The Thread for College Interviews - Page 11

confused_student · 01-22-2007, 01:33 AM

So I might do my first and only interview, and have it be at Vanderbilt...but I'm scared of doing interviews.

Do you think I should?

Northstarmom · 01-22-2007, 04:01 AM

Yes. Do some practice interviews with your parents or with adults who are mentors.

It's important to learn how to do interviews. You'll have to do them to get jobs, to get into graduate or professional school and to obtain other opportunities. The more experience you get with them, the better you'll be.

Interviewing for colleges also shows interest and can help you get acceptances and merit scholarships.

Check this thread, elsewhere on the CC archives and other Internet sites for tips about how best to prepare for college interviews.

jym626 · 01-22-2007, 06:42 AM

Confused-
Vandy doesn't offer on campus interviews.

fhimas88888888 · 01-22-2007, 09:56 AM

Futurenyustudent -

I just interviewed for Wesleyan - really fun and easy in fact. We just talked about educational policy, the philosophy of competition, and a little about me. Just a very interesting person to talk to... albeit my guess is at Wes most everyone is really liberal... which isn't a bad thing, but political diversity is always a good thing.

Mia Wallace · 01-26-2007, 06:13 PM

What do you wear to an interview at someone's house? My interviewer is a 20-something year old, female alumni, so I'm assuming that she'll be casually-dressed.

singinsweetie2290 · 01-31-2007, 05:13 PM

i have an interview for harvard this friday...anybody care to share any experiences/thoughts/questions you remember about your harvard interview?

jskpswimn · 02-05-2007, 01:23 AM

Anymore details on Johns Hopkins interviews?

pigmitten · 02-09-2007, 06:26 AM

I've done a Harvard and a Northwestern interview, thus far.

Northwestern said outright that the interview meant less than recommendation letters do, but I still think it helps to have a good interview.

I guess just sort of get a feel for the person you're talking to? With both interviewers I felt comfortable enough to joke a bit (tasteful joking, not the kind that sends them into uproarious laughter but the kind that warrants a genuine giggle or two). I think the best advice is to be truthful...don't try too hard or anything. I had "Science Camp Counselor" down on my resume, both people asked about it, and for both I simply said, "well, it was sixth grade science camp, so the sciencey part of it was limited to small activities like hiking and some scientific nomenclature for plants. a lot of it was just fun activities for the kids, and my job as a counselor was to blah blah blah."
Don't try and play small things like science camp up as like, "well we went into the physics of it, and I calculated the velocity of..." because these people are actually human and they can usually tell when you're lying, or when something sounds fishy.

Everyone I've interviewed with has been incredibly laid back and "chill", so I think there's more stigma around the interview than there needs to be.
My UPENN interview is on Saturday--I've already talked to the guy on the phone and he seems very laid back...one of my friends who already interviewed said that the guy said, first thing, "Yeah this is less of an interview and more just me making sure you're not a crazy person..."

So...just act normal!

advantagious · 02-11-2007, 12:53 AM

My interviews...all laid back, all went well, but each with a different personality

Yale: Scary for a first interview! It was at the women's house, and we just had a great conversation for an hour and a half. I guess she asked me a few questions, but I don't know that I really answered them or that it even mattered. Lots of fun...probably my fav. interview.

Carleton: Sweet, but less outgoing interviewer. At a coffee shop (and yes, she offered me a drink and I accepted. It's really not that big of a deal...plus I like having something to do with my hands and having a drink makes it seem more natural to me). Basically all me asking questions, which was a little tough because at a certain point I was reaching a bit for stuff to say. Covered what I wanted to cover, and she repeatedly said how good of a fit I seemed to be for Carleton. Again, about an hour and a half.

Brown: Most normal of all the interviewers. Was at a tony private school downtown and was only about a half an hour, because of all the people they had to interview (kind of sucked because it takes an hour to drive and park downtown and it has been freeeeezing here the past week, so the two block walk to the school wasn't so nice). She asked me a good amount of questions (Why Brown?, etc. nothing too tough) and was pleased with me and my answers, I think. A lot of talking and information for only a half an hour.

Princeton: Good, though most unique of all my interviews. Was after school at the woman's office, and I think that I wasn't quite in top form as far as eloquence goes, just because I was kind of tired. I spent a decent amount of time talking about my parents, who are both Princeton grads. I felt like the burden was on me in this interview to prove that I wasn't just applying because Mommy and Daddy said to (especially since I didn't do ED), and she did indeed ask me, kindly, if my parents were pressuring me about Princeton. I answered truthfully--that my parents think that Princeton is great, but do not think that it is not the only great place or the only place where you/I can get a great education. She seemed to believe me. I also talked quite a bit about academics, including all of the AP courses that I had taken/was taking. The best parts of the interview were when I was talking about my parents (I like to tell stories) and at the end, when she asked me what I would like to convey to the admissions committee about myself (that I am a passionate learner who will come to Princeton and be engaged in class--you would know that I was there!).

I guess my general advice about interviews is that mostly it's just normal people who probably enjoy talking to young adults. Yeah, I am sure that there are some weirdos (I read the interview horror stories), but assume that your interviewer just wants to get to know you. At the same time, it's your time to prove yourself--to prove that you can carry a conversation, that you are more than a standardized test machine/academic grind, and that you are honestly interested in X college. Especially at the most selective places, you NEED to show them that Mommy, or your best friend Johnny, or the USNWR rankings did not just tell you to apply and so you did. It seems like common sense, but while I was in my Brown interview, my dad was sitting in the waiting room with some ancient alum that they had to talk to the parents/kids while they were waiting. This guy asked one of the kids why he was applying to Brown, and the kid say "Uhhh, because my guidance counselor said to". If you can prove to them through your app and your interview that you have actual, good reasons to apply to the school, you will stand out.

zel17 · 02-11-2007, 06:58 PM

okay, now have had 2 interviews...
Hamilton--student intern--nice girl; we chatted for ~45 min about my activities, the school environment, what i liked about the school, how college is different from hs, etc...pretty standard...(on campus)

princeton--alumnus, at his house in my hometown--oh, how i love thee...wow...princeton was in my top 3 beforehand, but now it's pretty much #1...he asked a lot about my activities and leadership, and we chatted about the town we live in, and about how our high school had changed (he went to the same one i do!), etc...but then he let me direct the conversation which was awesome, and we talked about how princeton defies the typical Ivy stereotype, and that financial aid can sometimes be "tweaked"...b/c $ is a big concern for me with possibly going there...and we talked about balancing working w/ school and that it's incredibly common at P...all in all, a great interview...hour and a half(!) of just talking, and one of the more intellectual chats i've had recently...great experience!

qzong8p3 · 02-14-2007, 04:36 AM

quote Suman:"UPenn - not so hot...held at Starbucks..this guy was given a list of questions and basically asked all of them and wrote down every single answer...some questions were so weird and harsh like why should we accept u...they asked me that directly...so i was caught offhand but i worked my way through..."

Yeah, I had a very similar interview with this guy at starbucks. He asked me to restate the motto of Penn (which I answered perfectly, although I was told no interviewer in the WORLD would ask for school motto). He also had a long list of questions asking interesting questions and basically putting me ON the spot with EVERY single question.

Carina · 02-14-2007, 01:08 PM

Guys, does anyone have a clue about when top universities (Harvard, Yale...) usually start contacting international students for interviews? I'm kinda getting cold feet here...

Thanks!

jai6638 · 02-14-2007, 01:09 PM

Did my Yale interview 2-3 weeks ago.. I think Feb 15th was the last day for scheduling interviews.. I'm not 100% positive though

BrookeC · 02-17-2007, 09:54 PM

Has anyone had an interview with Duke yet? I turned in my app by the deadline, and they never contacted me, so I filled out a request form on the website, and still nothing.

Silver_and_Jade · 02-20-2007, 12:32 PM

Tomorrow I have an interview, not for a college, but for a summer program. They said that "The interview is part of the admissions process and also a chance for you to ask questions," so in my mind, this sounds a lot like what a college interview would be, right? I'm meeting her at a local Starbucks and since it is right after school, I would most likely have to wear my school uniform to the interview. So what kind of questions can I expect to be asked? Do you think that it will basically be like a college interview or different? I've never done anything like this before. I think that it will be good practice for the college admissions process but I'm still really nervous. Any tips?