The short answer: graduate school interviews check three things: whether you’re a good fit for the program, whether you’re ready for graduate-level work, and whether your goals make sense. Expect “Tell me about yourself”, “Why this program?”, questions about your research or academic interests, your strengths and weaknesses as a student, your career goals, and a few behavioral questions. Prepare specific answers that connect your experience to the program, have your own questions ready, and practice out loud. Below are 40 common questions by theme, sample answers for the key ones, and how to prepare.
What interviewers are looking for
Tulane University’s Career Services puts it simply: interviewers assess “your answer,” “how well you can organize your thinking,” and “how well you express yourself.” In practice, for a graduate program, that means:
- Fit: do your interests match what the program and its faculty do?
- Readiness: can you handle the workload and independence of graduate study?
- Motivation: why this degree, why now, and where is it leading?
- Communication: can you explain your work clearly?
For research degrees, a faculty member may be judging whether they’d want to supervise you.
40 common grad school interview questions
These are adapted from Tulane University Career Services’ list of common graduate and professional school questions.
About you
- Tell me about yourself.
- What is your strongest personal asset?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a student?
- What would a professor or supervisor say about you?
- What do you do outside the classroom?
Your academic background
- Why did you choose your major?
- How has your undergraduate background prepared you for this program?
- Which courses have you enjoyed most, and which were hardest?
- Tell me about a research project you’ve completed.
- Does your academic record reflect your abilities? (Prepare this if your grades have a dip.)
- What skills and experiences have prepared you for graduate study?
Why this program
- Why do you want a graduate degree in this field?
- Why did you apply to our program?
- Which faculty members’ work interests you, and why?
- What other programs are you considering?
- How would you contribute to our program?
- Why should we choose you over other qualified applicants?
- What will you do if you aren’t accepted?
Goals
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
- How does this program fit your career goals?
- What has motivated you to pursue this field?
- What skills do you hope to strengthen through the program?
Challenges and weaknesses
- What challenges do you expect in graduate school?
- What is an area you need to improve?
- Tell me about a time you faced a difficult academic problem.
- Tell me about a mistake you made and how you handled it.
Behavioral
- Tell me about a major accomplishment.
- Tell me about a time you showed initiative.
- Tell me about a group project and how you contributed.
- Tell me about a time you took a leadership role.
- How do you handle stress?
- Tell me about a time you had several deadlines at once.
- Tell me about a conflict with a classmate or coworker.
Your field
- What are the major trends in your field right now?
- What’s the most important development in your field in recent years?
- What problem in the world would you most like to work on?
- What have you read recently that influenced your thinking?
Research programs
- What research question would you like to pursue?
- What methods have you used, and what would you like to learn?
- How do you handle setbacks in research?
Sample answers for the key questions
Examples are illustrations, not quotes from real applicants. Use your own background.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“I’m finishing a degree in biology at State University, where I’ve spent the last two years in Dr. Lee’s lab studying how soil bacteria respond to drought. I designed a small experiment on water retention, which I presented at our undergraduate research conference. That work is why I’m applying to your ecology program: I want to study microbial communities at a larger scale, and your field station makes that possible.” See our guide to tell me about yourself.
“Why our program?”
Name specifics: faculty whose work matches yours, a lab, a resource, a curriculum feature, where alumni go. “Professor Garcia’s work on urban heat islands is exactly the area I want to study, and your program’s partnership with the city gives students access to real sensor data. I also liked that first-year students rotate through two labs before choosing one.” See why do you want to work here for the same approach.
“What are your research interests?”
State your interest clearly, show what you’ve already done, and show you’re open. “I’m interested in how early reading interventions affect bilingual children. In my senior thesis I compared two small programs in local schools. I’d like to build on that with a larger study, and I’m open to how that takes shape with an advisor.”
“What are your strengths and weaknesses as a student?”
Pick a real strength with proof and a real weakness with what you’re doing about it. See our guide to weaknesses.
“What are your career goals?”
Be specific enough to show direction, and connect it to the program: “I want to work in public health policy, ideally in a state health department, and this program’s policy track and practicum are the most direct route there.”
Questions to ask the interviewers
Tulane’s list includes questions like these:
- What distinguishes this program from others in the field?
- How long does it typically take to complete the program?
- Where are recent alumni working?
- What funding, assistantships or fellowships are available, and how are they awarded?
- What research are current students doing?
- What is the timeline for admission decisions?
More in our guide to questions to ask the interviewer.
How to prepare
- Know the program: faculty, research areas, curriculum, outcomes.
- Know your own story: your academic path, your research, and why this degree now.
- Prepare three or four stories you can use for behavioral questions, with the STAR method.
- Practice out loud, ideally in a mock interview.
- Send a thank-you email within a day. See our thank-you email templates.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are asked in a grad school interview?
How do I prepare for a graduate school interview?
How do I answer "Why do you want to attend our program?"
What do grad school interviewers look for?
Should I send a thank-you email after a grad school interview?
Sources
- Tulane University Career Services, Common Graduate & Professional School Interview Questions. Read on 30 September 2026.
