I have my Harvard interview tomorrow, and I am FREAKING OUT. Please tell me general tips/questions, and do we really have to know current events like I’ve seen some people online say?? I’m applying as an astrophysics major, this has nothing to do with me! Help?!
:((
No one expects you to memorize the A section of the NYTimes. If you’re asked about something you only have passing knowledge of, it’s fine to say so. However, counter with something topical that does interest you. What are headlines in astrophysics? Familiarize yourself with them, surely.
thanks!
Is it an alum interview? I had mine with admissions
Two of my friends had terrible experiences with their Harvard interviews in which the interviewers asked very tough questions that had nothing to do with their interests. Hope they’re just anomalies :-/
@nsliyromanov yes, it’s an alum interview
@jackrabbit14 oh gosh I hope so too…
I’ve had one friend whose had a Harvard interview, it went extremely well. However, my friend is a news junkie who dreams of being a politician sooooo there may have been current events questions that he absolutely ball-parked
My son told the Harvard interviewer Harvard wasn’t his first choice. The interviewer spent much of his time trying to persuade my kid that Harvard could offer everything that MIT did and more. My kid ended up getting into Harvard, rejected by MIT, and decided to go to Carnegie Mellon. Most Harvard interviewers are not ogres. They want to like you. Should you be reasonably well informed about current events? Absolutely. Should you know something about the field(s) you think you are interested in? Should you know that Harvard does not have an undergraduate business major? I should hope so. (But according to a friend of mine who interviews, it’s amazing how may kids have not done their basic homework.) You should have some idea about why you want to go to Harvard, besides the name.
PS You don’t apply “as an astrophysics major”. Harvard doesn’t really care about your major though obviously they like to balance the class. But over half of the students don’t major in what they thought they would. I was one of them.
Thanks for the tips, everyone! I’ve had my interview, there were no current event questions other than headlines in astrophysics (thanks @T26E4!!!), and my interviewer was very friendly 
Glad it went well. Good luck!
@lilypippili Well done! Out of interest, what questions were you asked?
@sansculottes I was asked about my background and my family (which I found very odd…), why Harvard (of course), why should Harvard take me, and where do you see yourself in 10 years (he kept probing me on that one, I wasn’t sure if I wasn’t being specific enough or something :-/). He also just asked in general what do you want Harvard to know about you; I took that as a prompt to talk about my extracurriculars. And of course, what questions do you have. It was pretty basic actually
@lilypippili I submitted my application for REA the 21st. When should I be expecting an interview based on your personal timeline??
@tuty143: interview assignments aren’t monolithic – they’re handled by local alumn groups. Your call or non-call depends on the efficiency and availability of your local group. Another person’s interview, even in your own vicinity, is not predictive of what you’ll receive.
@lilypippili Thank’s - that’s really helpful xx
@T26E4 I understand that. But should I email to make sure they aren’t just missing me or let it be? Or do most people who will be receiving an interview have gotten their interview assigned by now
Just let it be — it’s certainly possible that you may be in a region with limited interviewers or your info hasn’t arrived at the coordinator’s portal. It’s random and no inquiry you can do will change that. Be patient.
I direct the interviews for a Harvard peer. Most EA apps haven’t been processed yet and I’ve only gotten a handful, which I assigned to alumni.
If someone would just post a Harvard interview script, it would be very helpful.
If you google “Harvard interview questions” you’ll see lists that pop up. But that’s simply a sampling/suggestion. There’s no format – it’s simply a discussion to gauge the applicant’s overall initiative and an opp for the student to add info to their file.