Interview Conference Weekend
Interview with our faculty and experience the Bush School firsthandInterview Conference Weekend (ICW) is a two-day event where invited Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA) applicants interview in person and take part in activities that help them decide whether the Bush School is the right fit. Invited applicants who cannot attend may interview online via Zoom.
Looking for your Program’s Visit Event?
Interview Conference Weekend is for MPSA applicants. If you applied to the MIA, see MIA Admitted Student Day. The MIP does not require an interview.
About Interview Conference Weekend (ICW)
Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20, 2027An application can only tell us so much about you, and a website can only tell you so much about us. That is why we invite our most promising MPSA applicants to interview with faculty and staff, so we can learn more about each other. Invited applicants, including those already offered admission, can interview in person at ICW or online via Zoom.
What to Expect
ICW is built to help you picture yourself here.Year after year, students tell us the time they spent at ICW is what sealed the deal, whether it was the enthusiasm of their future classmates or the passion of our faculty. If you are able to attend, it is an opportunity worth taking.
- Meet other candidates and future classmates
- Tour the Bush School
- Connect with future professors face-to-face during interviews
- Ask current and former students your questions during Q&A panels
- Learn about Student Support and Career Services
- Discover ways to get involved with student organizations
Who Is Invited
Invitations to interview are tied to the application round in which you apply. Deadlines for each round are listed on the MPSA admissions page.
Round One (priority funding)
Applicants who apply by the December deadline complete two interviews with faculty or staff to receive priority consideration for merit funding. You are encouraged to interview at ICW if possible.
Round Two
Applicants are encouraged to interview with two faculty or staff members at ICW, or via Zoom if needed.
Round Three
Applicants are invited to interview on a rolling basis via Zoom.
When invitations are sent
For Rounds One and Two, interview invitations are emailed from mid-January through early February, after the Admissions Committee has met. Round Three applicants are invited on a rolling basis. Each year we invite roughly 100 to 150 candidates, with 50 to 80 attending ICW in person. Anyone who cannot travel to College Station, whether due to a scheduling conflict or an international location, interviews via Zoom at another time.
Preparing for Your Interview
What are the interviews like? Two interviews of about 15 minutes each, focused on fit and personality.
You will complete two interviews, each lasting about 15 minutes, designed to get a feel for your fit and personality. We cannot share specific questions in advance, but interviewers may follow up on your personal statement or resume, ask you to expand on your goals and interests, find out how you work with others and in challenging situations, and how you have prepared for graduate school. Come with a question or two for us as well.
Who will I interview with? You receive a personalized schedule with your two interviewers at check-in.
Admissions staff match student interests to faculty/staff academic areas a few days before the event. Attendees then receive a personalized schedule at Friday check-in listing their interviewees and the time and location scheduled for each. To prepare, review faculty bios in the MPSA faculty directory.
What should I wear? Business professional, and comfortable enough for a full day.
Dress is business professional. It is a long day, so wear something you can be comfortable in throughout.
When will I receive the agenda? A full agenda arrives a week or two before the event.
A detailed agenda is sent to everyone who has RSVP’d about one to two weeks before ICW. Plan for an approximate start of 3 p.m. Central on Friday and a wrap-up by 6 or 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Cost & Travel
Attendees are responsible for their own lodging and travel, but we will provide a web page of hotel suggestions and other travel guidance. These include host hotels with locked-in rates and at least one hotel-to-school shuttle.
To help offset costs, the Bush School reimburses between 25% and 50% of travel expenses for applicants traveling more than 80 miles roundtrip, with receipts and/or mileage required. Meals are provided from Friday dinner through Saturday dinner. Meals taken at your hotel and while traveling are not reimbursed.
Invited applicants receive full registration, travel, and reimbursement details, including the required registration form, when they are invited.
After ICW
Admissions and funding decisions are communicated shortly after the event, usually by mid-March. For the full admissions timeline, see the MPSA admissions page.
Connect with Admissions
Bush School Graduate Admissions Office
Phone: (979) 862-3476
Email: bushschooladmissions@tamu.edu