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What Is A Typical Computer Science Ph.D. Interview Like?

I had my very first-ever interview for a Ph.D. position (program analysis) in computer science in Germany today. Well, after sending my application, I was asked to prepare a two-page research statement which I was given positive feedback on and, consequently, was invited to take an interview so that " [...] You will be asked some non-technical and some technical questions, including some programming questions ". In the interview, and after saying hi, how are you, and tell me a little about yourself, the professor started firing algorithmic questions towards me. He even asked me to implement an algorithm for a string manipulation question in firepad .

Well, I wasn't prepared to be asked directly about coding and finding working algorithms for specific problems and, unfortunately, my mind went completely blank. I thought an interview would include conceptual technical questions like tell us about your ideas in our field of research or tell us about your master's thesis or at least I'd expected to be asked some programming questions like what is the difference between this and that in Java or tell us about collections in Java. My question is now:

Does a typical Ph.D. interview in computer science really include such detailed questions? or I was a very unlucky person that my first ever interview went this way?

• computer-science

2 Answers 2

There really is no "typical" interview protocol for CS PhD positions. The kinds of questions asked will mostly depend on the qualities and skills that the PI deems relevant for the position. If the work requires specialized technical knowledge, it's possible that the PI will try to test this knowledge, and programming tasks are a valid way of doing that.

In your case, one could argue that the PI slightly miscommunicated the contents of the interview, since a programming task is arguably not a programming question .

• 2 There might not even be questions... the interviewee might be the one guiding what gets said in the visit/interview. –  einpoklum Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 20:47
• 1 The distinction between a "programming task" or a "programming question" is meaningless in this context. Certainly, asking an interviewee to implement a typical string manipulation algorithm is within the realm of reasonable topics one can expect to encounter in an interview. The real question the OP should be asking is "how can I improve my whiteboarding skills so that the next time this happens, I am prepared?". Cracking the Coding interview remains a great resource for practicing these kinds of "programming etudes". –  Our_Benefactors Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 21:36
• @Our_Benefactors Well, whether that's a worthwhile question to ask, let alone the "real" question, seems to depend very much on the answer to the present question. –  lighthouse keeper Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 22:38
• 1. "Does a typical Ph.D. interview in computer science really include such detailed questions?" Yes. 2. "I was a very unlucky person that my first ever interview went this way?" No. –  Our_Benefactors Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 0:08

As mentioned in the answer of lighthouse keeper , there is no typical protocol for such interviews. But I'd like to add that the questions in interviews not only depend on the requirements of a position, but also the past experiences of the PI.

Doing a PhD in CS typically means to come up with some new ideas to solve problems of interest to the academic community and to then validate that these ideas are good. In fields with an applied component, this often means to implement the ideas in one form or the other. In program analysis, this often means to implement the ideas in research prototype program analysis tools.

This means that a successful PhD student should be able to

• come up with new ideas to a field of research (normally the one in which the PI works)
• being able to implement them.

It is good for both student and PI if only applicants are accepted for which it is reasonably certain that they can do both. This is because doing a PhD in an acceptable time frame is tough. Even skilled candidates pretty much never finish their PhDs in three years (which is the norm on paper in Germany but not in practice). If the work in the "coming up with ideas" or "implementation" categories takes longer because of a lack of skills acquired in the past, then this can easily mean that this part takes two-fold to ten-fold as much time. And then there is no way to finish the PhD on time and depending on where the funding for the position comes from, the PI may also run into trouble with the funding source (they want to see results!).

While the ten-fold figure is surely drastic, I believe it to be realistic for the implementation part, though. Programming is hard initially and then later one becomes more proficient. Implementing a scientific idea means that you implement something whose implications you haven't fully understood. You want to keep your mind open and constantly think during every step of the implementation whether what you are doing is really what solves the problem. Often, during the implementation, you found out that you forgot an aspect during the conceptualization of the new idea. But you only find that out when you are able to focus on what you are doing. If you lack programming skills, then your mind will be busy with fighting the programming language and basic algorithms concepts while you are at the same time doing something quite difficult. This is like learning to drive during a race.

Now obviously you acquire new skills during your PhD, which will help you speed up your work over time. But the basic programming and problem solving skills are normally learned quite early on during a CS course of study (normally in the B.Sc.), and catching on later will take a lot of time - time that makes you unproductive in the first couple of years, as there is also a lot of research that other people did in the field to catch up with. And this is incompatible with an academic system in which you are expected to work on research from day 1 during your PhD studies (as it is the case in Germany). There are no courses (except in some structured programs)!

Note that it is possible that the PI had a student in the past who had to drop out because of implementation work not going well. Then it's not surprising that such questions are included in an interview.

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• The PhD Interview – What to Expect and How to Prepare

Written by Mark Bennett

Most PhD applications include an interview of some sort. This allows your university (and perhaps even your prospective supervisor) to discuss the PhD with you in more detail.

They’ll ask questions about your background, goals and project. You may also be required to give a presentation.

On this page you can find out what happens at an interview, including advice on how to prepare for a PhD interview.

You can also read our separate guide for a detailed overview of PhD interview questions (and answers!).

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What happens at a PhD interview?

The format for a PhD interview can vary, depending on your subject area and the circumstances of your application.

You might be in front of a recruitment panel. Or you might just meet your supervisor in the campus coffee shop and chat about your research interests.

This makes it quite difficult to describe a ‘standard PhD interview’.

There’s a bit of a difference between going over the finer points of your MSc thesis before a panel and discussing your favourite historians in a canteen.

But two things unite both formats. Each hinges on a discussion of your academic interests, achievements and goals. And that discussion is important, however it takes place.

Even the most ‘informal’ interview aims to establish this.

Depending on the format for your PhD interview it could involve:

• A formal question and answer session in front of a postgraduate recruitment panel.
• A presentation , based on your research proposal or area of expertise.
• A one-to-one discussion with your prospective supervisor.
• An informal lunch with your prospective supervisor, other members of your interview panel and / or current PhD students.
• Various ‘orientation’ activities . These might include visits to research spaces and opportunities to chat with staff and students.

PhD interview presentation

Depending on the format of your interview, you may be asked to prepare a presentation on the advertised PhD project or your research proposal.

When you’re invited to an interview, your prospective department will let you know what their expectations are for the presentation. They’ll usually specify:

• How long the presentation should be – usually this won’t be any more than 15 minutes
• What they want your presentation to cover – for example, your academic background, your research methods, the ‘impact’ of your research
• How the presentation should be delivered – this will usually be PowerPoint but you might need to provide supplementary materials for your audience or deliver the presentation remotely over a video call

You’ll normally be speaking before a small committee of staff members, who will ask you questions about your research after the presentation.

PhD interview length

As you can imagine, the length of a PhD interview varies according to its format.

Some interviews involve several components activities, over an entire day. You could greet your panel in the morning, have lunch, visit your department and then sit down for a formal interview.

Or you might just meet your supervisor for coffee and discuss your ideas with them for an hour or so.

You can read more about what to expect in different circumstances and subject areas below.

Interviews for advertised PhD positions

Most PhDs in Science , Medicine and Engineering are specific pre-designed projects , with pre-defined aims and objectives.

They normally take place in a group that’s pursuing broader research objectives, to which your PhD will make a small (but important) contribution.

Such projects may have funding secured in advance (as part of the budget for their laboratory or workshop). Or they may have funding available in principle, confirmed if the project meets certain conditions. (These could include attracting a suitable PhD student!).

Interview goals

An interview for one of these projects needs to ensure that the applicant can complete a specific project. And that they deserve the funding available for it.

Imagine a PhD that involves analysing a specific kind of protein folding. Just being a talented life scientist may not be enough to complete this project. You’d also need to have some knowledge of the proteins in question, as well as the kinds of equipment and techniques required to analyse them.

Or, what about a digital humanities project involving the latent semantic indexing of a periodicals database? A general Masters in literature may not be enough here. You’ll also need to be able to use this kind of database. (And ideally know what latent semantic indexing is).

This isn’t to say that you have to be an expert in your research topic before you begin it. That would defeat the function of the PhD as an academic training exercise.

But you will need to be the kind of student who can develop the necessary skills and expertise in the time available. Your interview is when the university will do its best to make sure of this.

Interview format

An interview for a funded PhD project will be a formal process. The main component will be a question and answer session in front of a designated postgraduate recruitment panel.

This panel will usually involve three or more people. They could include:

• Your project supervisor (or supervisors). They will assess your academic and personal suitability for the role.
• A member of the university or department’s postgraduate admissions staff . They will normally chair the panel and ensure the interview is properly conducted. This person could also represent any structured PhD programme your project might form part of.
• The lead investigator for your prospective research group. This is the academic with overall responsibility for the research your PhD will be part of. Normally they will be your supervisor, but this may not be the case for larger laboratories or departments. If so, they might attend your interview.
• A funding representative . If an external body funds your PhD they may have a presence at your interview. This won’t normally be the case for Research Council studentships (which are managed by universities) but it could occur for other organisations.

The bulk of your interview will involve the panel asking you questions and listening to your answers. These will focus on your academic background, research interests and goals. You may also be invited to expand upon parts of your PhD application.

Some interviews may ask you to give a more specific presentation as well as answering questions. This won’t normally be long or complicated. You may be asked to talk through your research proposal in more detail, or provide a summary of a previous research project (such as a Masters dissertation).

Once your panel has finished asking its questions, you will be invited to ask questions of your own . This is an opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the subject whilst also finding out more about it.

Interviews for self-proposed PhD projects

In some subjects, such as the Arts, Humanities and some Social Sciences, pre-defined (and pre-funded) PhD projects are less common.

This isn’t always the case, of course. Arts and Humanities research can involve huge ongoing projects, focussing on the collaborative analysis of vast archives. Many branches of the Social Sciences also undertake long-term data gathering and analysis.

Yet, the majority of PhDs in these areas tend to be original projects, proposed by the student seeking to undertake them.

If this is the case for your project, you will normally apply to a university’s PhD programme , rather than a specific PhD ‘position’.

If accepted, you will have the freedom to do your own independent research. But you’ll benefit from the resources, training and support available within your programme.

Because these projects and their funding aren’t pre-defined, their interviews can be more flexible.

It won’t be necessary to confirm that you have the specific skills needed for a specific project. Or that you are the student most deserving of a designated studentship.

But this doesn’t mean that the interview for a self-proposed PhD is easier than one for an advertised position. If anything, greater scrutiny may be paid to your project proposal and to your suitability for independent research.

The university itself hasn’t identified this research topic. It needs to ensure that the project is viable, that you understand what’s involved in completing it and that you care enough about it to do so.

Interviews for self-proposed PhD projects may be more informal, but this isn’t always the case.

You could still find yourself discussing your application in front of a panel. If so your experience will be like to that outlined for advertised projects, above.

Or, you may simply be invited to chat with your prospective supervisor. This could take place in their office or in an informal setting on campus.

Don’t underestimate the importance of such a meeting. A relaxed interview can seem less serious. Yet the discussion it enables will still play a crucial role in assessing your potential for PhD study.

Your supervisor may not need to assess your suitability for a specific project, but they still need to be sure that you have the knowledge and skills to carry out research in their field.

Equally, there may not be funding available, but your prospective supervisor is still considering investing three years (or more) of their time and effort guiding your project and assisting your development.

Whether you chat with a supervisor or sit before a panel, you can expect to spend some time discussing your research proposal . This may involve formal questions and answers, or it might simply involve ‘talking through’ what you’ve written. Make sure you’re familiar with the contents of that proposal – and ready to expand upon any areas where more detail might be requested.

Other questions may focus on your previous work, on your career goals and your reasons for undertaking a PhD.

Informal interviews are unlikely to include a presentation . However, you may still be invited to talk freely about your academic interests or offer an overview of previous research work.

If there is an opportunity to allocate funding to your project (through a Research Council studentship, or similar) this may be discussed at your interview. In most cases funding is merit-based, so make sure you are prepared to talk up the specific value of your project.

Research proposals

Our guide to writing a research proposal has more detail on how you can make a success of this important part of a PhD application.

Preparing for a PhD interview

Whatever form your PhD interview takes, you should prepare for it carefully. Even a more informal discussion will touch on aspects of your previous work and explore your current research proposal.

Reviewing these materials in advance will allow you to discuss them with confidence.

The following are some good tips on how to prepare for a PhD interview:

• Review your research proposal – If you submitted a research proposal as part of your PhD application, make sure you re-familiarise yourself with it. It’s highly likely that you’ll be invited to discuss this document at your interview. Be prepared to talk in more detail about your plans and ideas. You should also be able to back up any claims you have made.
• Re-read previous academic work – There’s a good chance your interview will touch on your Bachelors and / or Masters experience. If you are applying for a specified project, this allows the panel to check the relevance of your previous studies. If you are proposing your own project a discussion of your academic background can help reveal the development of your interests and your enthusiasm for the PhD. You won’t be ‘examined’ on any of this prior work, but it can be helpful to refresh yourself.
• Read some of your supervisors’ current research – Whatever form your PhD will take, it makes sense to be familiar with what your supervisor is currently working on. This will show that you take the prospect of working with them seriously. Needless to say, it also proves that you understand the nature of the work they do! If you don’t know who your supervisor will be, take a look at some of the research currently being done within your prospective laboratory or department.
• Look at other current research in your field – By the same token, it makes sense to have some idea of the current state of academic scholarship in your area. Remember: a PhD needs to be an original piece of research. Make sure you know what’s going to be unique and original about yours. This step is especially important if you’ve taken a break from academia and aren’t up to date on current work in your area.
• Check the details of your project or programme – This may seem obvious, but it can be easy to overlook. If you’re applying for an advertised position, make sure you know it inside out. Know what its objectives are. Know who else (other than your supervisor) is involved in the research. Know about any external funders. The same applies to the PhD programme that will ‘host’ a self-proposed PhD. Find out what other research is currently being carried out there. Look up past and present students. Check what training and development is available.
• Practice any presentation material – If you’ve been asked to prepare a presentation for your PhD interview, make sure you practice it. This is particularly helpful if you aren’t familiar with public speaking. The interview panel will be supportive and encouraging, but you want to look as confident and capable as possible.

What to wear

Regardless of your interview format, you should pay some attention to your appearance.

Academic workplaces are fairly relaxed on a day-to-day basis, but your PhD interview isn’t too dissimilar from a job application. Show that you’re serious about the opportunity and dress accordingly.

A chat in your supervisor’s office can probably be treated more casually than a formal panel interview, but there’s no harm in erring on the safe side.

What to bring

You won’t necessarily need to bring anything specific to a PhD interview, unless you’ve been asked to.

You may wish to bring copies of previous academic work. It may be appropriate to mark-up key passages for reference during the interview. Or you could simply have the material available to re-read whilst you wait.

If you submitted a research proposal, you should have a copy handy. Your interviewer/s will probably refer to it.

You’ll also need to bring any presentation materials you’ve been asked to prepare. Make sure you have these in a suitable format. The last thing you need at a PhD interview is malfunctioning presentation software.

Finally, a pen and paper won’t go amiss (handy if you want to make notes as a question is asked).

Getting the most out of your PhD interview

This may seem like a slightly odd topic. Sure there’s only one thing you want to get out of a PhD interview: a place on a PhD?

Well, yes and no.

You’ll want to make sure you come across as well as possible during your interview and give a fair impression of your academic potential. Hopefully the advice on this page will help with that.

But the PhD interview isn’t just an opportunity for your university to learn about you. It’s also a unique chance for you to learn about your university.

After all, you’re considering committing a significant amount of time and energy to a PhD with them. And this may be one of the few occasions when you visit the campus and meet staff and students before actually starting your project.

With that in mind, here are a few ways to take advantage of the opportunities a PhD interview offers:

• Visit your prospective laboratory or department – You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your university’s academic workspaces, using its facilities. Take the opportunity to look at these whilst you’re on campus. You may find that a brief tour is part of your interview format. If it isn’t, ask if you can have a quick look around – if nothing else, this demonstrates your interest.
• Chat to current PhD students – If you do visit your prospective department, take the opportunity to speak to any current PhD students you meet. They’ll be happy to answer questions about what it’s actually like to study at this university (or with this supervisor…).
• Explore the campus – This may seem a little trivial, but arriving early and having the time to explore your university can be a nice way to relax before your interview. It could also give you something to chat about later.
• Ask good questions – Whatever format your interview takes, you’ll have a chance to ask questions as well as answer them. This is important, because it allows you to show your motivation and engagement with the project or programme. But it’s also a way for you to find out useful things about the university, your supervisor and expectations of you as a student. Make sure you know the right questions to ask .

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PhD Interview Questions and Answers (13 Questions + Answers)

Most PhD applications include an interview. This allows your university (and perhaps even your prospective supervisor) to discuss the PhD with you in more detail.

This article lists some of the most common PhD interview questions along with their answers. The goal is to help you prepare for a PhD interview and pass with flying colors.

1) How did you develop this proposal?

When responding to this question, demonstrate your thought process, research skills, and the evolution of your ideas. Let's choose the subject of "Renewable Energy Integration in Urban Planning" as an example.

Sample answer:

"My proposal on 'Renewable Energy Integration in Urban Planning' originated from my undergraduate thesis on sustainable cities. Intrigued by the potential of renewable energy in urban environments, I conducted a literature review to identify gaps in current research. This review highlighted a lack of comprehensive strategies for integrating renewable technologies at a city-wide level. I then consulted with experts in urban planning and renewable energy, which provided practical insights into the challenges and opportunities in this field. I designed a methodology that combines spatial analysis with energy modeling to explore optimal renewable energy integration in urban landscapes. This proposal represents an amalgamation of academic research, expert consultation, and innovative methodology development."

This answer is effective because it mentions a literature review demonstrates the ability to conduct thorough research and identify gaps in existing knowledge.

2) Why do you wish to pursue a PhD?

For this question, it's important to articulate your passion for the subject, your long-term career goals, and how the PhD program aligns with these aspects.

Let's choose the subject of "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare" for this example.

"I am passionate about leveraging technology to improve healthcare outcomes, and pursuing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare aligns perfectly with this passion. During my Master's, I was fascinated by the potential of AI to revolutionize diagnostic processes and personalized medicine. I believe a PhD will provide me with the deep technical knowledge and research skills necessary to contribute significantly to this field. My goal is to develop AI systems that enhance medical diagnostics, ultimately improving patient care and treatment efficiency. This PhD program, known for its pioneering research in AI and strong healthcare collaborations, is the ideal environment for me to develop these innovations and achieve my career aspirations in healthcare technology."

This is a great answer because you clearly state that the PhD will provide the necessary skills and knowledge, indicating a clear understanding of the purpose of the program.

3) Why do you think you are the right candidate for this PhD program?

Discuss how your research interests align with the program's strengths and the faculty's expertise. Explain how the program's resources, courses, and research opportunities can help you achieve your academic and career goals.

"I am deeply passionate about environmental science, particularly in the area of sustainable urban development. This passion was ignited during my master's program in Environmental Studies at XYZ University, where I completed a thesis on urban green spaces and their impact on city microclimates. This research not only honed my skills in data analysis and GIS mapping but also highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental issues. I am drawn to your PhD program at ABC University because of its innovative research on sustainable urban planning and the renowned work of Professor Jane Smith in this field. Her research aligns with my interest in integrating green infrastructure into urban planning to mitigate climate change effects. My perseverance, attention to detail, and ability to synthesize complex data make me an ideal candidate for this challenging program. Pursuing this PhD is integral to my goal of becoming an environmental consultant, where I plan to develop strategies for cities to reduce their environmental footprint."

This response is effective because it mentions particular aspects of your experience and the program, avoiding generic statements. It also outlines how the PhD fits into your career path.

4) What do you plan to do after you have completed your PhD?

Be specific about the type of career you aspire to, whether it's in academia, industry, research, etc. Explain how the PhD will equip you with the skills and knowledge for your chosen career path.

"After completing my PhD in Computational Neuroscience, I plan to pursue a career in academia as a university professor. My doctoral research on neural network modeling will provide a strong foundation for teaching and conducting further research in this area. I aim to develop innovative courses that bridge computer science and neuroscience, addressing the growing demand for interdisciplinary knowledge in these fields. Additionally, I intend to continue my research on applying machine learning techniques to understand brain function, which has potential implications for developing new treatments for neurological disorders. This academic pathway allows me to contribute significantly to both education and research in Computational Neuroscience."

This is a great answer because it connects the PhD research directly to future career plans.

It also articulates how your work can impact both academia and the broader field of Computational Neuroscience.

5) Why have you chosen this specific PhD program?

Mention specific aspects of the program that attracted you, such as the curriculum, research facilities, faculty expertise, or reputation.

Explain how the program aligns with your research interests or academic background.

"I chose the PhD program in Artificial Intelligence at MIT because of its cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary approach, which perfectly aligns with my academic background in computer science and my passion for machine learning. The program's emphasis on both theoretical foundations and practical applications in AI is particularly appealing. Additionally, the opportunity to work under the guidance of Professor [Name], whose work in [specific area, e.g., neural networks or AI ethics] has deeply influenced my own research interests, is a significant draw. This program is an ideal fit for me to further develop my skills and contribute to the field of AI, ultimately aiming for a career in AI research and development in the tech industry."

This answer connects your background and goals to the program's offerings.

Including a specific professor's name shows detailed knowledge about the program and faculty.

6) What impact would you like your PhD project to have?

When answering this question, convey both the academic significance and the potential real-world applications of your research. Let's choose a project focused on developing eco-friendly battery technologies for electric vehicles for this example.

"My PhD project aims to develop new eco-friendly battery technologies for electric vehicles (EVs), addressing both the environmental impact of battery production and the efficiency of energy storage. I hope my research will contribute to the academic field by advancing our understanding of sustainable materials for energy storage, potentially leading to publications and patents. Beyond academia, I envision this project significantly impacting the EV industry by providing a more sustainable and efficient battery alternative. This innovation could play a crucial role in reducing the carbon footprint of transportation and supporting global efforts towards a greener future. Ultimately, I aspire for my work to not only advance scientific knowledge but also drive real-world changes in how we approach energy sustainability in transportation."

This is an excellent answer because it connects the project to larger environmental goals and societal benefits. It also reflects a forward-thinking approach, demonstrating your understanding of the project's potential long-term implications.

7) What difficulties would you expect to encounter during this project?

It's important to demonstrate awareness of potential challenges and convey a proactive mindset toward problem-solving. Let's choose a project focused on the development of a novel AI-driven diagnostic tool for early detection of neurological diseases for this example.

"In developing an AI-driven diagnostic tool for early detection of neurological diseases, I anticipate several challenges. Firstly, the accuracy and reliability of the tool depend heavily on the quality and diversity of the data used for training the AI algorithms. Obtaining a comprehensive dataset that adequately represents the population can be difficult due to privacy concerns and data availability. Secondly, ensuring the AI model's interpretability to be clinically useful while maintaining high performance is another challenge, given the complexity of neurological diseases. To address these, I plan to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including data privacy experts and neurologists, to source and utilize data ethically and effectively. I also intend to continuously refine the AI model, focusing on both its predictive accuracy and clinical applicability. These challenges, while significant, present valuable opportunities for innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration."

This response is effective because it clearly outlines realistic challenges specific to the AI diagnostic tool project. It also presents a proactive approach to overcoming these challenges, showing problem-solving skills.

8) How will you fund this project?

When answering this question, show that you've thought about the financial aspects of your research and are aware of funding sources that are available and applicable to your project. 

"I have identified multiple funding sources to support my renewable energy research project at Stanford University. Firstly, I plan to apply for the DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program, which offers substantial support for projects focusing on sustainable energy. My proposal for this grant is already in progress, highlighting how my project aligns with the DOE's priorities in advancing clean energy technologies. Additionally, I'm exploring departmental fellowships at Stanford, particularly those aimed at renewable energy research. I am also keen on establishing industry partnerships, given the project's relevance to current energy challenges and the potential for collaborative funding and technological exchange. Last but not least, I will seek conference grants to present my research findings, which can lead to further academic collaborations and additional funding opportunities."

Notice how this answer mentions funding sources that align with the renewable energy focus of the project and the resources available at Stanford University.

9) Tell us about a time you experienced a setback

Focus on a situation relevant to your academic or research experience. Let's use a real-world example where a research experiment failed due to unexpected variables.

"During my Master’s thesis on the effects of soil composition on plant growth, I faced a major setback. My initial experiments, which involved growing plants in different soil types, failed to produce consistent results due to unanticipated environmental variations in the greenhouse. This was disheartening, especially as the deadline approached. However, I responded by reassessing my experimental setup. I consulted with my supervisor and decided to control more variables, such as humidity and temperature. I also refined my data collection methods to include more frequent soil and plant measurements. These adjustments led to more reliable results, and I successfully completed my thesis. This experience taught me the importance of adaptability in research and reinforced the value of meticulous experimental design."

This is a great answer because it shows how you’ve encountered and overcame a specific problem, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

10) What are your strengths and weaknesses?

When answering this question, it's important to present a balanced view of yourself, showing self-awareness and a commitment to personal development. Choose strengths that are relevant to a PhD program and weaknesses that you're actively working to improve.

"One of my key strengths is my analytical thinking, which I demonstrated during my Master's project where I developed a novel algorithm for data analysis. This required me to not only understand complex theories but also apply them creatively to solve real-world problems. As for weaknesses, I sometimes struggle with overcommitment, taking on too many projects at once. This occasionally led to stress during my undergraduate studies. However, I am actively working on this by improving my time management skills and learning to prioritize tasks more effectively. I've started using project management tools and setting clear boundaries, which has already shown improvements in my workflow and stress levels."

This answer maintains a good balance between strengths and weaknesses. It also shows self-awareness, demonstrating a proactive approach to personal development.

11) Why have you chosen to study for a PhD at this university?

Mention specific aspects of the PhD program that attracted you. Explain how your research interests align with the work being done at the university.

"I am drawn to the PhD program in Astrophysics at Caltech due to its outstanding reputation in space research and the unparalleled resources available at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. My research interest lies in the study of exoplanets, and Caltech's active projects in this area, such as the Zwicky Transient Facility, align perfectly with my academic goals. The opportunity to work under the guidance of Professor [Name], known for pioneering work in exoplanetary atmospheres, is particularly exciting. Additionally, Caltech's collaborative environment and emphasis on interdisciplinary research are conducive to my professional growth, providing a platform to engage with experts from various fields in astrophysics."

This response directly connects your research interests with ongoing projects and facilities at Caltech. It also shows you’ve done your research on faculty members and their work.

12) What can you bring to this research group?

Focus on your unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that will contribute to the research group's success. Let's choose the field of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University for this example.

"As a prospective member of the Biomedical Engineering research group at Johns Hopkins University, I bring a unique combination of skills and experiences. My expertise in microfluidics, honed during my Master’s research, aligns well with the group’s focus on developing lab-on-a-chip devices for medical diagnostics. I have also co-authored two papers in this field, demonstrating my ability to contribute to high-impact research. Additionally, my experience in a start-up environment, where I worked on developing portable diagnostic tools, has equipped me with a practical understanding of translating research into applications. I thrive in collaborative settings, often bringing interdisciplinary insights that foster innovative problem-solving. I am excited about the prospect of contributing to the group’s ongoing projects and introducing fresh perspectives to advance our understanding and application of biomedical technology."

This response shows your relevant expertise, ability to work in a team, and the unique perspectives you can offer, positioning you as a valuable addition to the research group.

13) Do you have any questions for us?

Asking good questions demonstrates your motivation. It also shows that you’ve given some genuine consideration to the project and/or program you’re applying to.

Some questions you can ask the interviewer include:

• What will the supervision arrangements be for the project?
• What kind of training and skills sessions are offered as part of the PhD program?
• How many other PhD students has this supervisor seen to completion?
• Are there any major developments or partnerships planned for the department?
• Are there likely to be any changes to the funding arrangements for the project?
• What opportunities will I have for presenting my research?

Remember: you’re a good student, with lots of potential. You’re considering at least three years of hard work with this university. You need to know that you’ll get on with your supervisor, that your work will be appreciated and that there are good prospects for your project.

What to wear to a PhD interview

Wear formal attire for a PhD interview. Your best bet is to wear a suit. A navy blue suit is the best and most versatile option. No matter your gender, a suit is always very professional.

For men, wear a suit with a tie, dress shirt, and dress shoes. For women, wear a suit (pantsuit or skirt suit) with a blouse, or conservative dress, and closed-toe shoes.

When in doubt, it’s better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed. The goal is to make a professional impression and feel confident, without your attire distracting from the conversation.

What to expect from a PhD interview

At its core, a PhD interview will consist of questions that allow your potential supervisors to get to know you better and have an understanding of what you’d like to study, why you’ve chosen your field of study, and whether you’d be a good fit for the PhD program.

You should expect general questions to help the interviewer get a sense of your likes and dislikes, and your overall personality.

Next, expect questions about your personal motivations for studying a PhD. Your interviewer will also be interested in any relevant experience you have to qualify you to study this PhD.

In the next section, expect questions about your PhD project. You should be prepared to discuss your project idea in detail and demonstrate to the interviewer that you are the ideal candidate.

Last but not least, the interviewer will discuss your future ambitions and give you an opportunity to ask questions. Remember that this interview goes both ways.

It’s important to ask the interviewer relevant questions to show your engagement and the serious consideration you are giving their program.

You are preparing to spend several years of your life at this school. Think about what is important to you and what would make or break your decision to attend this university.

Prepare a list of questions ahead of the interview.

Understanding the interviewer’s point of view

During a PhD interview, interviewers are typically looking for a range of traits that indicate whether you are well-suited for the rigors of a doctoral program and a research career.

These traits include:

Intellectual Curiosity and Passion: A strong enthusiasm for the subject area and a desire to contribute to and expand knowledge in the field.

Research Skills and Experience: Demonstrable skills in conducting research, including designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results. Prior research experience relevant to the PhD topic is often a plus.

Resilience and Perseverance: The capacity to handle setbacks and challenges, which are common in research, and to persist in the face of difficulties.

Collaboration and Teamwork: Although PhD research can be quite independent, the ability to work well with others, including advisors, faculty, and other students, is crucial.

Self-Motivation and Independence: The drive to work independently, manage one's own project, and stay motivated over the long term.

Fit with the Program: Alignment of the candidate’s research interests and goals with the strengths and focus of the PhD program and faculty.

These traits not only indicate your readiness for a PhD program but also your potential to contribute meaningfully to their field of study and succeed in a research-oriented career.

Related posts:

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• Project Manager Interview Questions (14 Specific Questions + Answers)
• Strength-Based Interview Questions (21 Questions + Answers)
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Reflections on my cs phd application process.

I’m glad it’s over.

I applied for CS Ph.D. programs this past fall and had interviews with schools from late December all the way to March. Now that the semester has ended, I decided to put down some reflections on this process. This post is not intended to be the most comprehensive CS Ph.D. application tutorial in the world, but merely a half-guide half-memoir of journey towards a PhD. Of course, you should take this post with a grain of salt, since I don’t work on admission committees, and am no where near an expert in the application process.

On Research

The singly most important factor in a Ph.D. application is perhaps your research experience. The general thumb is ‘’the earlier, the better". You should absolutely start getting involved in research as early as possible. Throughout this experience, you will eventually find out if research is your thing and whether you want to continue the path in academia.

The general rule of thumb is ‘’the earlier, the better". Practically speaking, you will likely have something to put on your resume or your statement of purpose by the time you start Ph.D. applications. Since grad school is all about research, having as many research experiences as possible is only going to make your profile look stronger.

The earlier, the better

More importantly, grad school applications, especially in Computer Science, has become extremely competitive over the years. The admission rate for most top CS departments is well below 10 percent. Having publications, or even just research experiences, is likely gonna decide whether you are getting accepted. To some extent, “publish or perish” also applies to Ph.D. application.

I had friends who asked me whether they should wait until junior or senior years to get started in research because by then they will have taken enough courses and are better equipped with the background. My suggestion is no. First, part of research is about learning: you settle on a problem and you find ways to solve it. Learning happens throughout this process. My advisor Chris always says you learn more by doing research. My personal experience has reenforced this statement. Second, there simply might not be enough time for you to finish the research project by the time application process starts. It’s possible to pull a rabbit out of the hat in some areas like theory or machine learning. But for areas like systems, the sheer amount of workloads makes submission cycle really long. This is exacerbated by the relatively small number of top conferences. In addition, there will be several months before you are notified of the final decision.

For example, my first GPU project took more than a year to finish. It was then rejected and cost another several months before it was published. By the time my application started, my paper was still under submission and I didn’t hear anything back until late January.

Another problem people asked me is how to pick a research area in the first place. I use a small trick I learned from a post on Quora: figure out what you spend most time on. For a really long time, I thought I would eventually do something related to deep learning, because, well, that’s what everybody is doing. However, I found myself spending much more time browsing through LWN.net or Linux kernel code than actual deep learning. So I decided doing systems suites me better.

Picking Schools

So I’ve decided to apply for PhD, it’s time to pick which schools to apply to. Ph.D. is equivalent to research apprenticeship. Therefore, the application process is very much faculty-oriented . I highly recommend csrankings . It is capable of filtering out a lot of unwanted information and focus on your research interests quickly. It’s much quicker and more convenient to see all names in one place than browsing through every person’s name in every university. But you should still take a loof at each university’s faculty list because csrankings might not contain the most up-to-date information.

In terms of how many schools to apply, my suggestion is “the more, the better”. Statistically speaking, more application increases your chance of getting accepted. The major problem is the application fee and the need to tailor each SOP to different schools. I applied 20 programs, all in U.S.. This is way above the average number and I don’t really recommend most people doing it. However, applying more programs does gave me several interviews from schools I thought weren’t the best fit. For example, there is one AP who just came to the university and has research interests closely matching mine, but his personal information is not yet reflected in both csrankings and the school’s website. Another interviews I got are from a professor coming from a more theoretical background but is in need of students with more system skills to build the underlying infrastructure.

Statement of Purpose

You will need to submit a SOP to every school you apply to. There are many tutorials online on how to come up with the best SOP so I won’t go over them. In general, I think there are two things to consider:

• Don’t be creative, be simple.
• Focus on research.
• Getting as many people reading your draft as possible.

If you google “what to avoid in a PhD SOP”, you will be advised to not say something like how you started programming at age 4. This is not the same as your college application essays so don’t be smart about it. Simply stating your goals and interests is more than enough. My SOP opening goes like:

After spending three years in academic research, I see my goal to seek a Ph.D. in Computer Science, more specifically in systems, as a continuation of my increasing involvement with the field, and as a requirement to pursue my research interests and solve related problems in systems as a professor. In particular, I am interested in operating systems, heterogeneity, networking, machine learning systems, and architecture .

Avoid writing every accomplishment in your life. I get it, everyone wants to show off their proud moments. I made the mistake in my first draft by going over all my research projects, including those outside of systems, as well as my side projects. In the end, my essay turned into a hodgepodge with no real focus. It also goes way over the page limit. In the end, I had to cut down all stuffs that are not ‘‘system-related" to make rooms for more important contents. If you want a sample, I’d be glad to share you a copy upon request.

The Interview

Now that you submitted all the applications, and interviews start to come in. My general suggestion for preparing for an interview is to keep things simple. First, there are only 30 minutes. Your priority, as a student, is to make the most out of this 30 minutes. It’s important to discuss your research and know what you are talking about, but don’t go over too much into the details because

No body is able to understand all the technical details under 30 minutes.

The high level idea is generally much more important. If you can’t describe it under a few minutes, you likely don’t really know the project very well.

If the professor is interested in digging more into the project, he/she will ask more questions. This is good because it can turn an interview into a discussion, which is both more interactive and less intimidating. Nobody likes a 30-minute monologue.

The purpose of the interview is to find whether there is a match of interests and whether this interest is mutual. You should also reserve some time to ask your own questions.

Other Thoughts

I don’t really recommend taking too many classes while doing research projects. Research is very time-consuming and can take away a lot of sleep. When I was first semester in working on my GPU project, I was trying to double major, taking all the hard classes, TAing an OS course, and juggling around all sorts of stuff. Anxiety became an issue and I wasn’t able to get enough sleep. My productivity took a hit and resulted in my first paper being rejected. If I could travel back in time, I’d rather do less to achieve more.

If you decide to email potential advisors, keep the message short and go straight to the point. Avoid American novels. Assistant professors or professors that explicitly wrote on their page about students reaching out to them have much higher likelihood of replying your messages, because they are constantly looking for students to expand their groups.

Keep up with the application status, but do not check TheGradCafe too often because it can get addictive:)

May the force be with you 🤘.

Computer Science Graduate Job and Interview Guide

Introduction.

This document summarizes experience, opinions, and advice (and advice received from others) on looking for jobs in academia and industrial research labs in the field of computer science. It contains both general advice and information on three particular job searches: Wes’s search for a programming languages / software engineering position in the Spring of 2005, Claire’s search for the same in Spring of 2013, and Zak’s search for industrial research positions in 2014. It is structured as a how-to guide for graduate students.

Navigating This Guide

We have divided this guide into the major stages of a job search: finding jobs, preparing your application, interviewing, and finally deciding between offers.

This guide isn’t just for students on the job market! Even if you are not yet on the job market, the portions of this guide focusing on job opportunities and application preparation can be particularly helpful. Often, your career goals will inform choices you make during your doctoral studies, and thus being aware of the kinds of jobs available to you is important. It can also be helpful to know what goes into an application package to help you plan ahead. For example, if you are targeting an academic career that emphasizes instruction, you might plan for being the primary instructor (“instructor of record” at some institutions) while still a doctoral candidate. Conversely if you are most interested in a research-focused career, you might instead choose to bolster your resume with industrial internships. It’s much better to know what to expect and plan ahead than to regret not doing more.

Finding Jobs

As you begin your search, you will first want to think about the types of jobs that appeal to you. We discuss various job opportunities in computer science for students earning doctoral degrees. Then we give pointers for discovering open searches and how to read job postings.

Preparing Your Application

Applications are reasonably uniform across academic institutions, and my aspects of an academic application apply to industrial research as well. In addition to providing some high-level guidance to get you started with your application materials, we also provide concrete examples of materials from successful searches.

Interviewing

We discuss common activities for interviews and give some hints on questions to prepare (both to answer and to ask).

Making a Decision

Once you have reached the stage of considering job offers, it’s time to decide. We discuss handling overlapping deadlines and negotiating your salary and startup. We also offer words of encouragement as you consider which offer to accept.

• In 2005 Purdue got 380 applicants for 3 job spots in CS and held 14 interviews. In programming languages alone they got 20 applicants and held 6-7 interviews for one spot. In 2005 Virginia got 457 applicants for 4 faculty positions.
• Read the CRA Taulbee survey .
• Many people will tell you that if all else fails, use rankings to break ties. Better ranked schools will have better grad students and will find it easier to get grant money. One problem with this is that different people remember the rankings differently. Whenever you ask someone for advice, ask for a relative ranking of your schools. You’ll be surprised at how many complete inversions you receive.
• A personal recommendation or inside champion can be a great boost and can help in case of a tie. If you are trying to end up at school X and you know someone at Y who is friend with someone at X, having Y them briefly mention you positively to X won’t hurt you.
• Before the interview you should go over everyone on the faculty web page and find people with research interests similar to your own. Learn the names of their projects (at least!).
• Do not expect to accomplish any work (beyond giving a conference talk) between February and May.
• Send thank you emails to everyone, or at least your host, and follow up with schools in which you’re interested, especially if you have deadlines from other schools.
• This is easily one of the top three pieces of job search advice Claire was given: Collude with other people in your field on the market, if you can. The departments are colluding; you should too. You can share details about the offers, which keeps things in perspective. Also, it’s a really long/tiring process, so it’s nice to have someone to commiserate with. At first you will resist, mistakenly believing that you are in competition with these people and that it is weird. You are wrong. There are enough jobs to go around. Make friends, it’s good for you.
• Golden Rule: only drink at interview dinners if your host(s) is/are drinking (…and you want to, obviously. Claire is French, and likes wine with dinner). This is more difficult if you’re female because waiters at nice restaurants typically ask the lady if she wants something to drink first.
• Silver Rule: never say anything mean about anyone, especially not your current institution or other institutions at which you are interviewing. This rule applies even if your current institution is legitimately dysfunctional.

This guide has been written predominantly by Wes Weimer (University of Michigan), Claire Le Goues (Carnegie Mellon), Zak Fry (GrammaTech), Kevin Leach (Vanderbilt University), Yu Huang (Vanderbilt University), and Kevin Angstadt (St. Lawrence University). Kevin is the primary maintainer of this version of the guide (there are older versions out there, but we anticipate this site to be most up-to-date.)

Contributing

We welcome contributions from the community to this guide. The repository is hosted on GitHub . We will post instructions and guidelines soon.

Problems with the Website

Did you notice something wrong with the website (something not working or a typo)? Please create an issue on our GitHub project.

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge all of our colleagues who have aided (directly and indirectly) in the creation of this guide. You may safely assume that all of the good ideas here come from them and that all bad advice comes from us.

Many wise and wonderful people were kind enough to grant Wes the boon of their wisdom on this subject. They include, but are not limited to:

• Alex Aiken (Stanford)
• Ras Bodik (Berkeley)
• Katherine Compton (Wisconsin)
• Richard Fateman (Berkeley)
• Jill Findeis (PSU)
• Stephen Freund (Williams)
• Patrice Godefroid (Bell Labs)
• Sumit Gulwani (Microsoft)
• Tom Henzinger (EPFL)
• Ranjit Jhala (UCSD)
• Iain Keddie (IBM)
• Jim Larus (Microsoft)
• David Liben-Nowell (Carleton)
• Tessa Lau (IBM)
• Rupak Majumdar (UCLA)
• Wayne McMullen (PSU)
• Greg Morrisett (Harvard)
• George Necula (Berkeley)
• Jens Palsberg (UCLA)
• Sriram Rajamani (Microsoft)
• David Shoenthal (Longwood)
• Raj Varma (Delaware)
• Mark Wegman (IBM)
• Donna Weimer (Juniata)

Claire did not consult many people for her contributions to this document, as she modified it after it had long been written. However, beyond Wes, she would particularly like to acknowledge the support and assistance of:

• Katie Stolee (Iowa State)
• Yuriy Brun (UMass-Amherst)
• Reid Holmes (Waterloo)
• Ivan Beschastnikh (UBC)
• Stephanie Forrest (UNM)
• John Knight (UVA)

… and the many others who offered advice and support throughout her own job search.

Zak had a similarly short list of consultations, as he targeted exclusively industrial research positions and arguably had a more “homogeneous” job search experience overall:

• Wes Weimer (UVA)
• Lori Pollock (UD)
• Pieter Hooimeijer (Facebook)
• Ray Buse (Google)
• Joel Coffman (Johns Hopkins APL)

The text of this guide is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.

This guide includes some publicly-available application materials for comparison and convenience. You could get them off of archive.org yourself if you so desired. All application materials remain the property of their respective authors and are shared here by permission.

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PhD Admissions

Main navigation.

The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet:

• Applicants from institutions outside of the United States must hold the equivalent of a United States Bachelor's degree from a college or University of recognized good standing. See detailed information by region on  Stanford Graduate Admissions website. 
• Area of undergraduate study . While we do not require a specific undergraduate coursework, it is important that applicants have strong quantitative and analytical skills; a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is not required.

Any questions about the admissions eligibility should be directed to  [email protected] .

Application Checklist

An completed online application must be submitted by the CS Department application deadline and can be found  here .

Application Deadlines

The online application can be found here  and we will only one admissions cycle for the PhD program per respective academic term.

. A student will then take several years to refine and polish the basic idea to bring it to a shape in which it can be sent to a conference or journal for publication. Here again, reviewers might have a host of concerns and comments that need to be addressed. At the end of his Ph.D, a person is expected to know almost everything about the little tiny area that he has been working in, and to also be a very technically proficient person. Ph.D is also a license to teach, conduct research, and join academics. This is often not the case. Additionally, a lot of part-time candidates have the perception that their job experience substitutes for good interview performance. This is also not the case. In the age of RTI, we need to maintain transparency and fairness. After shortlisting, the only thing that counts is performance on the interview table. Discussing prior experience, professional contributions, and details of any prior research work, is pointless. All the candidates are on a level playing field, and they need to be able to answer the questions that are asked to them. This is the only thing that counts. Copyright (c) 2010. Smruti R. Sarangi. All rights reserved. IIT Delhi PhD Interview Experience In this article, I have listed all the questions in order I was asked in my PhD Interview at IIT, Delhi for Computer Science. I have added notes on my answers as well so you can prepare along the way. Overall, Interview took over 1.5 hour and was very intense to face in person. Thankfully, I am selected for PhD at IIT, Delhi in Computer Science. I went for full-time role. There were around 100 candidates and there were 5 panels of professors. Out of the 100 candidates, 9 were for part-time role . In the panel assigned to me, there were 4 Professors from the Computer Science department of IIT, Delhi. Introduce yourself. I gave details of my education background (B.Tech in IIT) and professional experience (2 years in Bangalore). I told them of my professional achievements that is the product I worked on, research work I did at company and more. I mentioned technologies I have worked with (C++, Python) and domains of my expertise (Algorithms, Machine Learning). Professor 1 started asking questions: What is the time complexity of Quick Sort? I answered O(N logN) on average with O(N^2) for the worst case considering standard implementation of Quick Sort. Go through this article to understand Time Complexity of Quick Sort in depth for different cases. For Time Complexity, I found this book to be helpful. This is a common and hence, important topic. Can you make the worst case to O(N logN)? I explained different pivot selection strategies and how it impacts the time complexity. I explained Median of Medians algorithm. Professor asked me to do the derivation of the range of median from the algorithm. Further, professor asked me how can I push an algorithm to worst case without any information about the algorithm. To master this idea, go through these two resources: Worst Case of Quick Sort Median of Medians algorithm What is the base of log in the complexity notation? Can we change it? The log notation has base 2. Yes, the base can be changed. One standard example is 3 Way Partitioning Quick Sort . Frankly, speaking I did not mention the name but derived the concept on my own. Professor mentioned the name of the algorithm I derived. What is the best time complexity for Sorting? I explained Time Complexity Bound for comparison based sorting and for Non Comparison based Sorting Algorithms . Professor 1 asked to be demonstrate a rough proof on the backboard. It took me around 10 minutes to mathematically explain the concept. It was difficult so I would advise you to practice at home. Understanding and explaining on board is two different things. If we can get O(N), why don't we use it always? In this, we explained why Non Comparison based Sorting Algorithms can be used always. Can you sort a graph? I explained the concept of Topological Sort . One of the professors was not satisfied and was giving hints like: Flattening a graph Is it same as sorting a 2D matrix (adjacency matrix)? I asked but the professor did not seem to be satisfied. I am not sure the answer or research he was hinting towards. You were waiting outside for this interview. Can you apply this idea to improve the process? The professor wanted me to apply Topological Sort for this. The challenge was to model the problem. I designed the problem as a scheduling problem with relations related to expertise of professors and candidates. I explained a Dynamic Programming solution instead. Professor 2 Q. if i roll 2 dice, what is the probability to get the sum as 5. The possibilities are: Total number of cases are 36 so the probability will be 4/36 = 1/9. What is 2^14? I knew 2^10 = 1024 and 2^4 = 16 so, I gave a rough estimate of 16,000. Professors were quite impressed. This is an important simple problem. Following are sample powers of 2 for your reference: Power Value 2^0 1 2^1 2 2^5 32 2^8 256 2^10 1024 2^12 4096 2^20 10,48,576 How many lines of code you have written? I said over 30,000 lines of code easily. I write 1000 lines of code on average in a month and have worked for 2 years + considering my work at College. At office, have you deployed a buggy code? I explained how bugs can go unnoticed but whenever a bug needs to be fixed just before a release, we add a quick workaround patch. What is function pointer? I explained function pointer and one of the professors asked me to write a small code snippet on the board to explain the concept. Professor asked follow-up questions like: How to initialize Function Pointers? How to pass functions as arguments to other functions? What is scope resolution operator in C++? I got aware of this just a week before the interview so could give a brief idea. Professors were asking follow-up questions which were challenging and related to the support of this feature and problems that can arise from it. I showed this code example: Explore this topic of Scope Resolution :: in C++ . What is the diamond problem in OOP? I explained the problem. Professor asked if there is such a big problem, why does C++ allow it but Java does not. I gave the reason of the application targetting of the two language being different. There was a follow-up question if one can add a similar feature of blocking this in C++? and if possible, what is the process?. I had seen some C++ proposals on web while searching for errors so had a brief idea. Explore this topic of Diamond problem . Can you implement Quick Sort in the board? It took me 15 minutes to implement on the board. Professors were interupting in between and asking questions on the implementation and how can I ensure it works correctly. Professor 3 and 4 started their turn together. Q. name a subject other than algorithms and ml in which you are confident.. I said "Operating System". I would suggest to practice 3 to 4 subjects but mention only 2 subjects at the beginning. Can you name some scheduling algorithms. I named multiple scheduling algorithms. Professors gave different scenarios and asked which scheduling algorithm will be best. Go through this resource to understand different scheduling algorithms. Is SJF algorithm the most optimal? Prove it on board. This took 15 minutes but I proved successfully. I have not seen the proof before. Go through this proof SJF algorithm the most optimal and stay prepared. What is cache coherence? I explained the concept. Professor asked how can we use the information of cache coherence to optimize a program. I explained even though I had not analyzed this before. In C++, can you force a variable to be stored in L2 cache? I had no idea of this so that to skip this. This created a negative impression as I had mentioned previously in the interview that I had worked on optimizations related to cache. Which operating system do you work on? I said, Ubuntu and RHEL. I explained further why I use 2 operating systems at work (mainly for testing). What is the command to check memory usage by different users? I gave this command: Professor asked me to explain each part of the command. They asked for alternatives . Explain watch command in Linux. I said I am not aware of it. The professors gave hint of where it can be used and asked me to predict the interface of the command. This question did not go well. Go through this article on watch command so you can answer it. What models have you used in ML/ Deep Learning? I explained different applications I have worked on like Object Detection and Image Recognition and the models I have used like InceptionV3 . You mentioned Backpropagation. Can you explain the concept. I explained the concept of Backpropagation . In ML, how different models like GoogleNet are designed? I was not sure about this. I proposed an experimental approach using which models can be designed and improved incrementally. How datasets like COCO dataset are prepared? I explained the process. I had prepared a dataset for my B.Tech thesis so this was relatively easy. There were many follow-up questions which I asked to the best of my ability. Explore How a ML Dataset is designed? Why you want to pursue PhD? I explained my interest towards research and mentioned some examples of independent research I have conducted. I mentioned the research works of some of IIT, Delhi's professors and gave brief idea of how I can take it forward. Have you found anything innovative before? Yes. I along with my co-workers have filled for patent but I cannot disclose unless the work is publically available. Explain an unsolved problem you have worked on. I explained the unsolved algorithmic problem named " Dynamic Optimality Conjecture ". This was the end of the interview. I thanked the professors for their time and left. Later that week, the list of selected students was annouced and I was one of them. Graduate Campus Hiring Program 2024-25 Application details. Registrations for the program start from 3 rd July, 2024. Last date to apply is 14 th July, 2024 Candidates graduating in 2026 with a non-engineering Bachelors degree Bengaluru, Hyderabad The Graduate Campus Hiring Program provides a distinguished opportunity to begin career in the financial industry. It provides a platform to discover, engage and recruit top talent from graduate (non-engineering) campuses across India, while shaping the careers of young professionals through innovation and excellence. 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Controllers Global Compliance Human Capital Management Investment Banking Advertisement Supported by Heritage Foundation Head Refers to ‘Second American Revolution’ Kevin Roberts, president of the group that has coordinated the Project 2025 policy plan, said it could be “bloodless if the left allows it to be.” Share full article By Maggie Astor The president of the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank that has developed a prominent series of policy plans to overhaul the federal government under a Republican president, said on Tuesday that the country was “in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” The group’s president, Kevin D. Roberts, made the comments in an interview on “The War Room,” the Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon’s show on the network Real America’s Voice. (Mr. Bannon himself did not host the show on Tuesday, because he reported to prison the day before to serve a sentence for contempt of Congress.) Mr. Roberts was discussing the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday that presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for what they do in office, a ruling that upended the criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and that removes a potential barrier to the most radical elements of his second-term agenda if he is elected again. “We ought to be really encouraged by what happened yesterday, and in spite of all of the injustice — which of course friends and audience of this show, of our friend Steve, know — we are going to prevail,” Mr. Roberts said, alluding to Mr. Bannon’s imprisonment. He went on to say that “the radical left” was “apoplectic” because “our side is winning” and said, “And so I come full circle in this response and just want to encourage you with some substance that we are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” “Right on. Thank you, brother,” the interviewer, former Representative Dave Brat of Virginia, replied. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber?  Log in . Want all of The Times?  Subscribe . Get the Reddit app This subreddit is for anyone who is going through the process of getting into graduate school, and for those who've been there and have advice to give. Got NO interviews on CS PhD field I am really confused that I have not gotten the interview requests even though somebody already got the requests. It means that I did not enter into the first priority students, didnt it? 263 COMMENTS Overly Detailed Interview Experience Overly Detailed Interview Experience - CS PhD. Finished up my first interview with a CS professor for my PhD application, and thought I would share my experience for others who are interviewing this cycle (I'd also love advice if people are willing to share their thoughts!!) I got the invite January 6. The professor emailed me personally asking ... phd There really is no "typical" interview protocol for CS PhD positions. The kinds of questions asked will mostly depend on the qualities and skills that the PI deems relevant for the position. If the work requires specialized technical knowledge, it's possible that the PI will try to test this knowledge, and programming tasks are a valid way of ... PhD Interview Questions and Answers Be honest about the things you find challenging, but identify them as training needs and discuss how you expect to improve upon them as part of your PhD. Do answer: I feel that I'm a good written communicator. My existing academic and professional work demonstrates an ability to put forward ideas clearly and concisely. The PhD Interview Depending on the format for your PhD interview it could involve: A formal question and answer session in front of a postgraduate recruitment panel. A presentation, based on your research proposal or area of expertise. A one-to-one discussion with your prospective supervisor. CS PhD Interviews? : r/gradadmissions Yes CS PhD interviews get interviews. In a different subarea, but I got 10 interviews for 7 PhD programs last year. I think the interview is department/professor specific. When I applied for ML PhD programs, I got interviews at Stanford, UCB, Caltech, Oxford and Cambridge. I was also accepted without an interview at CMU. CS PhD Admissions: Status, Interviews, and Results CS PhD Admissions: Status, Interviews, and Results . Computer Sciences Would love to get an idea of: - School you applied to - Area you applied to - Result I applied to 13 schools and have had interviews from 4 of them. Not sure what's up with the others, I didn't get an interview from CMU, Berkeley or any of my back-up schools. How to get into the Stanford Computer Science PhD program TL;DR. If you apply to the most competitive CS PhD's in AI (Stanford, Berkeley, MIT), and you're not from a super well-recognized school with good LORs, you need a 1st author top conference ... PhD Interview Questions and Answers (13 Questions + Answers) Most PhD applications include an interview. This allows your university (and perhaps even your prospective supervisor) to discuss the PhD with you in more detail. This article lists some of the most common PhD interview questions along with their answers. The goal is to help you prepare for a PhD interview and pass with flying colors. Reflections on my CS PhD Application Process The Interview. Now that you submitted all the applications, and interviews start to come in. My general suggestion for preparing for an interview is to keep things simple. First, there are only 30 minutes. Your priority, as a student, is to make the most out of this 30 minutes. Computer Science Graduate Job and Interview Guide In 2005 Purdue got 380 applicants for 3 job spots in CS and held 14 interviews. In programming languages alone they got 20 applicants and held 6-7 interviews for one spot. In 2005 Virginia got 457 applicants for 4 faculty positions. Read the CRA Taulbee survey. Many people will tell you that if all else fails, use rankings to break ties. Interviews and Visits PhD Computer Science Interview Prep. and inquiry By Mr.PhD, January 23 computer sciene; ph.d (and 2 more) Tagged with: computer sciene; ph.d; interview; phd interview; 0 ... Samford University- SLP Graduate School Interview By bradpitt, February 2, 2021. 2 replies; 3.4k views; Speech Path Student; January 17; Top 10 Common PhD Interview Questions and Answers A Ph.D. interview could range from an informal meeting with a potential adviser to interviewing with a formal panel. However, all Ph.D. interviews will include questions that concern your academic achievements, field of research, motivation for applying and goals. Here are 10 questions you may encounter in a Ph.D. interview with example answers: 1. PhD Interview Questions A lot of PhD applicants have asked for my PhD interview advice. During the PhD grad school admissions process, what kinds of questions are asked, and what ki... PhD Admissions The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. Eligibility. To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet: Degree level ... Computer Science PhD Interview : r/gradadmissions I recently received an email about meeting/interviewing with a faculty at a computer science PhD program. Do computer science PhD programs normally do interviews? Any suggestions on how to prepare? Also is this somewhat early as I have been told most computer science PhD programs don't accept/reject/interview till around February/April. How to prepare for a Ph.D interview? In our computer science department at IIT Delhi, typically 500 candidates apply for Ph.D admission. ... Based on some shortlisting criteria, we interview 100-200 candidates, and typically 5-10 candidates are ultimately selected. I believe that if there is a better flow of information, we can make the acceptance ratio slightly better, and ... Computer science graduate phd Interview Questions March 1, 2021. Finding the distinctive number of subsequences in a longer string that equals a smaller string. PhD Student, Computer Science was asked... April 2, 2024. What I think would be most difficult about a PhD. Interviews. computer science graduate phd. 1. Viewing 1 - 10 of 10 interview questions. Best Phd Program Interview Question Generator Generate tailored and challenging interview questions for PhD program candidates with our PhD program interview question generator. Perfect for fields like Computer Science, Biology, and more. Start preparing for your interview now! Churchill Mock Interview Our Fellows and students show what you could expect from a Computer Science interview at Churchill College, the University of Cambridge. However, it should b... PhD Interview Questions in Computer Science? : r/GradSchool I had two interviews. The first one was for research with a guy who had a theoretical computer science background, and he really grilled me. The second was for a graph theory guy, and he knew I wouldn't have a background in the specific area and didn't really ask me anything technical. I'd say be at least competent with the basics: data ... IIT Delhi PhD Interview Experience Overall, Interview took over 1.5 hour and was very intense to face in person. Thankfully, I am selected for PhD at IIT, Delhi in Computer Science. I went for full-time role. There were around 100 candidates and there were 5 panels of professors. Out of the 100 candidates, 9 were for part-time role. In the panel assigned to me, there were 4 ... 'We have never been here as a country': Historian Heather Cox ... Christiane Amanpour speaks to author and historian Heather Cox Richardson about the challenges facing American democracy in this election year. Graduate Campus Hiring Program 2024-25 The Graduate Campus Hiring Program provides a distinguished opportunity to begin career in the financial industry. It provides a platform to discover, engage and recruit top talent from graduate (non-engineering) campuses across India, while shaping the careers of young professionals through innovation and excellence. ... Interviews: 30-Jul ... CS PhD Interview Wᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀ/SGExᴀᴍs - the largest community on reddit discussing education and student life in Singapore! SGExams is also more than a subreddit - we're a registered nonprofit that organises initiatives supporting students' academics, career guidance, mental health and holistic development, such as webinars and mentorship programmes. Heritage Foundation Head Refers to 'Second American Revolution' The group's president, Kevin D. Roberts, made the comments in an interview on "The War Room," the Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon's show on the network Real America's Voice. (Mr. (Mr. Got NO interviews on CS PhD field : r/gradadmissions Then for remaining 20% that make it to the second round, we try to narrow it down to the 5-10% that we want to admit. Of these, some applicants are a definite admit and we don't need to interview them (there are very few of these -- maybe like 15-20 out of 1200 per year). We will call them later to recruit them. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis