Interview advice anyone?!?

<p>So… I have my interview with a Bowdoin alumnus in a few weeks, and I’m pumped! I really want to get in. But, I’m also kind of nervous, because I haven’t interviewd before, and I have a bad habit of sounding like a complete moron when I get nervous… Any advice? Thanks</p>

<p>Side note: I haven’t been able to visit Bowdoin, so any input on the campus (likes/dislikes) or on anything else would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>I think its really important to be yourself, and to try to imagine you are talking to a good (yet respected) friend or acquaintance - it'll help you be less nervous. I'm sure experienced interviewers can tell when kids are nervous, though, and will definitely give you a break.. I think being calm and composed is probably the exception. Being nervous means you care! And make sure that before you go, you have good things to say about some extra-curricular activity you do (i've been asked that 3 times), about a class you've taken, or a hobby. Just be prepared to talk, in detail, about you and your activities. </p>

<p>So the campus is beautiful, and has a gigantic quad where, when i visited, students were in the process of creating a man-made skating rink! The freshman dorms are incredible.. not at all like any other dorms i've seen at any other college. They have all been renovated within the past couple of years, and are very spacious. And Brunswick is a nice town. It looks small, but i heard there are over 40 restaurants in it (!?) and plenty of places to go.</p>

<p>Good luck with the interview!</p>

<p>Thanks a lot! I guess really the only thing I can do is be myself. Hopefully they like me :) But the campus sounds gorgeous, and I cannot WAIT to visit it (that's if I get in...)</p>

<p>If this helps, I found that my Bowdoin interview was very short, and all the questions were straightforward and simple. None of that "If you could be a lizard or a snake, which would be be and why?" nonsense. Of course, all the interviewers are probably different, but hopefully you'll luck out... </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Yeah, I had an interview on campus and it was the first think I did when I visited for the first time. My interviewer was really nice and she basically just asked me questions about myself that were really easy to answer. I'm sure they're all different, but when I had an alumni interview for another school, the person was just like, "so this is mainly just for you to get information about this school beccause I don't think they even look at my report"--if you get the idea. Be sure to have some question to ask the interviewer though, if you've never visited, you should be wondering something and they'll be happy to tell you about their time at the college. Good luck!</p>

<p>I showed up at Bowdoin after my tour and info session and found out that the dean of admissions wanted to do my interview! Talk about nerve wracking! It turns out that it was because he knew my GC because he used to be the dean of students at Vanderbilt (I'm from Tennessee).
Honestly, it was awesome. We just had a conversation, we talked a lot about how I'm from the Tennessee and the south and why I wanted to come north. He asked me about what I did over the summer (I went to visit right before school started back up). It was not bad at all and I felt like he really got a good view of who I was. I was able to completely be myself because I forgot it was an interview instead of a conversation.
Be yourself, know who you are. He asked a lot about my perspectives and what I thought I could bring to campus. </p>

<p>Hope that helps! Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine!</p>

<p>lonnie 117 I'm from Tennessee too! Bowdoin's Dean of Admissions came to my school in Nashville. He's a great guy. I also visited the campus. As for any advice, I would say to just be yourself. You should mention any service projects you really care about because Bowdoin stresses the common good. Relax, you'll do well.</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone who replied. It makes me feel better that there are so many nice people out there! :) </p>

<p>So where else have you all applied? I finished my last app the other day and I am sooooo relieved. I mean, we're almost college kids! haha. kinda scary in some cases...</p>

<p>I just finished my apps too! I've found that it wasn't the applications that were so stressful, but rather the fact that I have to sit and wait for four months until I find out!</p>

<p>I applied to Colby, Bowdoin, Mcgil, Tufts, BC, Wesleyan, American, and U of Miami (haha, I know, completely opposite of all my other schools)</p>