<p>I'm not sure if I should be nervous or excited. I got an email tonight (like literally 10 minutes ago) asking for an interview on Friday (which I find a little strange because it is the day after Thanksgiving and pretty short notice... my family and I are visiting family and we planned to stay the weekend but have to leave early because my interviewer said it is the only time that he has available... :()</p>
<p>Is there anything you suggest doing to prep? I assume I should just go into it relaxed and confident, but if any of you who recently interviewed have any tips, feel free to share! :)</p>
<p>Does anyone else find it weird to be asked for an interview the day after Thanksgiving... or is that not really at all out of the ordinary?</p>
<p>I got asked for an interview last saturday. The interviewer was in Barcelona apparently and forgot all about this. LOL. He gave me a few hours notice, because he only had a limited time slot. </p>
<p>Tips:
-He’s not evaluating your “smartness” they look more for your enthusiastic character. Seem genuinely interested in Penn.
-I think interviews are a little different for legacies, but go with tons of questions!! Ask about the women at Penn if you can’t think of anything
-For me it was just like talking to a jolly old man. [He was class of '74]
-Chillax
-Ask questions :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips! It sounds like your interview went really well! Wow, only a few hours notice, ha. I think I would freak out a little. It’s not like I’m actually prepping or anything in the time before my interview, but I still like to know things a little more in advance.</p>
<p>I understand what you mean. I thought mine well decent, no regrets. Haha, I remember walking in, and after shaking his hand and saying hi, he goes straight to it and asks me: “Why Penn”. I think thats a basic question you should be prepared for. Beware because, if the interviewer asks for other colleges you’re looking at, he will ask you to compare why you like Penn over them SPECIFICALLY.
Its not too bad though, it’ll be alright. The first half of the interview was him interviewing me, the second half was me interviewing him. When I say interviewing him, I mean me asking about the college, his experience, doming there etc. Think of real questions you would be faced with, if you were accepted at Penn. Do you honestly wonder about the food there? Then ask!! Don’t hesitate!
And remember NOT to take any of your awards/certificates/SAT score reports etc. The interviewer wants to put a “face” on your application lol. He will look more to include aspects of your character, confidence etc. which the admissions office cannot tell through your application and numbers. All said, you’ll do fine. Keep me posted as to how it goes. For all I know, none of my tips may come in handy but keep them in mind!</p>
<p>So I drove 45 minutes to my interview today, showed up around 10:45 so I’d be early for my 11 o’clock interview and around 11:30 I called home and checked my voicemail because my interviewer hadn’t shown. Turns out he called my house around 10 and left a voicemail saying he couldn’t make it because of a work issue that came up but he’d try to reschedule.</p>
<p>I’m a little annoyed because it was a sort of last minute interview to begin with. He contacted me by email around 10 PM on Wednesday, and then he lets me know an hour before the interview that he can’t make it when I had already left to make it to the interview. I’ve already spent 2 hours driving/waiting for this guy and now he says he’ll try to reschedule. I wish he contacted me earlier or at least tried my cell since he knows I live 45 min from where the interview took place (so I had likely left home when he called), but I guess you never know when “work issues” will come up. I’m sure it’s not his fault but I felt like venting…</p>
<p>Does anyone know when interviews need to be completed by? I’m just trying to figure out if I have much of a shot at still getting an interview. On one page on the Penn website it says interviews are from November 1 to December 1. On another page I think I saw that interviews go through early December…</p>
<p>Oh wow that sounds irresponsible of your interviewer to cancel the interview last minute like that. On the bright side, when you do get an interview with your interviewer, he/she will feel sympathetic and will likely write you a good report!</p>
<p>ya DCK7 has a good point. But underdog, i believe that the last date is the 1st. i mean think logically. they LATEST need it by the 1 or the 2 to add that to ur application file and then use it for evaluation purposes. they wont wait till like the 5th just to make their decision because ur interview isnt done!</p>
<p>On a completely unrelated note, what does one mean when they say the ‘OP’ of this thread?</p>
<p>hmm. I think that regional directors tell “their” alumni volunteers when interviews need to be done by… because some interviewers have said interviews needed to be done by Thanksgiving and others have said different things. I assume that December 1st is the last day though.</p>
<p>I don’t know about that… did you have your interview today? My interviewer did get back to me and I had my interview today!! I’m really glad I finally got one because I think it (surprisingly) went really well. He apologized for the trouble earlier and we had a ton in common. I was pretty nervous going in but I think we really hit it off and he assured me that he was going to write a great review… so I’m thrilled! I really didn’t think I’d even get an interview after everything that went on.</p>
