So for my interview I got a person who was a grad-school alumni from Harvard.
Is it appropriate to ask him about the Harvard experience or is his experience completely different from the undergrad experience I would get?
Thanks
You already got an interview request? When did you submit your app?
Maybe phrase a question like this:
I know you went to Harvard as a grad student…
but what unique experiences really stuck with you?
which student traditions did you enjoy being a part of?
etc.
Just some things I thought off the top of my head, I am sure you can come up with better/more eloquent ones.
Often grad and undergrad experiences are different for a number of reasons including the maturity of the student, the fact that grad programs are often very targeted and career oriented etc. Still I agree with the post above that you can ask about thinks like the campus, the area, anything he/she particularly enjoys about being part of the Harvard community etc. And who knows, perhaps the interviewer went to Harvard undergrad as well.
@ayyyyyyy Yeah I did, just today. I submitted my app on January 1.
@happy1 Thanks and unfortunately the interviewer did not go to Harvard for undergrad.
@yikesyikesyikes Thanks a lot!
I just thought there isn’t as much to ask about student life and stuff like that (and he isn’t the same major as I am, completely different areas). I looked on their website, but do grad students also enjoy the same residential life as undergrads do? It only says that undergrads live under Harvard’s housing system.
The grad students I know there mostly live off campus so I’m guessing it is different.
I think it wouldn’t hurt to ask about his experience. Worst case scenario you’d make him feel good by caring about his experience and also get some hints about how undergrad experience might be.
I would still ask about his experience because it’s not 100% irrelevant but grad student life is very different from undergrad life.