Unlocking the Secrets of Successful College Interviews: How to Shine in Your Alumni Interview

The Role of Interviews in the Admissions Process

The role of interviews in the admissions process varies by institution, but generally, they serve as a valuable tool for both the college and the applicant to further assess fit and mutual interests. Interviews provide an opportunity for the admissions committee to get to know the applicant beyond the written application, offering insights into the student's personality, motivations, and suitability for the college's environment and culture. For applicants, interviews are a chance to express their enthusiasm for the institution, articulate their goals and how they align with what the college offers, and ask questions that demonstrate their interest and commitment to becoming an active part of the community.

The History of the Alumni Interview

The alumni interview process has its roots in the early 20th century when prestigious universities sought to personalize the admissions process and assess the character and fit of applicants beyond their academic records. This approach was partly influenced by the desire to maintain institutional traditions, values, and selectivity in a way that went beyond quantitative metrics like grades and test scores. As universities expanded and the number of applications grew, it became impractical for admissions staff to interview every applicant personally. Consequently, institutions began to leverage their alumni networks to conduct interviews, recognizing that alumni could offer valuable insights into the qualities that made students successful at their alma mater.

How are Alumni Selected to Interview Students?

Alumni are selected for interviews based on a combination of their availability, willingness to volunteer, and often their geographic proximity to the applicant. Additionally, many institutions seek alumni who have demonstrated engagement with the university through events, contributions, or previous volunteer activities, including those who have successfully conducted interviews in the past. The selection process also considers the diversity of the alumni pool, aiming to match applicants with interviewers who can provide varied perspectives on the college experience. Alumni interviewers are typically provided with training or guidelines by the institution to ensure they understand the goals of the interview process, maintain consistency, and uphold the values and standards of the university.

What are Alumni Looking to Get Out of Student Interviews?

Alumni choose to interview prospective students for a variety of reasons, driven by a combination of personal satisfaction, a desire to give back to their alma mater, and the opportunity to play a role in shaping the future of the institution. Many alumni view the interview process as a way to share their own positive experiences and insights about the college, helping applicants understand the unique opportunities and community they might join. Additionally, alumni often find joy in connecting with young people at a pivotal moment in their lives, offering guidance and support as they navigate the college admissions process.

Interviewing prospective students also allows alumni to stay engaged with their university, keeping them updated on developments and changes within the institution and ensuring a continuing connection to its evolving culture and values. Furthermore, participating in the interview process can be a rewarding way for alumni to contribute to the legacy of their alma mater, ensuring that the next generation of students is well-equipped to uphold and enrich the traditions and achievements of the college. Ultimately, the act of interviewing candidates reflects a commitment to the institution's future and a desire to help maintain its excellence by selecting students who will thrive and contribute positively to the campus community.

How Do Schools Decide Which Students Get Alumni Interviews?

• Availability of Alumni Volunteers: The number of available alumni interviewers in a given area impacts whether students receive interviews. Schools aim to match applicants with alumni based on geographic proximity, but in areas with fewer alumni volunteers, not all students may be offered an interview.
• Application Volume: High application volumes may limit the capacity to offer interviews to every applicant, leading schools to prioritize interviews based on logistical feasibility and sometimes the competitiveness of the application.
• Admissions Policy: Some institutions consider interviews a mandatory part of the application process, while others view them as optional or only offer them to candidates under certain conditions, such as for those applying to specific programs or scholarships.
• Timing of Application: Early decision or early action applicants might be prioritized for interviews due to the admissions timeline, with regular decision applicants interviewed as resources allow.
• Random Selection: In some cases, especially where demand exceeds the availability of interviewers, schools may randomly select which applicants are offered interviews.

If You Don’t Get an Interview, Have You Been Denied?

No. Not receiving an alumni interview does not mean you have been denied admission. Many colleges consider interviews as supplemental to the application process and not having one will not negatively impact your chances of admission. Admissions decisions are based on a comprehensive review of your entire application package.

Before the Interview: Preparation is Key

Congratulations! You’ve been selected for an alumni interview. Now, you need to prepare and prepare well. While the interview process varies in importance, being unprepared can be a reg flag to many interviewers, which can result in your application being hindered, or, in many cases, outright denied.

Conduct thorough Research on the College and your Program of Interest

• Visit the College's Official Website: Start with the college's official website to get accurate and up-to-date information. Focus on the program of interest, reviewing the curriculum, faculty qualifications, accreditation, and any special opportunities like internships, research projects, or study abroad programs.
• Explore Departmental Pages: Delve into the specific department's page for your program of interest. Look for details on course offerings, faculty research interests, lab facilities, and departmental resources.
• Connect with Current Students and Alumni: Reach out to current students and alumni through social media, college forums, or alumni networks to get firsthand insights into the student experience and outcomes after graduation. You can even ask them about their own interview experiences!
• Understand Career Outcomes: Investigate the program's career services, internship placements, job placement rates, and average starting salaries of graduates to gauge the program's effectiveness in preparing students for the job market.
• Evaluate Financial Aid and Scholarships: Look into the availability of financial aid, scholarships, and assistantships offered by the college and the program, understanding the criteria and application process. Asking an interviewer about financial aid usually elicits a very positive response, so it’s a good theme to prepare if you qualify.
• Analyze Campus Life: Research the campus culture, extracurricular activities, housing options, and support services to ensure they align with your preferences and needs.
• Consider Location and Community: Assess the college's location, community engagement opportunities, and the surrounding area, considering how these factors align with your personal and professional goals.

Review your Application and Essays to Align your Interview Responses

If your interview responses don't match the themes and information presented in your application, it might raise concerns about consistency, authenticity, or depth of reflection. Admissions officers use interviews to gain insights into your personality, motivations, and how you might fit into their community, so discrepancies can lead to questions about your sincerity or self-awareness. While minor variations are expected, as people grow and perspectives change, significant differences could potentially impact the overall strength of your application. It's essential to maintain a degree of consistency between your interview responses and your written application to build a coherent and convincing narrative about who you are and what you hope to achieve.

Before the Interview: Do Mock Interviews and Practice Drills

In theory, interviews are easy. In practice, engaging in a fluent conversation with a stranger can be quite hard, especially if you are not a naturally extroverted person. Practice drills can help you sound much more confident on the day.

• Identify Commonly Asked Questions: You can find commonly asked interview questions in a few different ways. Be sure to try and find the specific questions asked by interviewers for each university!
• College Websites and Admissions Blogs: Many colleges provide interview tips and sample questions on their admissions pages or blogs to help applicants prepare.
• College Prep Websites: Websites dedicated to college preparation, such as The College Board, Kaplan, and Princeton Review, often have sections on interview preparation, including lists of frequently asked questions.
• Career Centers and Guidance Counselors: High school career centers or guidance counselors might have resources or handouts with common interview questions and tips for answering them.
• Online Forums and Social Media: Platforms like Reddit, College Confidential, and education-focused Facebook groups can be sources of firsthand accounts from students who have gone through the interview process, sharing the questions they were asked.
• Alumni Networks: If you have connections to alumni from the colleges you're applying to, they can be valuable resources for understanding the interview process and the types of questions typically asked.

Draft Initial Responses You Might Give

Coming up with good interview answers involves reflecting on your experiences, strengths, and goals, and practicing articulate, thoughtful responses. Here’s how you can prepare:

• Reflect on Your Experiences: Reflect on your personal, academic, and extracurricular experiences to identify stories and examples that best illustrate your strengths, character, and achievements. Consider how these experiences have shaped your interests and goals.
• Develop Key Points: For each common question, develop key points you want to convey in your response. Ensure these points align with the themes in your application to maintain consistency. Remember, you should avoid talking about anyone except yourself.
• “Rule of Cool” Your Anecdotes: You want to be memorable, funny, and interesting. Tell stories that you find cool, and hope the interviewer shares your sense of humor. To be safe, avoid anything overly edgy or socially/politically charged, but aim for unique stories about yourself.
• Prepare Questions to Ask: Interviews are a two-way street, so prepare thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer about the college, program, campus life, or their own experiences. This shows your genuine interest and engagement.

Setting Up Mock Interviews

You should aim to do at least 3 full-length mock interviews before your real one.

• Identify Interviewers: Choose someone familiar with the college admission process or who has strong interview skills, such as a teacher, counselor, mentor, or family member. If possible, include someone with a background in education or someone who has conducted interviews. Your teachers will be surprisingly willing to help.
• Provide Background Information: Give your mock interviewer information about the college(s) you're applying to, the program of interest, and a copy of your application, including essays. This context will help them tailor their questions more closely to what you might encounter.
• Share Common Questions: Provide your interviewer with a list of commonly asked interview questions. Encourage them to ask both these and their questions to simulate the unpredictability of real interviews.
• Set a Formal Time and Place: Treat the mock interview as you would an actual interview. Dress appropriately, set a specific time and place, and conduct the interview in a quiet, distraction-free environment.
• Use Video Conferencing for a Realistic Experience: If your actual interviews will be conducted over video conferencing platforms, conduct your mock interviews the same way to familiarize yourself with the dynamics of online communication.
• Request Constructive Feedback: Ask your interviewer to provide feedback on both your answers and your demeanor, including body language, eye contact, and clarity of communication. Encourage honest and constructive criticism to help you improve.
• Record and Review: If possible, record your mock interview (with your mock interviewer's permission) to review your performance. This can help you become more aware of your body language, pacing, and use of fillers.

5 Critical Tips for the Alumni Interview

1. Talk About Your Personality, not Your Strengths: Your academic and extracurricular achievements are already in your common application. The alumni interview is a test to determine if those achievements are real or exaggerated. Your only job is to prove that you are a competent human being. Skip the resume repetition.
2. Don’t be Afraid of “I Don’t Know”: Alumni interviewers are very smart people. They know that not every high schooler can honestly answer every question. If you can provide strong responses to 80% of the conversation, leaving the remaining 20% as an open and honest “I don’t know” will refocus the conversation on your strengths.
3. Stay Flexible: While it’s important to prepare, stay flexible and open to where the conversation leads. The best interviews often feel like a natural dialogue rather than a rehearsed script. As tactical advice, do your practice interviews without any notes in front of you - it’ll help with the spontaneity.
4. Practice Active Listening: During the interview, practice active listening. Responding thoughtfully to what the interviewer is saying can lead to a more engaging and dynamic conversation. You should also be taking notes, during the practice interview and real interview alike.
5. Ask Good Questions: Linkedin stalk your interviewer (if you know their name) and ask questions related to their experiences from school and into their professional life. Try and find questions that connect their experience to yours - it’ll make the conversation flow more smoothly.

On Interview Day: Have A Checklist of Key Tasks

• Dress Appropriately to Make a Positive First Impression

Wear something nice, but not overly fancy. Aim for business formal as a default. However, if your interviewer works in a job that usually dresses more casually, you can dress down to business casual. Do not dress any more informally than that.

• Bring a Notebook and Pencil to Take Notes

Taking notes is part performative, part tactical. You are subtly demonstrating attention to detail and good study habits while also determining places the conversation might go. However, never let note-taking distract you from eye contact. Your face-to-face interactions matter most.

• Bring a Bottle of Water

Many interviews occur in coffee shops and your interviewer will often offer to buy the coffee. However, you should plan for the worst, and bring a bottle of water to avoid dehydration or coughs, which can weaken an interview performance.

• Arrive Early to Demonstrate Punctuality and Respect for the Interviewer's Time

Plan to arrive 10 minutes early. Be willing to wait if needed. If your interviewer is late, don’t be stressed: those delays will not impact your performance or scores in any way. On the other hand, if you are late, that can be a serious red flag.

• Relax and Be Yourself

Listen to music while you wait if that helps. You’ve prepared perfectly. You’ll be fine.

• Draft the Thank You Email Immediately After the Interview

You can use a basic template if you prefer, but draft the email and try to bring in a specific detail or two from your notes. Then, use the “delayed send” feature to have your thank you email hit the interviewer's inbox later in the day. This way, you always send the note on time.

Final Thoughts: Acing College Interviews

Acing college interviews is about showcasing your best self—your intellect, character, and enthusiasm for the college. Preparation is key: research the college thoroughly, understand your application inside and out, and practice responding to common interview questions. Use mock interviews to refine your responses and improve your confidence. During the interview, remember to be authentic and engage with the interviewer, showing genuine interest in the conversation and the college itself. Ask thoughtful questions that demonstrate your research and curiosity about the institution. Finally, follow up with a thank-you note to express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview. With careful preparation and a positive, authentic approach, you can leave a lasting impression that enhances your overall application and brings you one step closer to admission.