Yep, it's that dreaded question. I've got a PhD interview coming up in the next couple of weeks, and I'm sorry to start another Interview topic after some of the excellent ones already made... But this question scares the Bejeezus out of me!

What kind of things should you focus on? My social interests? My academic interests? I'd wager I should talk about my academic interests, what got me into what I'm interested in and why I want to continue studying it... But I'm not sure :s

i would go for academic interests and what has driven you to want to do a PhD, why that topic area etc.

Get some bullet points written down and then pause as if you really have to tink about it and then come up with some hardhitting intersting points about yourself. Seriously, you can have cross over with social and academic interests, such as any professional memberships you have joined or clubs at uni that maybe associated by your interest and work experience and how you envisage your future (post PhD), easy really

Hm that sounds interesting... I like the bit about pretending to think XD