<p>With very few exceptions, all colleges have the same basic rationales for their interviews. It’s 5 parts keeping alumni involved, 4 parts informing the student, and 1 part evaluation. If anything in this thread or similar threads at other schools has made you think that that distribution is different at Brown than at other schools, you’ve been misinformed. That misinformation probably comes from the luck of the draw in terms of which applicants are posting or a dearth of informed alums posting in other schools’ threads.</p>
<p>Fireandrain’s claim that “[a]n interview does not increase or decrease your chance of acceptance” was a bit overbroad, but I think it was intended to quell your concern more than anything else. The fact is that we fill out an evaluation of each applicant and submit the evaluation, which then becomes part of the picture that the admissions office gets of an applicant. It is, therefore, a factor in admissions. But, it’s a rather small factor, and it is much more about completing the admissions office’s idea of who you are and why you’re applying to Brown than about whether the applicant had a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ interview.</p>
<p>Despite the supposed “interview dead zone” in Northern New Jersey, I was offered an interview by a gentleman in my town. He’s a friend of my grandparents and has known their family for about fifty years, but I’ve never met him. He asked me to call him the day of the interview to remind him, and when I called, he insisted we hold it at my house, despite everything I said to the contrary. I feel like this is really inappropriate–any comments, similar experiences, or thoughts on what I should do? He’s due to be over here in ten minutes, and I’m freaking out.</p>
<p>@fireandrain
after reading this thread, i simply hope every ivy school has a similar thread on cc. it helps tremendously, thank you!</p>
<p>I have an interview by phone this Friday, and my interviewer is a professor in History, esp. European history. Is it advisable for me to research a bit in her field and talk about it during the interview?</p>
<p>I received an interview from from while he did not. Both of our applications were designated as complete. I have slightly better stats than he does. Does this show in any way that i stand a better chance than being admitted than him?</p>
<p>No. The interview should be about you. If you’ve taken European history, if she asks what your favorite class is and you (honestly) say European history, then you’d better be prepared to discuss it.</p>
<p>I just got my interview e-mail today and am really nervous I’m meeting my interviewer at Starbucks tomorrow afternoon!</p>
<p>Is it weird to be contacted for an interview so late, so near the deadline? Perhaps the alumni interview system is just experiencing a lot of traffic.</p>
<p>I also found out that my interviewer is actually my friends’ professor in a local uni, and although film and theatre are apparently our mutual passions, the specific genres we enjoy are totally contradictory. My friend has told me that the interviewer is an extremely artsy guy. I’ve never met a terribly artsy person in my life and I’m very excited!</p>
<p>I am wondering how people approach the Starbucks interview - do you go way ahead of time, grab your own drink, and grab a seat waiting? Or do you come right on time, look for your interviewer, have a seat, then wait for him to offer you coffee? The situation I find myself in at another uni’s interview is that the interviewer already got his food and coffee, so when I arrived (at his table, I was an hour early), he offered to get me something to drink. In a situation like this, am I supposed to handle his cash to the counter, and take the change back to him? That would be very very awkward. So in the end I said “sure” and went to the counter and paid for myself. That was a little awkward start. Are Brown interviewers given money to pay for food? If he offers to pay for my drinks is it out of courtesy, his own generosity, or Brown’s instructions?</p>
<p>I think this is a matter of personal preference and the set-up of the coffee shop. The place where I interview has two seating areas, one is more private (but far from the door) than the other. I much prefer the private location, but have discovered that when students get there before me, they grab a table in the more trafficked area, so I’m stuck. When I get there first, I wait by the door until they come in, and then direct them to the more private table.</p>
<p>In the situation you describe, I probably would have declined the drink and just sat down and started the interview. If you’d been there for an hour already, you could have gotten your own drink and been holding it when you approached him. </p>
<p>If you met before either of you grabbed a table, and both went to buy a drink, follow his lead. Let him order first – and it he offers to pay for you, accept it, but if he doesn’t, come with money to buy your own.</p>
<p>Fireandrain, this question is for you. I met my interviewer at a Starbucks also! We were supposed to meet at twelve. At around 12:03, I received a text from him. He was letting me know where he was already seated! I told him I was so sorry that I didn’t know he was already there!!! I had been waiting by the door hoping to see him when he walked in. Do you think that I was considered late? We should have set up a specific meeting place maybe :0( Will this look bad on me? Thanks for helping… I am just worried!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for the response I have learned a lesson from this… Establish before the interview how we are going to identify eachother!!!
Thanks again for the response. I appreciate you!</p>
<p>:( I’m really not a ■■■■■. The bummer is is that I was there early. I am always punctual so having that happen was upsetting to me. The actual interview went well I think. I just wasn’t sure if my interviewer would consider me being late. I was hoping that wouldn’t be included in the report he filled out, or that he might have thought that I really didn’t care! I also do know that I should relax It’s that I really do care and have tried so hard to do everything right.
Thanks for replying also… I do appreciate what you had to say!</p>
<p>I do also want to state that I hate that there are ■■■■■■ out there! It is sad to think that some people do come to this site looking for help, but because of whatever reason that I can not fathom some people come here to mess with others or stir things up. I truly do not understand that.</p>
<p>LOL i also googled my interviewer. He was a professor at a reputed university. Back then I didn’t remember to look up his image [Yes, that was a stupid move]. I rather looked up his age, and when I saw a 43 year old guy at the coffee shop, guess what? I asked him, and turns out he was someone else hahaha. Anyways,that other guy was also an interviewer and gave me some tips beforehand, until my actual interviewer arrived 10 mins after. So being unprepared at times can help :)</p>
I have learned a lesson from this… Establish before the interview how we are going to identify eachother!!!
It’s that I really do care and have tried so hard to do everything right.