Interview Conference Weekend

Other colleges have “college days” scheduled after admissions decisions are made. We do not. We work differently in that we offer you the chance to visit us before admissions and funding decisions are made. While here, candidates complete their interviews in person and participate in a variety of activities designed to help candidates assess if the Bush School is right for them. During ICW, candidates:

• Explore the Texas A&M and Bush School campuses
• Connect with your future professors face-to-face during interviews
• Ask former and current students questions via Q&A Panel Discussions
• Meet with other candidates and future classmates
• Discover the services offered by our Student Support and Career Services staff, including leadership development, writing skills, resume writing, and more!
• Learn how to get involved with our many different student organizations

Year after year, students tell us that their experience while attending ICW is what sealed the deal in accepting their Bush School offer. Whether it was the enthusiasm of their future classmates or passion of our faculty, candidates felt deeply that this is the place that would support and expand their educational and career goals. You do not want to miss this opportunity if possible! Watch to learn more!

Invitations to interview are emailed to candidates starting in late January (after the application deadline and the Admissions Committees have met) up to the week prior to ICW. Those invited to interview register to complete their interviews during ICW or via Zoom at another time in February.

If we decide to accept late applications, qualified applicants will be contacted to interview on a rolling basis.

While candidates are responsible for their lodging and travel expenses to and from the conference, we reimburse between 25-33% of incurred travel expenses to those who travel over 80 miles roundtrip (receipts are required; ~$300 reimbursement max). Candidates can also save money by staying with a current student or sharing a hotel room with another candidate.

Dinner is provided Friday evening. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on Saturday. Meals are NOT reimbursed at your hotel or during travel.

Dress to impress! Dress is business professional but be comfortable in what you wear all day. Feel free to bring comfortable shoes to wear most of the day with dressier shoes to change into before your interviews.

An agenda will be sent to all candidates who have registered to attend ICW about a week before ICW, which typically starts on Friday afternoon at about 3 PM (Central Time) and ends on Saturday night between 6-7 PM (Central Time).

Candidates will receive a personalized schedule upon checking in at ICW on Friday containing the names of the two faculty or staff members they are interviewing with and times for each interview. Once candidates know their faculty interviewer(s), they can review their online bios here:

• MPSA Faculty Directory
• MIA Faculty Directory

Each interview will last about 15 minutes and are designed for us to get a better feel for a candidates’ fit and personality. While we cannot provide specific questions that will be asked, interviewers may ask candidates follow-up questions about the candidates personal statement or resume, elaborate on their goals and interests in the field, explain how they work with others and/or in challenging situations, and more. We expect candidates to have a question or two for us as well.

We invite between 160-185 candidates to each ICW (double our intended class size). However, between 60-120 candidates attend ICW. Those unable to attend ICW (either due to scheduling conflicts or live in another country) will be scheduled to complete their interviews at another time via Zoom.

We offer admission to over two-thirds of the candidates we interview. We know candidates are applying to multiple schools, so we over-admit knowing some will decline offers of admission. We also create a robust waitlist of candidates to offer admission should we fall short of enrollment goals.

Admissions and funding decisions (if admitted) will be emailed to candidates in mid-March, no later than March 15.