<p>This is like deja vu. I haven’t been visiting this forum in a long time…
But when you’re asked to do interviews because there is apparently a record-breaking number of apps this year, you sort of take the bait. Northstarmom: It’s nice to see you still posting here! I figured most posters I’d recognize have long drifted away from this forum. To think I was an applicant myself several years ago (chuckle, chuckle) and posted a bit obsessively on this site…</p>
<p>My advice for everyone: just relax. The following may sound cliched, but it’s nonetheless true. Seriously, there are lots of things to stress about in life, and while college decisions are important, getting a rejection here and there is not the end of the world. Being prepared and accepting occasional failure is a normal part of life. In a few years, you’ll be up to bigger and better things regardless. </p>
<p>AfrikaanDreamer: Are you sure your interviewer is an '09er and a lawyer? That’s basically impossible, since law school is 3 years on top of undergrad; perhaps he is at the law firm in a different capacity? Or do you mean he just graduated from law school? In any case, good luck!</p>
<p>To the rest: I hope I’ll get to interview one of you!</p>
<p>P.S. I’ll try to post on the forum again and answer some general questions, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not send me unsolicited PMs. I likely won’t have time to read them, and I don’t want any of you to think that I don’t want to help. I simply don’t want to promise anything (e.g. say I’ll read an essay and and not have time to follow through).</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant he graduated from Harvard law school in '09. He graduated from the college in '06.
My interview went extremely well. He was very easy to talk to, and I remembered my questions (I decided not to bring the list ).</p>
<p>My interview went much better than expected. The guy was super informal and turns out we both had a few unique things in common, so that was great. But, towards the beginning of the interview he told me that Harvard contacted him directly saying that they wanted him to get an interview with me as soon as he possibly could, and he said they had never done that before to him.</p>
<p>Hi I have an interview tomorrow at the interviewer’s house. the only other interview i had before was a yale one and i dont know if i did too well. can i get advice other than “relax”? Also, I should dress up right? to what extent? I dressed in tie,shirt, blazer, and khaki pants for the yale one. should it be similar? thanks.</p>
<p>My interviewer just called today, and asked me to bring my SAT scores/transcripts along but I don’t have my transcript, and wont be able to get one in time for the interview(tomorrow)… am i worrying too much? does it really matter?</p>
<p>millancad - I did see that post beforehand; however, I did not know if I would be considered a priority applicant as well? If my interviewer said something like that, does it mean I am a priority applicant? Before this, I didn’t even know there was such thing!</p>
<p>bisanch: Try to look professional, but appropriate for the occasion. Honestly, there’s no single “correct” dress code, since every interviewer will react differently. Personally, I could care less, as long as you not dressed like a slob for no apparent reason. I figure older alum may react differently than younger alum. Do consider the venue of the interview; if you’re meeting your interviewer on a Saturday afternoon at the local cafe, you’ll look ridiculous in a tux and perhaps a full suit and tie might even be a bit much. If you’re meeting them at their workplace–esp. if it’s a major firm like Goldman Sachs or a law firm, then perhaps a suit might not be a bad idea. </p>
<p>Basically, dress appropriately for the venue. There’s of course some guess work involved, but I’d hesitate to say ‘always dress your best’; being overdressed can be uncomfortable as well. </p>
<p>Since it’s at the interviewer’s house, what you wore to your Yale interview should be fine. I’d say you might even be able to dress down a bit (maybe lose the blazer?) but I don’t think it really matters. </p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the advice. My brother and parents picked out a suit to wear. I’m pretty sure this is overkill, but would it have a negative effect on the interview? I’m not uncomfortable in the suit.</p>
<p>@bisanch: That sounds fine. As long as you’re comfortable. That’s the most important. Whatever you’re wearing shouldn’t distract you or anyone one around. </p>
<p>@Code H. LOL. Are you sure you want to wear Chucks? Not because I think they’re inappropriate for the interview, but because it’s freezing. I nearly got frostbite wearing a pair at the 08 H-Y game. At least we won. Yuck Fale.</p>
<p>As long as you aren’t completely unkempt (such as wearing very wrinkled or dirty clothes) or aren’t wearing something offensive (such as a shirt with a racist, sexist or vulgar slogan/graphic), the interviewer will care far more about what comes out of your mouth than what is on your back. </p>
<p>In general, if you’re interviewing at a formal location like a law office or the Harvard club of New York, wearing belted slacks, a buttoned shirt and perhaps a jacket and tie would be appropriate for guys. The female equivalent of that level of formality would be appropriate for women.</p>
<p>Otherwise, something like belted slacks and a polo shirt or sweater would be appropriate.</p>
<p>Actually, if it’s at the Harvard Club in Boston or NY, you <i>have</i> to wear a button-down shirt, slacks and shoes. It’s club dress code for everyone; theoretically the club can refuse to let you in. I haven’t seen that happen, and from what I can tell, they can be rather lax about the rules. Nonetheless, since most people inside will be in a suit, you’d feel very awkward and out of place even if no one said anything. You’d feel like I did that one time I foolishly decided to wear a tail-coat/tux to a black-tie event. Everyone was in a suit and tie. Bad move.</p>
<p>My interview was great! We talked about my interest in philosophy and I got asked if there was a way to reconcile free will and destiny - hard question, but fun to answer.
Such a nice guy! If any of you are sweating the interviews, DON’T! It’s much easier when you’re relaxed… 100X better than my MIT interview.</p>
<p>my interviewer was a really cool guy, and the interview lasted 30 minutes. He interviewed a friend of mine right before me, and I saw her in the ten minute break he’d scheduled for himself, and she told me hers had gone well so that helped me relax. He told me that I should expect to get in, but I know better than to actually expect that, especially because his entire basis for saying that seemed to be my test scores. Overall probably not going to get me in, but definitely won’t hurt.</p>
<p>^^ My interviewer said that if they can send off your scores to the admission committee, it helps them out as sometimes normal SAT scores get delayed in being sent.</p>
<p>But you can report unofficial scores with the Harvard login page where you check your application status - seems more efficient to me than going through the interviewer. </p>
<p>Though of course - different strokes for different folks :)</p>
<p>I have an interview tomorrow at the Harvard Club of NY.
There is going to be two of them and only one of me!
Any tips as to how I should handle that?</p>
).</p>