<p>And why do departments in the biosciences tend to interview more than any other department?</p>
<p>Math grad programs don’t interview.</p>
<p>There is just more funding for bioscience research.</p>
<p>^ Hmm, you might be right that differences in admission procedures reflect differences in funding but probably more in the source than the amount. </p>
<p>My college roommate had a couple of interviews when she was applying to graduate programs in computer science. I had the impression that there were specific research groups who considered to offer her funding but wanted to meet her first before making a commitment. In math, in contrast, most graduate students are funded by the department rather than individual professors’ research grants; no professor has a particular stake in any individual admitted student.</p>
<p>I think the discrepancy has more to do with the fact that bioscience grad students can start working on a lab project essentially from day one; so “fit” and research potential is more important than technical preparation and ability.</p>
<p>In contrast, in math/stat there is a ton to learn before you can do real research. So a program needs to be confident that you can navigate the coursework. This information can be mostly be inferred from your transcript, test scores, and letters; an in-person interview wouldn’t really add a lot to the assessment.</p>
<p>I disagree cyberwulf. Math programs don’t admit you unless you have demonstrated research apptitude and usually experience as well.</p>
<p>re computer science - my daughter wasn’t asked to interview anywhere. She was offered department funding for X amount of years. Surprised to hear of it. She only met with them after acceptance.</p>
<p>cyberwulf is correct.</p>
<p>Cyberwulf is correct.</p>
<p>@Brownparent - I would agree regarding aptitude, but even if you were right about research experience, I’d like to make clear that your research experience does <em>not</em> usually serve to fit you into a particular group within a math program. </p>
<p>In short, for math programs, you are applying to a university. For some programs, you are basically applying to join a particular group. </p>
<p>It is perhaps a little more subtle than just checking that someone can navigate the coursework, and they certainly take letters seriously. What they do <em>not</em> take very seriously many times is a student’s commitment to researching a certain thing for a certain group. The culture in mathematics is more to see that the student is actively thinking about potential research than that she/he is showing decided potential and intention to stick to anything in particular.</p>
<p>Of course, in the rare event that one <em>does</em> connect well with a professor and when every intention to research the same thing seems clear, this can help a ton, and in fact make your application in and of itself, given quite strong qualifications otherwise.</p>
<p>I think the reason interviews may not be immediately on the list of things to add is that they don’t even necessarily take your essays as seriously as they do what your letter writers say. When mathematical ability/potential are what they want to see more than anything else, it is unlikely they will take what the applicant says as seriously. (Of course, this isn’t always the case. Some programs will take this information seriously.)</p>
<p>If the interview is in person, having the applicant come to campus, it is also possible that it is a recruiting tool. The school wants to see if the applicants are good fits and also convince the best ones to come to their program. This depends heavily on the discipline.</p>