Even the other worldly brilliant probably don’t benefit from the interview as I’d bet that comes across in the application. The interview serves a few purposes:
Keep alumni involved and connected
Give applicants a face to the university and someone to talk to about it
Make sure absolutely terrible, awful people are caught because presumably it’s much easier to fake not being an absolutely awful, miserable person on a written application than in a 30min-1hr face to face interview.</p>
<p>Being shy is not what I am referring to in #3.</p>
<p>The really shy student I interviewed this year got in.</p>
<p>One approach is to start working with your daughter on this now. Do some mock interviews with her – not you, perhaps, maybe a family friend or a teacher. She will have many interviews in her life, and she may as well start getting better now as opposed to later. </p>
<p>If a red flag is raised, Brown wouldn’t deny based solely on that write-up. It might prompt a call to her guidance counselor if that was the only thing that gave them pause. </p>
<p>This process is not kind for shy students. It’s tough to get outstanding teacher recommendations if you never speak up in class or engage with teachers outside the classroom. You won’t shine in an interview. The shyest kid I ever knew (she used to visit my house and never speak a word), didn’t get into any Ivies but went to Smith – where she threw off her shyness and grew into a confident woman. </p>
<p>Will do, @fireandrain. And you are so right about this process and shy kids. The letters of rec are another issue, since the quiet ones don’t get the best recs. BTW, this is one of the best threads on CC, in terms of helpful information. Thanks for posting this.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for this information. It just saddens me that I cannot make up for my SAT scores through the interview. False hope is a dangerous thing. </p>
<p>Glad it still helps. I just reread my original entry, and I think everything is still accurate (except that the acceptance rate is lower than 5 years ago). </p>
<p>I just had my interview! It went well, I think - he started with ‘Why Brown?’, then asked why I wanted to go into English (my major). Then he asked what I though the most challenging issue of today was, my favorite and least favorite teachers, if I had gone on a campus visit, if I had Googled him prior to the meeting (I had), and what I could offer at Brown. I then asked him why he continued to do interviews for Brown (he’d graduated in '59), if/how Providence impacted Brown and vice versa, and what he thought many people didn’t realize/know about Brown until they were attending. Took about 70 minutes, very nice guy, interview took place in a conference room at a library.</p>
<p>My son’s interview was done by a med school grad. The interview lasted 37 minutes, was conducted in the Dr’s home and was very relaxed. Why Brown was one of the questions. Another was, if you can’t fence for Brown, what else would you do there? There were a few areas of common interest/connection (his daughter had just graduated from the same N-8 school my son attended)</p>
<p>One of my neighbors is a Brown grad (Undergrad-PhD). While she doesn’t do alumni interviews two of her friends do. She said that each of them had an interview that led them to tell Brown that they should not admit the student. Both students were accepted. </p>
<p>Epeemom, that has happened to me, too. Happened just last year, actually. For the life of me I cannot figure out why this person was accepted – I’m pretty sure there is no huge money in the family and the student was as unaccomplished as they come. The only reason I could guess is that this person was a secret genius or did something totally amazing and forgot to tell me. </p>
@Neurogirl07 I’m almost certain that they will contact you if they have the resources to interview. It might be different if you’re international though.
From the “First-Year Applicants” page of the Brown Admissions website (Deadline for 2019 has passed, but lots of good stuff here for prospective applicants to subsequent classes. Recommend future applicants become familiar with the Brown website):
The Alumni Interview
A conversation with one of our volunteer alumni interviewers is an excellent way for you to learn more about Brown and for us to learn more about you. After we receive your application, the Office of Alumni Relations manages the interview process and provides your contact information to alumni interviewers in your area. You do not need to request an interview; a volunteer will contact you to arrange a convenient time and place for the interview. After the conversation, the volunteer will send us his or her thoughts about your personal strengths, which we will add to your application file. We do not provide alumni/ae with your application materials; your interviewer only receives your contact information and intended concentration, and you do not need to bring a resume or additional materials to the interview.
Early Decision interviews run from late October through early December and Regular Decision interviews run from December through late February.
Although we try to arrange interviews with as many candidates as we can, it ultimately depends upon the availability of our worldwide network of alumni volunteers. If it is not possible to arrange an interview, rest assured that it will not negatively impact your application to Brown. Brown does not accept interviews conducted by third parties.
While we enjoy meeting prospective students when they come to campus, we regret that the large volume of visitors makes it impossible for us to offer on-campus interviews.
And this, under FAQs:
The conversation you will have with a graduate of the University is just one aspect of your Brown application. Our alumni/ae write to us about the strengths they see in candidates based on one relatively brief encounter. Rarely will an interview be the determining factor in an application. We suggest that you view it as an opportunity to learn more about Brown and to further convey your best qualities as a student and person.
A few of my own thoughts based on personal or close up experiences on both sides:
Everyone should prepare to do their best for interviews, but their importance is often overrated by both applicants and interviewers.
A real bummer for an interviewer is an applicant who asks for information that is prominently disclosed and easily retrievable from the Brown website.
Now that I’ve gone through the interview process successfully and all of the hassle associated to it I feel like I would like to give you all my two cents.
a) From what I’ve read most of the interviews seemed quite informal and if your interview is like that I would really really recommend to ask question not only about Brown but about your interviewer’s experience. I myself asked my interviewer why did he choose Brown, what was the most memorable memory he had, if he wished he had done something differently, ect.
b) Remember its only a conversation and not a test. I was sooo nervous at the beginning and I did eventually relax but take it as a conversation about the coolest university on earth rather than a test to get in. Try to relax and enjoy the interview as much as you can, it is quite possibly the only part of the application process you’ll enjoy.
c) Be yourself! Don’t mask yourself as someone different, answer the questions (and make them) so that they come from who you really are.
I don’t know if this helped anybody, I hope it did and I hope I didn’t confuse anyone even more. GOOD LUCK! I am certain all of you will get through this
If any of you have questions and/or need anything please message me and I’ll try to help!
I just finished my interview. It only lasted 30 minutes, and I felt like I got a chance to learn more about Brown. I feel both relieved and positive! Good luck to all of you
@fireandrain Thank you so much for this informative thread, which I have read through all 34 pages of it.
I am having my interview tomorrow, and I searched my interviewer online, it turns out he has the exact same major I chose and did his PhD and post-doc all in this major. I am very interested in why he chose it and we would have tons to talk about if we ever get close to this topic.
BUT the problem is, he never mentioned his major in his email, so I don’t know if it is appropriate to tell him that I Googled him.
