I applied online. I interviewed at Rutgers University (Newark, NJ) in Jan 2013
Interview
It was a Skype interview conducted by a faculty member. It was succinct, with very pointed questions, and not many pleasantries. The questions were mostly about reseach interest and intention rather than personality or other facets of one's character.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Research experience, familiarity with the institute/program, future plans
