<p>Hey guys, I just got called for an alumni interview. It’s a person to person interview, not a phone interview. Could anyone give me some pointers or tips? I’d really appreciate it! Thanks!!</p>
<p>be youself</p>
<p>Ya, I know all the basics, but I'm wondering specifically about the Brown interview. Like what type of questions do they ask or how long the interview is.</p>
<p>I have a question to add: is it important that you've been to the campus before the inverview? Does it help if they ask "why Brown?"...I live on the west coast, and I haven't had the chance to go to Brown, but it's still my top choice, and I feel that I know quite a bit about Brown.</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>it is not important that you've been on campus. When i applied ed and i told my interviewer that i've never been there, he didnt mind at all. I'm also from the west coast and i have yet to see the campus, which is very exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time. Anyhoo, best of luck. For interviews, just be prepared to talk passionately about something you love doing.</p>
<p>About how long was your interview?</p>
<p>Mine was about 1 hour...very pleasant.</p>
<p>i just had an alumni interview this afternoon. my interviewer seemed like she had questions made beforehand, and she even had a form that she wrote things on from time to time. not sure if brown tells all interviewers to ask these same questions or if mine just happened to be really prepared. but anyways... she first asked me to talk about myself, which was really vague and open-ended. then she asked the basic questions about why i want to go to brown, what i plan to study, and what ec's i am involved with. she also asked what i would "bring to the brown community" and whether brown was my first choice (i kind of stumbled over my words on this one... i said something about not having made a decision yet, and i'm not sure if she bought it). but for the rest of the time she just let me ask her my own questions. i wouldn't stress out about an interview, though--she said that her report has almost no effect and that the main purpose of the interview was to allow me to find out more about brown. as long as you know why you would like to go to brown and are able to convey that, you shouldn't worry about your interview.</p>
<p>i just had my interview this evening......is it normal for it to be only 20 minutes long? my interviewer just said statements, and i expanded on them. there were no real questions, but it seemed like she liked that i was dedicated to what i do. is it true that not everyone gets this alumni interview?</p>
<p>Take heart, otacon. Mine was about 10 minutes by phone!</p>
<p>I don't know about you guys, but my interviewer (a regional representative) told me that the adcom will consider the interviewer's recommendations if the applicant is a borderline case. Recommendations should be submitted by 1st March, so I believe the period of March-April is the time when decisions will be made.</p>
<p>Or perhaps international alumni interviews are handled differently from local ones.</p>
<p>what kind of recommendation does the interviewer fill in?
is it like the teacher recommendation where you just check the boxes "one of few in my career" or does the interviewer write an essay?</p>
<p>I am an alumnus interviewer for Brown and will probably be an interviewing coordinator for Brown in a year or two. Interviewers don't expect that all applicants will have had a chance to visit the campus, so you should not worry about that at all. However, they do want to get a sense of how interested the applicant is in Brown, based in part on how much the applicant knows about Brown. If you are enthusiastic about Brown and ask thoughtful questions, and if it comes across that you are interested in the school because you have thought about how your interests make Brown a great fit for you, the interviewer will probably be very impressed. Brown likes to admit students who love Brown; they do not want to admit students who just want to get into an Ivy League school or who are just proud of their GPAs.</p>
<p>If you have any other questions or concerns about interviews, feel free to email me. I'd be happy to help.</p>
<p>I'm curious as to how much effect the alumni interview has. In this forum, the impression I've gotten is that it doesn't really do much. Is that true?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The interview really doesnt make much of a difference... unless you are REALLY bad... but otherwise its not important...</p>
<p>Do note that the dean of admissions has changed last year, so do expect possible changes to admission policy.</p>
<p>I don't really think the interview matters that much. I think it's pretty much just a form of reference. I know that my interview was very laid back and the interviewer basically just told me about her experience at Brown and any questions I had. We talked for a good hour and a half though. She was very nice :)</p>
<p>@wildcherry45, what was the name of your interviewer?</p>
<p>Karen Lopez</p>
<p>My son got called yesterday & will be having an alum interview over the phone on Friday. Just got off the phone with another Brown alum interviewer & she says that many interviews are in person at an office, but phone interviews are fine too. She agrees that you should relax, be yourself & share info about Brown.</p>