BRITTANY MASCHAL CONSULTING

Alumni Interviews

By BMC BloggerOct 25, 2023

Alumni interview season is here!

For many students, college admissions interviews are fear-inducing. Although there is some decent prep material online, you can often go right to the source for clarity on what the process entails. There is no reason to fear your alumni interview because many schools have their protocols and the guidance/instructions they give your interviewer available for you to review online—including possible interview questions.

You do not need to spend hours preparing answers to hundreds of questions to prepare for alumni or any other college admissions interview thoroughly. Canned responses sound unnatural. In my experience, taking the less stressful approach bodes well for students: they do not waste hours preparing, which can detract from other important tasks (homework, community engagement, application essays, sleep), and because they have not overprepared, they will sound far more natural and “themselves”—a goal for the IV process.

Remember, so much of a college admissions interview (and this entire process!) is about likeability—rehashing your resume word-for-word does not make you likable, but being able to hold a conversation and do so with ease does! You’ll find some alumni IV resources below:

You can find a general list of potential interview questions in older posts, but contact us if you want individualized help preparing for your college interviews—alumni or otherwise—or want access to additional materials. We’ve helped hundreds of students ace their interviews and gain acceptance to their first-choice colleges and universities—don’t miss an opportunity to shine live!

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College Admissions Interviews

By Brittany MaschalAug 24, 2023

General interview prep questions below!

High School Experience

Tell me a little bit about your high school.
Tell me about the courses you are taking currently.
Tell me about your favorite class(es) you have taken. Why favorite(s)?
Which class has been your least favorite? Why?
Which classes have been the most difficult (or most challenging)?
What subjects do you plan on studying at [school name]?
What activities and/or classes have you taken part in related to that field?
What does your dream career look like, what is your dream job?

Extracurricular Activities

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
What do you like to do for fun?
When you’re not in class, studying, or doing homework, what do you do with your time (organized activities or things for fun)?
How did you get involved/started with ____ activity?
What activity is the most meaningful to you and why?
What extracurricular activities do you hope to be involved with in college?
How have you spent your high school summers?

University Specific

What type of environment are you looking for in a college/university?
How did you become interested in [school]?
What do you find most appealing about [school]?
Why do you think you [school] might be the right fit for you?
Do you know any students at [school]?
If you had an opportunity to tell the Admissions Committee anything about yourself, what would it be? Why?
What would you want the Admissions Committee to know about you that may not come across on your application?
If I were to ask you to think back in three months to your visit to [school], what would be the first thing to pop into your head?
What have you learned about [school] that seems unusual or surprising?

Miscellaneous

If you got up and your best friend sat down, how would they describe you?
How would your teachers describe you?
If you had a year to do anything you wanted, what would it be and why?
What books are you currently reading? Or what have you read recently for school?
What has been a controversial issue at your school? What was your reaction, and how did you get involved?
Where have you made the biggest impact at your school or in your local community?
Where is your favorite place you have ever been? Why? Where would you like to go (if money and time were no object)?
Would you and where would you like to study abroad? Why?
What do you think is the most pressing issue of our time? Why?
What is your favorite book and why?
Is there anything we haven’t talked about that you wanted to talk about?

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Advice, Applying to College, College Application, College Interview, For College Counselors, High School, Interviews, Newsace the college interview, applying to college, college admissions, college interview, college interview prep, interviewing for college, university interview

College Admissions Interviews: Alumni Interview Protocols

By Brittany MaschalSep 26, 2019

Alumni interview season is upon us, so I wanted to get a post up for seniors looking to get a sense of what’s in store for 2019-2020.

For many students, college admissions interviews are fear-inducing. And though there is some decent prep material online, you can often go right to the source for clarity on what the process entails. There is no reason to fear your alumni interview because many schools have their protocols and the guidance/instructions they give your interviewer available for you to review online—including possible interview questions.

Knowing the questions you might be asked is one thing but thoroughly preparing is another completely. You do not need to spend hours preparing answers to hundreds of questions to thoroughly prepare for alumni or any other college admissions interview. Canned responses sound unnatural. In my experience, taking the less stressful approach bodes well for students: they do not waste hours preparing, which can detract from other important tasks (homework, community engagement, writing admissions essays) and because they have not overprepared, they will sound far more natural and “themselves” therefore win over an interviewer.

Remember, so much of a college admissions interview (and this entire process!) is about likeability—rehashing your resume word-for-word does not make you likable, but being able to hold a conversation and do so with ease does! Getting to the point of doing so with ease is the hardest part for high school students (who have not interviewed all that much, typically), but over-preparing won’t help. Resist the urge.

Below, I’ve compiled a few of the alumni interview links for some popular, selective schools. Take some time to read over the information provided, but do not obsess over it.

You can find a general list of potential interview questions in one of my older posts, but contact us if you want individualized help preparing for your college interviews—alumni or otherwise—or want access to additional materials. We’ve helped hundreds of students ace their interviews and gain acceptance to their first-choice colleges and universities—don’t miss an opportunity to shine in person!

*Stay in the know! Subscribe*

Advice, College Application, Interviews, Newsace the college interview, admissions interview, alumni interviews, applying to college, college, college admissions, college interview, college interview prep