Engineering grad school - ?need specific prior experience in area of interest?

vader1990
Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:35:36 +0000

Dear OP,

No problem, I’m glad I could help.

Yes, I know what you mean. When I applied to grad school even though it was the same area, the specifics were a little different.

Of course when you contact them (PIs), you should show interest in their specific area, and what you can bring to the table. Also it’s always nice to ask if they will be taking grad students in the semester you plan to join.

I actually had a lot of success with asking them if we could chat via the phone. This was like an “informal interview” and my way to impress them from the start. Also, this helped them remember me and even pull some strings if I impressed them enough. On the phone they asked me directly if I had certain skills (like programming, etc) and it helped point out my strengths a lot better. Not all PIs will agree to a phone call, but give it a shot!

Best wishes,
-DV