GRADUATE SCHOOL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | My PhD Interview Experience

In this video, I discuss my PhD interview experience for the Education Studies program at the University of California San Diego. The questions and answers I provide will be present in any of your interviews for graduate school. Watch this video if you need advice on how to answer tough PhD interview questions.
WHAT TO EXPECT
0:00 Intro
0:52 PhD Interview Email
2:03 Dissecting The Email
4:13 Tell Me About Yourself
7:06 What Are Your Experiences in the Educational Field?
10:59 What Are Your Career Goals?
13:53 How Will The Institution and Program Help You Achieve Your Goals?
17:32 What Are Your Research Interests and Experiences?
19:54 Outro
WHO AM I?
I am a Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni '16 and a current PhD student in the Department of Education Studies at the University of California San Diego. I produce videos about the graduate school application and my journey through a PhD program. Subscribe to follow my journey through the PhD experience and to gain insight on how to best prepare for the graduate school application process.
I created this channel because I did not have access to many resources when I was applying for graduate programs. Now that I have been through two graduate school application processes, I want to share my knowledge and the helpful information I have gained through those experiences.
Additionally, for the past four years, I have been working as a Retention Specialist and Director for a federally-funded program at a higher education institution. I spent these four years helping over 400 students to apply to four-year institutions, attain scholarships, and navigate the higher education system. I created this channel in order to share my knowledge of college access as it pertains to graduate school.

[@cengizhancengiz1919]

Great piece of advices and video! Thank you very much, and that was really helpful to see the process and understand the possible scenarios. :)

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Awesome! I’m glad the video was helpful. Good luck with your applications.

[@libiajimenezchavez4604]

Gracias! Best prep video I’ve seen!

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Awesome! I’m glad it was helpful.

[@profmaxexplains7142]

Thank you Ivan, after watching this video i just became confident for my interview

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Good luck! I have other videos discussing the graduate school interview. You should check those out.

[@ayangeayangeakaa8314]

Hi Ivan, Thank you so much for the insightful tips. I've got an interview coming up in few weeks and I feel confident after watching your video. Wish me success, please 🙇

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Congratulations and good luck!

[@drabdourachid]

I really enjoyed this video . Ivan thank you ❤

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Thank you for watching!

[@phuongtang5844]

Thanks for this video! I just submitted my Ed.D. application back in December and was worried that I haven’t heard back about an interview. It’s interesting that they wait until the first week of February to inform you and the interview is a few weeks later. I’ll remain patient!

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

After submission, the committee member review hundreds of applications so that takes time and then they offer interviews. This could vary from program to program. I know some programs that conduct interviews in late January. So you should expect to hear back either this month or early next month.

[@prajonty]

It was very helpful. Thanks a lot. I have an interview tomorrow...

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Good luck on your interview!

[@adrianaquesada5665]

Thanks a lot for your video, I have an interview coming up next week and your video helped me a lot to prepare.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Hi Adriana, thank you! I am glad the video was helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck with your interview!

[@agilepm1]

Thank you Ivan for this eye-opening guide. I have my first ever PhD interview in the next 22 mins. It will end in praises to God

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Good luck! I hope the interview went well.

[@agilepm1]

Yes Ivan, it went well. She offered me a Teaching Assistantship position. Only told me to send a proposal based on our discussions, alongside my transcripts and CV. Thanks so much for your diligence. Your channel is quite resourceful.

[@agilepm1]

I shared your channel with my group of applicants.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@agilepm1 That’s awesome bro! Congratulations!!!

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@agilepm1 Thank you for sharing my channel!

[@AulaAndikaFA]

Great video bro. Thanks for sharing.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Thanks man! Let me know if you have questions.

[@AulaAndikaFA]

I invited to interview this coming week, I rewatch the explanation. Wish me luck@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@AulaAndikaFA Good luck bro!

[@AulaAndikaFA]

If you could provide another model answers for doctoral application, that would be totally amazing..

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@AulaAndikaFA I can definitely do that!

[@NasihAlam87]

Hello Dr. Valdovinos, Great work. Thanks a lot! I have applied to three graduate programs for fall of 2022. All of them have rolling admissions. Let me see how the ball rolls out.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Good luck!!!

[@NasihAlam87]

Thanks.

[@antwijesseywendy198]

Hi Ivan ! How can you help answer these questions : Please describe your interests and motivations for applying to the higher education program, including experiences in college that have been most influential in shaping your interest in this field (500 words) What specific skills and knowledge do you hope to gain from working 25 hours weekly in a higher education fellowship site? (500 words) Consistent with the college’s values, This program includes a focus on advancing social justice in higher education. What areas of social justice are most important to you, and what aspects of social justice do you hope to learn more about? (500 words)

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Hi Antwi, 1. This will be where you describe your career interests and reasoning behind your pursuit of graduate school. Talk about personal experiences in your higher education experience that have led you to applying for the program. Have you had research experiences that have contributed to your pursuit of grad school. 2. This question is asking you to let them know what you want to learn that will help you gain the skills necessary for your career goal. Do you want to learn different methodology to inform practice? Do you want to learn how to write grants to secure funding? 3. Here you want to reflect on the injustices that you or your students have experienced in higher education. How do you hope to address those issues? I do offer a Fiverr service where I read and provide feedback for your sop. I charge $25 per essay.

[@antwijesseywendy198]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool Thank you

[@zawilwilliam-thephddiaries4966]

Thank you so much for this amazing vid. I have an interview coming next week, and this vid has helped me a lot so far. do you think it's okay if I bring my research proposal and also look at it during my interview?

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

I would say not to bring it because it’s going to show the interviewers that you don’t know what you want to research. I would question your aptitude in the field if you need support (looking at your proposal). They don’t expect you to be an expert in your field, however, they expect you to have expired the field through research and other experiences so you should have a well throughout explanation of the research project. If it’s on zoom, I would make a list of things you might want to say and keep it next to you during the interview.

[@zawilwilliam-thephddiaries4966]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool I get it :) thank you sooooooooooooooo much for your advice Ivan ☺🙏😊❤

[@ADORABLECHICHI]

Just subscribed

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Welcome! Thank you for subscribing.

[@wisechannel3765]

Wow very helpful video😃, can I know if the Harvard PhD program is still competitive between bachelor's or master's degree ? How much of students in the Ed.D program? If I submit an application in June, when will I enter my phd? Hope U always make a video😄

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Yes the PhD program is extremely competitive. They only accept 30 students every year and the deadline to apply is December. They didn’t accept applications this past year unfortunately.

[@wisechannel3765]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool tq for your information 👍

[@sathiskakaumadi7306]

Mck kariya upariMa winadi 15i inne. Loke tiyana hiyenma hu&@ eka mekalu. Ehinda ragapana eka nawaththpan

[@phuongtang5844]

Did you ever get rejected from programs? I just found out I didn’t even get an interview and am so down about it. It makes me feel like I cannot pursue a doctorate. I’m not sure what to do anymore..

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Yes I have been rejected from programs many times. Im sorry you didn’t get an interview. I have been through two application cycles: one for Masters and one fire PhD. A piece of advice I would provide is to apply to 9-12 programs. There’s research indicating that applying to said number of programs increases your odds of gaining admission. I applied to 10 both cycles and got into half. I also selected my schools as follows: safety schools, middle ground schools, and reach schools. This increases your odds of getting in. I hope this helps.

[@melamela2247]

Insightful, I reached out the a supervisor she responded after 2 hours asking me if I would like to meet with her to discuss my research aims. I don't know what to expect. Can you suggest.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

I would treat it as an interview. The professor probably wants to see if your interests align with hers. They also might want to see what your personality is and if you would be a good fit for their program and research team. This could help you out in the admissions process.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

In terms of tips, be sure that you know how to communicate your research experiences as well as why you want to pursue the graduate degree. Also, and more obviously, know what type of research you want to conduct. What methodology do you want to use, what theoretical frameworks do you normally use and why, and what drove you to this type of work.

[@melamela2247]

Thank you so much for the suggestions.

[@banafshehz6390]

As a PhD student at UCSD, is it possible to live in San Diego with the fund alone? Could you financially support yourself? I would appreciate it if you could answer this question

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

I’m sure you can, however, I have a full time job. So I cannot fully answer this questions. I suggest that you reach out to current students in the program you are applying to to see if they are able to support themselves with their PhD stipend.

[@soulsymphony5111]

Hey, I have an interview for a masters degree but I have no research experience can you advise me how to circumvent that so doesn't look like a solid weakness.

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

I would think about some of the research skills you have gained in the courses you have taken. For example, do you perform lab work or have you synthesized literature for a paper. I would have a solid idea of what type of research you want to conduct. Are you going to focus on qualitative, quant active or mixed methods? And why those methods? What are the questions you have about your area of study? And why do you think it’s important to answer those questions. What are the implications? Draw from the experiences you have that somewhat relate to the research process. I hope this helps.

[@soulsymphony5111]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool that's certainly help, I have no wet laboratory experience, it's highly required though. What I have is a experience as a T.A and I have a pending review article publication so I will try to focus on that hopefully it won't sound as bad as I think.

[@plantaffairs]

Hii Ivan… Do all PhD applicants to UT AUSTIN got interview chance !? Gave my interview on 6 Jan When can I expect my decision

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

You should expect to hear back about a decision sometime in February or March.

[@joulibrown9174]

I have a different question. Did you work while completing your PhD? If yes, how did you manage a work, life n school balance? Were you able to qualify for grants n scholarships to cover your tuition? Thank you, Jouli

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

I am working full time while completing my PhD. I talk more about my personal experiences on my Instagram: instagram.com/ivanvaldovinosgradschool?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&. And my PhD is fully funded so I work and get tuition remission for 5 years.

[@joulibrown9174]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool Thank you for responding. Is it hard to work and complete the requirements for your PhD? I always felt juggling both would be too taxing (ie time management etc). I'm happy n proud of you. This is awesome. Jouli

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@joulibrown9174 I definitely make a lot of sacrifices such as working 9-5 on weekends on PhD related stuff. Basically I am always either doing my job or work on PhD stuff. I wouldn’t recommend having a full time job while taking coursework.

[@barbiedollanju4331]

Can we apply for Masters by already having masters in to that subject,

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

You could, but I would not advise it. I would only pursue a second masters if it was in a different field of study. If you plan to study in the same field, I would suggest a PhD in the same field instead.

[@barbiedollanju4331]

@@IvanValdovinosGradSchool thank you so much

[@sathiskakaumadi7306]

Ubalage agreements methanin iwarai, agreements cancle 😂

[@uttamkumarpal8518]

Ohh disturbing background music

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Lol thank you for the feedback. I have since lowered the volume on my newer videos. I’m an amateur KZbinr and at this point I had no clue what I was doing with video editing and producing videos.

[@AliAbbas-bc2jo]

The answers u have given might not be correct for natural science field I thought

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

Ok the natural sciences is not my field. What do you suggest that natural science applicants say?

[@AliAbbas-bc2jo]

I mean that what kind of question are asked when someone wanna prepare for phd physics interview??

[@IvanValdovinosGradSchool]

@@AliAbbas-bc2jo I’m not in the stem fields, but I anticipate they are going to ask you about your research interests that standard for a PhD in any field. They are also going to ask about your research experience as well as why you want to enroll in their program. Those are all standard interview questions for PhD programs. They might also ask you content specific questions and they want you to be able to speak about the content in an academic way.

[@AliAbbas-bc2jo]

Thanks man have a good time