How to ace the college alumni interview

It's that time of year again -- the time for college applications. For many competitive colleges
and universities, the admissions process includes an "alumni interview."
These schools get applicants from all corners of the country and the world, and some get as
many as 10 applicants for every spot in next fall's freshman class.
In today's world of the common application, as different as the essays and resumes may be,
many of the applications tend to look the same. The alumni interview can give admissions
officers "a face to an application and a story to the face."
The rates of acceptance are the same for candidates who have alumni interviews as they are
for ones who didn't; nevertheless, Admissions Offices say they are helpful.
Generally speaking, an applicant will meet with one, two or perhaps three local alumni. When
it's one on one, it might be in a public place, like a Panera or a Starbucks.
The process makes alumni feel involved and connected with their alma maters (and more
inclined to pony up for the Alumni Fund). Alumni interviewers also get a charge out of
meeting the young, vibrant applicants and hearing the exciting things they're doing and the
great plans they have, which is a pretty good segue into the first two tips on how to ace the
alumni interview:

Come prepared to tell about the exciting things you're doing and the great plans
you have.

Give the interviewers a reason to write to the admissions office, "Of the dozen
applicants we've interviewed, this is one of the outstanding candidates. He or she will
contribute a), b), and c) to _________."

As in any interview, it's not so much "getting the right answer" but the way you answer that
gives interviewers an idea of what makes you as a person special. Are you excited about your
courses or marching band? Have your experiences meant something to you and developed
you as a person? Do you have an agenda for your college years? "We want to know who the
applicant is," said Dartmouth admissions officer Karen Sagall when she came through
Knoxville some years ago.
Bring your resume -- including board scores, GPA, APs, and extracurriculars -- so the
interviewers can have it in front of them. This way they don't have to ask your scores and
grades, and they can see your activities and other items that interest them and ask you about
them.
This will also help you if your mind happens to go blank, which happens to everyone from
time to time. (Some schools differ on this point. Columbia, for example, wants interviewers
to be unsullied by all that information. They want interviewers to focus only on the person.)
Be ready to take the basic questions and tell your story:

Why do you want to go to ____? "Because it's a good school" is not the most
persuasive answer. Give a reason that shows you know something about the school

and how it fits into your plans. Hint: the alumni love their alma mater or they
wouldn't be doing these interviews, so this is a good opportunity to talk about some
things you know the school excels at (or claims to).

What do you want to do at ____? Show that you have an agenda, both in your
academics and extracurriculars, want to rise to a challenging environment, and
contribute to the college community. ("Leadership" is a big word these days in college
admissions, the way "well-rounded" was in the 70s.)

Tell us about your activities. Rather than just list them (they're on the resume
anyway) show some passion as you say what they mean to you and what they actually
did in them. Try to avoid complaining about how badly you were treated or saying
how you hated every minute of it. My group heard this twice last year. "Character" is
another big word in college admissions these days.

Tell me about a book you read recently that meant something to you. Many of us
draw a blank when we're asked this question in an interview. Think about this
beforehand and try not to list the ones from the 9th grade reading list. There's no
wrong answer: you can discuss The Autobiography of Kim Kardashian, just try to
express some intelligent thoughts about it. Again, we're learning about who you are.
Tip: it's OK to talk about The Hunger Games or Harry Potter, especially if you went
to the bookstore at midnight for the release.

What were your favorite courses? Again, show some enthusiasm. We want to hear
what you learned and how it has jazzed you up, because the whole idea is that you'll
have the same experience with the incredible professors at ________.

What did you write your essay about? This should be a hanging curve you can
knock out of the park. Presumably, applicants have put a great deal of effort into
making their essays surprising and delightful expressions of their complete originality
as human beings. We want to hear how you took a concept and treated it in an original
way to make and original point. To quote a University of Chicago admissions officer,
"It's about how you handle ideas." If your parent actually wrote the essay, this
question is more difficult.

Do you have any questions? This is where the interview draws to a close, and
probably the only question you really want answered is, "Can I possibly get in?" (See
the discussion below.) But as you're looking over the college materials, it doesn't hurt
to think of a practical question or two that show you've done your homework. "What's
the 'Jan Plan'?" "How do most people fulfill the language requirement?" "What is the
'sophomore summer term'?" Though it feels like sucking up, it's certainly OK to ask
your interviewers what they valued most about their college experiences. This will
actually tell you a lot about the school.

Final note: "Can I possibly get in?" The accurate answer is that alumni interviewers can
neither get kids in nor keep them out. If anything, alumni interviewers share the pain when
someone they interviewed and highly recommended is "denied." But this is simply the reality
of the numbers.

As mentioned earlier, the ratios of applicants to acceptances at many competitive colleges are
beyond absurd. When an admissions office is picking one or two applicants out of 10, they
have to "deny" thousands of fantastic students. Generally those students end up at great
colleges and have college careers that they wouldn't trade for anything.
Given this reality, many alumni interviewers take the approach that the interview
itself can be an educational opportunity for the applicants. The applicants might learn
something about the college, even if they never even visit there. They might also get
something out of the exchange of ideas or the particular way that alumni describe their
approach to learning and to the college experience. In life, you simply never get enough
practice at the art of being interviewed (and interviewing).
It is also a truism that, from time to time, an applicant will be interviewed by a jerk -something that happens in life, to be sure. Two of my college classmates chose my alma
mater because their interviews with alums from another school went something like Tom
Cruise's alumni interview in Risky Business. Of course, Tom Cruise's character in the movie
got in, so you never know about these things.
Many years ago, a friend called me because his son had applied to Yale and gotten a call
about an alumni interview. "What the heck is that?" he asked. My answers to his questions
became this blog post. The son had a great interview. He did not get into Yale, which
disappointed his interviewer, but he found the right college and had a great career
there. Ultimately, that's what it's all about.

Hello - I'm a Duke University Alumni and have been interviewing prospective
undergraduate students on behalf of the admissions committee for the last
several years. After seeing so many bright young students forget to do some
basic things, I think it would be worthwhile to provide some useful tips for
interviewees:
1) Respond back promptly to your interviewer: I'm always surprised at how long
it takes most students to respond back to my email requests for interviews.
Routinely I have to send 2 followup emails and with a followup phone call. The
longer it takes you to reply back to my email, then I immediately wonder how
strong your interest in Duke is.
2) Proper email etiquette: In emails responses back to me, don't use slang terms.
Don't write an email back to me using text jargon. I expect to be written back to
in full sentences with proper grammar and english spelling. Please use proper
titles when writing back (never use first name, use "Mr" or "Mrs").
3) Be flexible with your dates: Alumni interviewers are busy professionals. We
have other lives and try to juggle this interviewing between the other things in
our lives. We do this on a volunteer basis and don't get paid. So be a little flexible
on your dates/times for interviews.
4) As meaningful questions during the interview: Even if you're not interested in
Duke, pretend like you are and don't ask mundane questions that you can get
from the Duke website. Don't ask me how hard it is to get Duke basketball
tickets.
5) Casual dress: Even though the interviews are stated to be informal, dress like
you would for a job interview. For males a dress shirt and khakhis (with or
without a tie) is appropriate. For women a dress blouse and slacks/skirt would be
appropriate. No sneakers, no tattered jeans and no t-shirts.
6) Write a thank you note as followup. You'd be surprised as to how many
students forget this small tip. In several years of interviewing, I've awarded the
highest rating only twice, and both the students had sent me a polite thank you
note afterwards. This personal touch reinforces to the interviewer your sincerity
and goes a long way.
I'm not sure how much weight the admission committee places on alumni
interviews, but several students that I've rated very highly (4 or higher) have all
gotten in, while students that I rate lower (1 or 2) almost never do. The alumni
interview is such a simple thing, and I'm surprised that so many students screw it
up. we're not out to get you, we're only here to help you get in. Make it easier for
me to help you. Best of luck to all of you!

Each college that interviews you:

Invests resources, and alumni are a very important resource, to gather insights that will
allow the admissions staff to distinguish among qualified candidates.

Will use the results of the interview. Generally, the more qualified applicants an
admissions office has to evaluate, the more important a role the interview report can
play.

Is telling you some important information about the culture of the school and what they
value in the admissions process.

Is also telling you they want to know how accessible your knowledge, skills and
character will be to the rest of college community.

Is making an effort to get a person committed to the admissions process to meet you.
This can be a very valuable source of personalized information about the college and
campus life.

Wants the interview to go well. They want to get the best possible information about
you and your potential to contribute on campus.

What Questions Should I Ask?

For many interviewers, this is the most important part of the interview. For them, the questions
you ask indicate the degree of seriousness with which you're approaching the interviewer's
college and the college decision generally. Hence, the quality of thought you put into the
questions you ask can be key.

So, be thoughtful.
Avoid questions answered on the college's website. If your interviewer is an admissions
officer, student or a recent grad, focus on learning about the best professors and other
academic resources, current events and the direction in which they see the campus moving.
If your alumni interviewer is a graduate of more than 10 years or so, get his/her judgments
on how the college is evolving and how he/she and other alumni generally feel about the
school.
Within that framework, there are valuable things to know about many campuses. These
interviews can be the best place to get thoughful answers from someone who knows you,
even a little.
For most colleges, those questions include:
1. How large are typical freshman courses?
2. How difficult is it to get into upper-level courses as a freshman?
3. I am considering majoring in ________________________. How large are its freshman and

upperclass courses?
4. Is there opportunity for independent study or advanced research within most majors?
5. What kinds of internship (or study abroad) experiences would be possible if I majored in
_______________?
6. How many students from last year's senior class went on to graduate or professional
schools?
7. Does this college give credit for courses taken on other campuses? Does this college
accept credit from only those campuses abroad where it has its own programs?
8. ____________________ is my first choice housing option. What chance do I have getting it
as a first-year? How many upperclassmen live off campus?
9. How many students are typically housed per room? Are singles available? How
old are the dorms?
10. If there are fraternities or sororities on campus: How do these organizations contribute
to campus life?
11. I play ______________. How actively could I become involved on your campus?
At the intercollegiate level? In intramurals?
12. Is it possible for me to continue my (musical instrument) lessons on a private basis?
Through your music department?
13. Off-campus, what cultural or recreational opportunities are available in the
area?
14. What is the social and political atmosphere of the surrounding community? Do students
ever become involved in town life? Are there opportunities for service?
15. Can you characterize the personality or atmosphere of This College as you see it?
a. What kind of student is happy here? And what kind is not happy?
16. What kind of freshman orientation program is offered? How long is it and when
does it occur? What activities take place?
17. How is the advising system set up for freshmen and who does the advising?
18. What are some of the best features of This College?
19. What are some of the challenges and even weaknesses of This College?
a. Are there opportunities for students to work on that?

How to Prepare

Nearly every interview guide will tell you to:

Choose modest, undistracting clothes that resemble 'business casual'.

Be early, so that you're relaxed when the interview starts.

Be yourself. It's much easier.

But there's more to being prepared. You should also:

1. When you have an appointment arranged, particularly if an alumnus/a is interviewing you
in your hometown, be sure to write down the location of your meeting and his/her name and
telephone number, in case of an emergency.
2. Offer to send your resume ahead. You and your interviewer will be more engaged if you
both have an outline of what to talk about.
3. Outline your answers to the most likely questions ahead of time. Don't memorize a
script; just be ready with the facts at hand.
4. Think out your questions ahead of time; it's your chance to
find out about the college as well as their chance to find out about you.
5. Get some exercise before the interview. You'll fidget less, seem less nervous and more

composed. One actor's trick is to stretch your calves and quads before something like an
interview. A more relaxed stride makes people look more "grounded".
6. Bring a bottle of water. If you're ever stuck on how to answer a question, take a drink. It
will minimize any awkward pause. And you might get thirsty.
7. Know your test scores and GPA! Don't try to hide information like low scores or grades if
you are asked. Explain any discrepancies.
8. BRING A RESUME. It will lead the interviewer and allow the interviewer to focus on you
and not on organizing his/her notes.
9. Talk in the future tense. There will be lots of qualified candidates with folders like
yours. Give a vivid picture of what you will contribute to class discussions, campus life and
the community at that college.
10. If your parents drive you or come with you, they should be in another room. YOU are the
only person who could attend that college.
11. You may be nervous. It's OK to say so. Gesture or emphasize your remarks as you would
in a classroom; avoid flamboyant mannerisms or squirming in your chair. Try to maintain good
eye contact, shake hands firmly (those older alumnae/alumni know that, traditionally, a
younger person extends his/her hand to an older one first) and stay relaxed.

BRING A RESUME. It will lead the interview and allow the interviewer to focus on you rather
than organizing his/her notes.

You may be nervous. It's OK to say so.