<p>The guy that scheduled an interview with me wants to do the interview at my house. Is this weird? Has anyone else had their interviewer do this? I don't get why he would want to interview me at my house while my parents sit in the other room, it all seems so very awkward.</p>
<p>Joel in the movie Risky Business had his ivy interview at home. I think it was Princeton. If you don’t do well, you always have U of Illinois!</p>
<p>Tell him you’d prefer to meet at the local McDonalds or coffee shop. He has no business evaluating you in your home. It can only impart bias. Don’t do it. I would never do it to a student.</p>
<p>To be more blunt – he’s dense. All it can do is potentially intimidate the student and family. Why should he do that? He’s not doing Princeton any favors in my book.</p>
<p>^ Valid points, but I’d advise a more easygoing attitude. Invite him over and do the interview. No reason to allow yourself to be intimidated by him. I’m sure he means no offense. The main thing to keep in mind is that allumni interviews are intended to be informative, not evaluative.</p>
<p>Good luck, and have fun.</p>
<p>I had an interview at my house with Princeton; because I live very far away from the metropolitan area, my interviewer decided to come for a walk in a park not far away from my home; he visited me afterwards while his wife was doing some shopping 
If you’re really uncomfortable about it, or if your parents are not at home at the moment, you could ask him for a change (something like a local coffee shop), but my interview went really well and was not in the least influenced (I think) by the fact that it was at my home.</p>
<p>OP, the Guidelines for Interviewing for Princeton state, “Interviews should be conducted in a setting agreed upon by you and the applicant. This might be your office, the candidate’s home or school, or a public place, such as a local coffee shop. It is essential that the candidate feel safe and comfortable in the space you choose.” Having an interview in your home is allowed, but if you are not comfortable with that you should suggest another place. If there’s a coffee shop or another place near your home where you would be comfortable meeting, ask your interviewer if he would meet you there instead. I’m sure he doesn’t want you to be uncomfortable.</p>
<p>^ Ahh. That’s informative. For my HYP interviewer’s guidebook, they ask us NOT to interview in student homes b/c they don’t want families to feel they need to bend over backwards b/c the big, bad HYP interviewer is coming over to examine them. The same thing about interviewing in our own homes too – so as to not intimidate the students.</p>
<p>I guess my own thoughts have been formed by what my school’s guidelines have warned us about. Hmmmm… time to re-assess for me.</p>
<p>T26E4, I don’t know that you need to reassess. I actually think you have the right idea. Meeting in one’s office or a more neutral place really is best, in my opinion. I just wanted to let the OP know that the Princeton interviewer really didn’t intend for him to be uncomfortable.</p>
<p>I would have liked my son to have an interview at our house. They would have seen how dumpy and small it is and maybe have offered even more money. :-)</p>
<p>Seriously, it does seem better to interview at a neutral place. OP, let us know what happens.</p>
<p>^ D just wrapped up her last of 8 interviews. 7 were done at a neutral location - public library study room was the most popular with pastry cafe second most. One alumnae invited her to her home and was very hospitable – D felt very comfortable there. All interviews were local, and with local alumni (except one). All took place at a venue within 5 miles of our home. This is a close knit area so general awareness of local affiliations and outstanding student achievement are common. There’s no hiding. The exception was that one interviewer was traveling from one state where he directs a specialized dept. of medicine to another state where he is on the medical school faculty for that same specialty. Total trip distance between these two points is about 140 miles. The Doc. knew this area and suggested either the local library or a downtown cafe and was prompt in arriving at the library. Very professional and clearly committed to the interview process. Haven’t heard anyone mention sending a thank-you note to the interviewer(s)? I believe that would be very appropriate, if not a must, and D took that tact.</p>
<p>Sorry I haven’t updated you guys, the interview is in 30 minutes, wish me luck. I’m getting a bit more comfortable with the at-home interview now that it nears, but I do wish I requested a different place. Oh well, it’s too late now.</p>
<p>I hope it went well.</p>
<p>It actually went pretty well. It was still a pain because I have two dogs that are somewhat rowdy, had to clean up the house a lot, etc. Planning on sending a thank-you note/email. Glad it’s done, thanks guys.</p>
<p>I love rowdy dogs, they are an ice-breaker in themselves. I have had hounds that are not shy in putting their nose right in (people) places where they don’t belong. They also can bring out a whole range of conversation and topics, being the “barking” members of the family. A friend of mine trains German Shepherds with German commands. Once you enter that home, you need to ask permission from the dogs to leave. I wish you the best! Mr. VC</p>
<p>I’m not sure, but for another school that I applied to, they said that at-home interviews weren’t allowed. 
Maybe that doesn’t apply to Penn.</p>
<p>[Risky</a> Business - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risky_Business]Risky”>Risky Business - Wikipedia)
He got in partially because the interview was at his House!
Classic movie.</p>