I applied in-person. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) in Dec 2014
Interview
They ll try and get to know a person through coursework or through free research contribution. If its through course work show your A grades. If through, research contribution work as if you are getting paid.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is your work experience? Fields interested (There should be good overlap with what the professor is working on currently)