like I'll be talking on the phone with the professor

Thanks for all of your replies!

Good luck! You'll be fine! Relax and be yourself. Don't try to impress but don't sound too casual either. And remember, these people wanted you, so they're on your side!

prometheys · 02-14-2006, 01:55 PM

Dear tjk,
my

about that.

As Impatient! said, it is 99% an RA offer.

I don' t have great communication skills (especially with people I do not know) and a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by email by a Prof., for a telephone interview.

I loved her research, but it was in a field different from mine (I have not even mentioned her, as possibile adviser because of that, despite my great interest for her studies) so I was more than happy but had your same perplexities about the phone interview itself.

I can assure you it is a formality (i received my official admission a couple of weeks after her email, and even before the phone interview: we had some other emails, b4 that)... BUT do talk to him/her on the phone: (s)he has already decided that (s)he wants you in her/his research group, and 99% your admission letter is already written

just wants to be sure you are motivated and wants to know you more.

Hope this helped to make you less nervous about that.

No need to worry, they do want you

but talk on the phone, otherwise they would think that you dont want them (despite your application

).

Good luck, sure everything will go better than well

P.S.: I would not say my phone interview was great ... but I know I am going to receive full aid + RA with the cited Prof ... So relax and wait for great news !!!

tjk · 02-14-2006, 04:05 PM

Thanks for your advice! I'm not sure about the prospect of an RA offer, though. I already have an external fellowship so they didn't offer me any aid for my first year in the acceptance letter. Some extra funding would play a major role in my decision on which school I'll attend so I'm hoping I'll at least get some partial aid. This school is a big-name school (top 5 nationally and in most technical fields) so I don't think that the prof would want me that bad, considering the number of people that would be willing to take the spot. I'll try to do my best and see what happens.

Anyways, happy V-day everyone. I suppose no grad school would be mean enough to send out rejection emails today so let's hope for some good news!

02-13-2006, 06:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
tjk Within my grasp! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 163	A professor offering to call? Hey. I was offered a call by a professor to talk about the department and the work in his/her research group in particular. I already got accepted but I'm afraid I'd do badly. Somehow I almost always screw up when talking to professors about research interests. Sometimes I'm too much of a theorist and sometimes too experimentalist for each of them (I'm actually something in between). Would it be impolite to deny his/her offer? I'm interested in joining his/her group and don't want to make a bad impression. I'll see the prof at the recruitment weekend anyway, but I feel like I'd do better if I talk to him/her in person.

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02-13-2006, 06:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
uabman Eager! Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 86	I hear you.....if he left a phone message, understand that this is just "custom" and he doesn't really expect to call you back....just act as if you never got the message.

02-13-2006, 07:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
VeganHead Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 25	Is it ok Uabman to just ignore it? I too have fear that I would mess up my chance if I were to talk on the phone with my future profs. If you are going to see him/her anyway, I think you should send him/her an e-mail thanking them for the message and express that you are also excited to talk with them when you meet them in person. That way, you'll have more time to prepare and at the same time acknowledge their initial contact. I do agree with Uabman though that they would not expect you to call them back and be able to talk clearly about collaborating over the phone.

02-13-2006, 07:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
cridamour Providence-bound! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 3,394	Grad school is a great time to face your demons. Get over this idea that you screw things up over the phone. If he was meant to phone you, let him phone you, no harm can be done, you're in already!

02-13-2006, 07:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
tjk Within my grasp! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 163	S/he hasn't called me yet. S/he sent me an email after I got in and mentioned that s/he could call me if I'd like.

02-13-2006, 09:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Impatient! Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 19	If you want to work with this person, I think you would be nuts not to respond! It sounds like he/she is trying to recruit you for an RA position, which usually has funding and benefits. And if you don't respond (even if you pretend you never got the message) you're going to create the impression that you're unreliable and not very enthusiastic. I think that would be a lot worse than telling a theoretician that you are an experimentalist or whatever. Just my !

02-14-2006, 12:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
tjk Within my grasp! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 163	all right. Looks like I'll be talking on the phone with the professor Thanks for all of your replies!

02-14-2006, 01:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
prometheys Eager! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rome, Italy Posts: 57	Dear tjk, my about that. As Impatient! said, it is 99% an RA offer. I don' t have great communication skills (especially with people I do not know) and a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by email by a Prof., for a telephone interview. I loved her research, but it was in a field different from mine (I have not even mentioned her, as possibile adviser because of that, despite my great interest for her studies) so I was more than happy but had your same perplexities about the phone interview itself. I can assure you it is a formality (i received my official admission a couple of weeks after her email, and even before the phone interview: we had some other emails, b4 that)... BUT do talk to him/her on the phone: (s)he has already decided that (s)he wants you in her/his research group, and 99% your admission letter is already written just wants to be sure you are motivated and wants to know you more. Hope this helped to make you less nervous about that. No need to worry, they do want you but talk on the phone, otherwise they would think that you dont want them (despite your application ). Good luck, sure everything will go better than well P.S.: I would not say my phone interview was great ... but I know I am going to receive full aid + RA with the cited Prof ... So relax and wait for great news !!!

02-14-2006, 04:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
tjk Within my grasp! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 163	Thanks for your advice! I'm not sure about the prospect of an RA offer, though. I already have an external fellowship so they didn't offer me any aid for my first year in the acceptance letter. Some extra funding would play a major role in my decision on which school I'll attend so I'm hoping I'll at least get some partial aid. This school is a big-name school (top 5 nationally and in most technical fields) so I don't think that the prof would want me that bad, considering the number of people that would be willing to take the spot. I'll try to do my best and see what happens. Anyways, happy V-day everyone. I suppose no grad school would be mean enough to send out rejection emails today so let's hope for some good news!

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