<p>My Oberlin alumni interview was one big awkward moment from start to finish. At the guy's office, completely empty except for him. He barely made eye contact, interviewed scrictly from a bland list of questions, didn't respond to much of anything I said, checked his Blackberry while I was talking, acted like he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible . . .</p>
<p>My first interview ever was Duke. At the end, he asked, "What do you want duke to know about you?"
Me: <em>answers & explains</em>
Him: What else?
Me: Uhhhhh.. <em>looks off into space, bites lip</em> <em>anxiety compounds</em>
-2 minutes later-
Him: Okay. <em>writes 'nothing' on his paper</em>
Him: Would you like me to talk about financial aid or anything?
Me: YES
Him: <em>goes on about something I wasn't listening to</em>
Me: OH YEAH I thought of something for that last question</p>
<p>ugh.</p>
<p>One of my interviews went pretty well, but when we got up to leave I shook his hand. I'm a pretty "manly" guy, so I gave him a "manly" handshake, but my interviewer was lets just say not that strong, so he gave me a weak handshake. I think I hurt his hand because from the corner of my eye I saw him shaking it off. Yikes.</p>
<p>At one interview, it was with a current senior. When she asked if I had any questions I asked her something I wanted to know. She responded with something automatic and generic,but it didnt answer my question. So I was like, "No, what I mean is <em>restate question</em>" and then she still didn't answer and when she finished I just said "Nevermind".</p>
<p>The last time I was interviewing for jobs, the hiring manager for one of the jobs I was interviewing for stated that the company had experienced a downturn because it had been "managed by idiots." I tried to laugh it off, and started to say something about "the benefit of hindsight," but he interrupted me and said, "no, they really were idiots."</p>
<p>One of the other people I interviewed with there asked me what I like in a boss, and I said "someone who gives me general direction, and then turns me loose to do the work." The guy chuckled and said, "Well, that's not Bob. He's a real micromanager."</p>
<p>sorry if this is off topic - but do alumni interviewers get to know whether you are admitted to the school or not?</p>
<p>^ they know anyone who was admitted in their general area</p>
<p>"do alumni interviewers get to know whether you are admitted to the school or not?"</p>
<p>I imagine that each university handles things differently. Harvard sends the head of the regional alum committee a list of who was admitted, deferred, waitlisted. That alum may or may not tell the other interviewers.</p>
<p>My advice is -- if you're accepted call your alum interviewer with the good news. If the alum interviewer asked you to let them know whatever the decision, also let them know if you were rejected or waitlisted. They probably genuinely liked you and would like to know where you're going.</p>
<p>There's no reason to be embarrassed if you weren't accepted. The interviewers know that college admissions is more difficult now than ever in history.</p>
<p>irunoninsulin: I interview for one of NSM's peer schools. We operate the same. We get informed about each interviewee we conduct. Those who are admitted (if any), we are asked to contact to congratulate. We host a welcome event shortly afterwards where the families and students and various alums gather to meet (and hopefully get them all to attend). For the admitees, it's time for them to connect w/others who may be travelling out East (we're in the Midwest).</p>
<p>^^^^ruskie that made me lol</p>
<p>and it also made me think of the king of the hill episode were hank shakes pres bush and becomes anti bush because he had a limp handshake lol</p>
<p>ps i am also a believer of a firm handshake</p>
<p>I mentioned that I wrote short stories, and the interviewer asked what one of my recent short stories was about.
I answered (truthfully) "Well, my most recent one is about a robot uprising..."
Luckily I had mentioned my love of sci-fi before, and the interviewer had a sense of humor. She just laughed. :D</p>
<p>I had an interview today I totally wasn't aware of. I was already stressed about my AP Chem and AP Calc tests (that I'm sure I failed, lol) and all of a sudden in first block, my guidance counselor came to the room and was like: "Can I speak to...." I figured he was up to talk to me about some other college stuff, but then he "reminded me" about my Brown interview. It was like:</p>
<p>Me: Interview?
Him: <em>Hands me a pass</em> Yeah, I sent you an email about a week ago about it.
Me: <em>slowly freaking</em> I didn't...
Him: Oh, you didn't get it at all? Maybe (he talks about some computer problems)
Me: Oh, well what time is the interview?
Him: It's at 11. Next block.
Me: <em>Dies</em> </p>
<p>So I spend the rest of my first block not paying attention and freaking myself out completely. I think I went to the bathroom about five times between first and second block. Lmao. I was in orchestra when I had to go meet the guy in the guidance office, and I was just praying I didn't puke on myself...or him... </p>
<p>It started off all right, he was an alumni from the 50s and he talked about his relatives a lot, lol. I think everyone in his family went to Brown, sheesh. But there was one point where we started talking about my activities and he asked if I ever went to the Philharmonic. I said yeah, and he started describing these glass sculptures I think I'd seen when I was like... ten. I wasn't even sure they were the same ones, but I pretended. </p>
<p>Him: Oh yeah, my a friend of my wife knew the guy who did those.
Me: Oh really? That's so neat. I remember seeing them. They're really pretty... blahblahblah
Him: Yes, the artist gave her one some years back. It's probably worth a lot right now.
Me: Oh yes, I can imagine.
Him: What was his name again?
Me: Er...
Him: Gus...Gursell...
Me: <em>staring</em> Um...
Him: <em>Talks a little and then goes back to the name</em> Gurlelle...Gin...
Me: ....
Him: Oh, well, you know what I'm saying. </p>
<p>Overall, the experience itself was actually pretty okay. Not too awkward at all, really. He said I'd be a great addition to the campus and that he'd write a nice note, and was hoping I'd get in. So here's hoping!</p>
<p>The most annoying thing was having to repeat myself over and over because he had like a short term memory. That and I referenced a student I knew at my old school who now goes to Brown as a freshman and he kept asking me questions about her. Honestly, I didn't know her too well, but I think I gave him the impression that we were best friends or something, lol.</p>
<p>But the memory thing... </p>
<p>Him: I've probably taken you out of a class, haven't I?
Me: Oh it's fine, I'm just in orchestra.
Him: Oh, you're in the orchestra? What do you play?
Me: Violin!
Him: <em>Goes on some spiel about something I zoned out on.</em>
Me: <em>I say something about our small class and keep nodding and smiling</em> Mmhmm...
Him: So, I think we're just about done, hmm? I must have taken you out of a class, right?
Me: O_-;;Yes... orchestra.
Him: Orchestra! <em>writes down a note on his paper</em></p>
<p>It was fun. ;P</p>
<p>lol. for my cornell Q&A thing, i got there like half an hour early due to transportation issues, so i just plan on chilling for awhile. to my amazement, the guy is already there, and so i ask him why, and he says its cuz he had scheduled consecutive interviews with mine being the latter, but that the person before me was late. so then he said we might as well start since we were both there. so its going really well, and then i notice about 10 minutes in that the girl whos behind me in rank in my class (and despises me cuz im 1) is just circling around looking all ****ed. i just tried to extend it as long as i could, and in the end it was all really funny haha.</p>
<p>Oh, another snippet from my Duke interview:</p>
<p>Me: I find the brain and how it works really fascinating
Him: So you know how the brain works?
Me: Ummm... that's why I want to learn about it!? </p>
<p>I was too nervous to bring up neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters :(.</p>
<p>Usually I'd expect to mess up slipping a negative comment about a school they went to or major they were in, but at my first interview they man was totally bashing the arts and how the school was great for him because he could focus on more "important things", an opportunity not found at other colleges and universities...and then he asked my prospective major. "Art.." wow, hah. The first part was awkward, but after that he thought it was interesting.</p>
<p>well im not sure this is goin to be my 'favorite' awkward moment..but still worth sharing, happened about a week ago.
so lil about me bfore so you get the thing. im really interested in IR and want to become a future diplomat. best school to do so: Gtown SFS. my dream school.</p>
<p>so this was during my George Washington University interview...</p>
<p>Inter. So why do believe GWU is a good match?
Me. Well [list a number of reasons why] and thats why I believe Georgetown is the best school for me to thrive academically and socially.
Inter. You mean George Washington?
Me. Right...</p>
<p>Looks like i wont be gettin into the elliot school of international affairs anytime soon...im pretty sure i screwed it up for my future children...</p>
<p>ruskie: your post was funny.</p>
<p>i hate ppl who giv the dead fish hand shake.</p>
<p>No interesting interview stories...but I couldn't let my favorite thread die! <em>BUMP</em></p>
<p>well, today we met at two different caribous, and then i hit another car while backing out.</p>
<p>ok, so i've never had a college interview, but i have had two</p>
<p>the first was for a college scholarship that would be around 12000 a year and i sat at a table w/ six major college reps. and important people-notice this is six big names v. one little junior
They each had their own specific area to handle; the interview was supposed to last half an hour. Mine lasted 45 minutes b/c the guy that dealt w/ EC's and background interest in your major had literally no idea about the fruit industry and how to run a farm. I spent over half my interview taching 6 big names about my family farm and how government-farm relationships work. It was weird b/c then we ran out of time for the rest of the questions about me.</p>
<p>So that wasn't all that embarrassing, and this next one is a really blonde moment (though im a brunette). I was in a state commodity rep. (queen) competition. Part of it was an interview w/ the judges, which went fine, but another part was answering commodity-related questions on stage (note-there's a big crowd). I had studied a huge packed of info.
Question: Is there any truth to the old adage...? (Posting it would give away what i was running for)
Me: Yes..name all the vitamins and minerals in the commodity.
Question: So if i were to peel it, it would not be such a good idea?
Me: No, b/c all of the vitamins and minerals are found in the...(blanked b/c of all the work of remembering the vitamins and minerals)..keep my composure while i think...literally a 15 second pause (could see the second hand on the clock)...SKIN!</p>
<p>oh my god i was an idiot, little kids know what the skin is! Remember, i did this huge pause in front of a crowd.</p>
<p>I earned both the scholarship and queen titles, though. I handled myself well, apparently!</p>