Anonymous?

To everyone who is applying or has applied, do you plan to/did you interview?
How did it go? Was it laid back? What sort of questions were you asked?

I don't want to injure my chances by not interviewing, but I've never interviewed and I don't want to hurt my chances BY interviewing and doing a poor job. I get nervous under pressure when I'm put on the spot... and I don't know how great I'll be at talking about myself...


Tips? Suggestions? Should I/Should I not interview?

If you go to Hamilton, do you know if most of the kids there interviewed? Did you? If you didn't get accepted, do you think your interview played a factor in your rejection?


Can I hurt my chances by having an "awkward" interview. I did a mock interview once with a Lesley college (not selective) rep, and he said I did a great job... but he kept it really laid back and asked easy questions, so I don't think it was a very representative college interview.

vossron

Hamilton's Common Data Set section C7 says interview is important.

In general, get as much practice as you can, starting with your least favorite schools.

Anonymous?

thanks.... has anyone done a hamilton interview?

blondie08

Hamilton was actually the first school I interviewed at. I visited second semester of my junior year and my mom and I realized I could interview then (most schools you need to wait until senior year), and so literally that morning we managed to get me an interview for the afternoon.

I don't remember much from the interview, but that is probably a good thing. Some others schools asked me some weird questions (Describe yourself in one word; If you were a kitchen gadget what gadget would you be) and Hamilton was pretty basic. Describe your high school, why do you want to come here, what extra-curricular activities do you do, talk about your family, what do you do in the summer. For me, it was a lot of questions you'd expect, and no real curveballs. At least in my experience, they tried to keep it really laid back and comfortable. Most kids are nervous and they don't want to freak you out anymore, they want to know who the real person is.

People do get in without interviewing, but it is pretty strongly recommended and I think that if it came down to you and an extremely similar candidate, it would probably be something they think about. Good luck!

And btw, I applied ED and got in.

bestwhit

My Hamilton interview occurred months before I realized I had an interview with them. My high school holds a College Fair every October and each year a whole bunch of schools come to visit and talk with the students about their specific university or college. I specifically went to only the schools to which I was planning on applying, which includes Hamilton. I had a great conversation about Hamilton and my interest in possibly attending because of my visit and the many reasons why I think it's a great fit for me, etc etc. We schmoozed, basically. The conversation was wonderful and I left my Hamilton rep's table thinking I impressed him enough that maybe he'll remember me come winter/spring when the regular applications were being read.

When I came back in April as an accepted student, I ran into the same admissions officer at the admissions building who just came out of a meeting with parents, including mine. My parents came up to me gushing about how the rep remembered me and loved my interview or something along those lines... and I was like, what?! Yeah, my parents told me that the simple little conversation I had in October was actually my interview. And you know what? I'm pretty sure it helped a bit in my acceptance. And now I'll be attending this fall.