I have my alumni interview coming up, does anyone have any tips on how to prepare, what questions they might ask, and what specifically to do/ not to do? Thanks!
I remember my alumni interview from last fall very well - it lasted for 90 minutes, and both my family and myself believe it played a key role in getting admitted early action in a very competitive pool. While yours probably won’t go on as long as mine did, I’ll tell you what I did to prepare.
First: Know Georgetown backwards and forwards. Know why you want to go there - what makes Georgetown different from all your other choices? If you know it is your top choice, SAY SO- Georgetown wants kids who want Georgetown! Have an idea of things beyond academics - what campus organizations excite you? What parts of student life made you want to attend? Become an expert on Georgetown.
Second: Once you feel like you have a confident grasp on Georgetown, examine what about you makes you a perfect fit for the school. In your interview, you are selling yourself - while you want the conversation to flow naturally, you also want to use it to highlight what makes you a match. A few examples: If you’re applying to the NHS, bring up your hours of volunteering in a hospital and your leadership in a local Red Cross chapter; If you’re applying to the SFS, talk about your internship with a representative and working on political campaigns. Show how your presence at the school will benefit Georgetown as much as being at Georgetown will benefit you.
Third: Have some questions for the interviewer. Don’t have these be anything you could easily find out online - ask about their experience. If they attended the same section of georgetown you did (SFS, NHS, College or MSB) ask specific questions about how they found the coursework, the professors. Ask them what they might change about Georgetown.
On the day, dress conservatively. For girls, a conservative (read; no low neckline or high hemline) dress with a sweater ,or a blouse/skirt combo. For guys, a button down with slacks and a tie would be appropriate. In my mind, I “dressed to impress” at every interview - you don’t want them to remember your outfit negatively! Make sure you chew gum a couple minutes before you go to the interview location. Arrive EARLY - plan to get there about 30 min before the time, and then just wait outside in your car. Have a “cheat sheet” to read over before you go in - your highlights, what you want to ask them, etc. just to keep it fresh in your brain.
Most importantly, be yourself. Be genuine. And have fun with the conversation!
I can’t comment on Gtown specifically but can give general advice.
–Agree that you should be familiar with the school and its offerings. Don’t sit around and memorize every line of the website or you will sound like an automaton spitting out answers. But certainly be able to explain what you can bring to the university and why Gtown is a good fit for what you want.
–If you have a resume bring it as it can be a good springboard for conversation. If the interviewer doesn’t want the resume just put it away. Each interviewer will have his/her own style.
–Do have some questions prepared that can’t be answered by looking at the school website.
–Depending on where the interview is being held, I would suggest opting for something a bit less formal than described above. If the interview is held in the interviewer’s office certainly ask what the appropriate dress code is for the office is. But if the interview is at a less formal location (ex. Starbucks, diner etc.) then I’d suggest more business casual – for a guy khakis and a polo shirt/button down shirt and for a female either nice pants and a blouse, a skirt/top, sundress/cardigan depending on the weather. Definitely nothing suggestive, nothing dirty, nothing ripped, etc.
– You can google college interview questions and get a long list of typical questions. Read them over but don’t try to memorize answers.
– Remember alumni are not professional interviewers. Be yourself and you will be fine. A good interview will feel like a conversation where you exchange information.
Thank you so much for the advice!!
Do they interview you after your entire application is turned in, or as soon as you create your account/pay the $75?
The initial submission and application fee is what triggers the assignment of an interviewer.
How long does it usually take to hear from them?
I would say to not put too much pressure on it because at the end of the day you really do want to be genuine. I would definitely recommend maybe making a small list of things you know for sure you want to mention because I remember as soon as I left I started thinking of all of the things I didn’t say. I think this’ll happen no matter what though so try not to sweat it too much! I know it’s cheesy but be yourself! That’s exactly what they’re trying to get at / why they’re having this.
@tuppit4 I heard within ~2-3 weeks of submitting my application, but it really depends on who your interviewer is/ when they’re available!
My daughter has her interview this Friday. Her interviewer specifically requested her to dress casually and mentioned applicants should not come in suits/ties (or the traditional female equivalent).
You’ve gotten some good advice here so I would be repetitive. But just a tip from my daughter’s experience. We had been told that college interviewers are not supposed to ask you what other schools you are applying to. My daughter’s Georgetown interviewer did ask her that. So just be prepared, if asked that question, for what you will say in terms of building a picture of why Georgetown would be your first choice among those schools. Also - unless you’re in a situation like the above poster mentioned where the interviewer specifically advises you how to dress - I would err on the side of more professional. My daughter’s interview was in the coffee shop of a Barnes and Noble bookstore, but she still went in a dress blouse, dress pants and high heels. You want to look like you are taking the interview seriously and care enough to look your best. Good luck!
My interviewer this weekend just asked me about myself and my extracurriculars and why they were important to me! It was very casual and just a fun conversation, I wouldn’t worry about it too much! Just try to get to know them and show off your personality. Most importantly, be humble!
I actually had my interview on October 9th! My interviewer was a local med student (just graduated from GU in 2016) and it went amazingly! She was so nice, and it was more a conversation than anything!
Thoughts on an interviewer who really didn’t have any time to meet over the next few months, so he wanted to have a phone call. I suggested we Skype for a bit more personal experience. We had a very pleasant 9 minute conversation.
@apdns19 9 minutes seem a bit short… what did you guys talk about? Usually interviews are 30-45 minutes.
@maasquerade98 He asked why I wanted to go to Georgetown and about other activities that I’m involved in. He also asked what other schools I was applying to which I didn’t feel too comfortable about but I kept it general. Then he asked if I had any questions for him, so I asked a few then he told me to let him know if I had any questions during the application process. He was very nice, but there was no attempt to keep the conversation going. I guess that is also my fault, but how many questions was I really going to ask him? I have visited the school multiple times, gone to the info session and tour, and been all over the internet. I thought he would want to find out more about me. Oh well. Can’t do anything about it now. I just wish I got an alumnus who had some time to actually meet with me and get to know me.
If you go to a private school and it’s on a weekday wear your uniform… can’t go wrong with that.