I’m scheduled to take the Initialview Interview in a few days. It’s an online Interview and there’s a writing sample. How does this actually work? I mean, what was the interview like? What kind of questions were asked? Did they even go through your application before asking you questions or was it totally random? And how does this writing sample thing work? I mean, yeah, I’ll write it. Then what am I supposed to do with what I’ve written?
There’s so much of uncertainty and so little information in the website!
Just curious, are you a transfer student and did they request it?
@Vincent1997 no I’m an International Freshman. The IW was “Strongly recommended”
@santacalculus how did the interview go? Can you answer your own questions over there? Thinking of taking InitialView myself.
@KvalheimRacing Hi!
Well, there’s actually nothing to worry about unless your internet connection betrays you. Even then, the IWer will give you time to change your connection. The interview was pretty simple actually. They’ll ask you to talk about which school you are from, tell more about your school experience, what you’ve been doing since the last 5 years etc. Based on your answers to those questions, the IWer will pose next questions to give you.a chance to elaborate all that you said previously.
No, they don’t go through your application. In fact, the interview is not even for a specific college. you can send this same interview to several other colleges too. So, they ask you not to mention any specific college’s name either so that you can send this to multiple colleges.
As for the writing sample, it was pretty easy. You need to take printouts of the writing sample sheets that are provided with your admission ticket. After the verbal part of the IW is done, the IWer will give you a prompt and I think almost 20 mins time to write an essay based on that. After you’re done, you need to hold the paper over the webcam so that the IWer will take photos. Then your IW ends. After that, you’re supposed to scan the pages, make a single PDF file out of those essay papers, and upload it into your InitialView Account.
The only irritant was that the IWer won’t let you finish what you’re saying before asking the next question. But then, because of the time constraint, I guess that’s understandable so keep your answers brief and succinct.
I think you should take it. It’s definitely helpful to your application.
P.S. I got into Carnegie Mellon.
Ah nice, that was a lot of useful information, thanks I will! 