<p>Hey guys, I have my Penn interview tomorrow, and so I’ll try and remember as many questions as possible and give ya’ll who haven’t had their respective ones yet a candid assessment of what they asked and how it went.</p>
<p>Cheers</p>
<p>best of luck, man.</p>
<p>thanks. gluck to ya</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>gluck! .</p>
<p>Guys, you have nothing to fear. It's a simple, light, straightforward interview.</p>
<p>I wore my school uniform (button down collared shirt, tie, coat, grey slacks) and I arrived about 2 minutes early. I kind of looked stupid because I dropped my resume in front of my interviewer but she didn't seem to care. She had graduated from a local high school and was an economics major at Penn. </p>
<p>She started off asking me about my decision to apply early to Penn. Before I jumped into mentioning the obvious things like I have a sibling there/want to get the whole college thing over with, I described my affinity for everything Penn stands for. First the campus, then the city, then the academics, diversity, extra-curricular options, and how everything seemed to fit my personality and offer the balance of things I'm looking for in a college experience. I then described how I would like to give back to it as well. I mentioned the sibling factor subtly at the end. No BS, just straight to the point.</p>
<p>Then she started browsing through my resume and asked me about rowing, newspaper, etc. I cracked jokes about the horrid schuykll (sp?) river and how it probably might be the only discouraging factor about rowing for Penn (I went for a regatta back in may, stotesbury cup). I basically had to play jock and give the usual perserverence stuff, but I guess coming from the perspective of a rower made it interesting. I told her about the committment to the paper and all that it's taught me about leadership and dealing with crisis and school/administrative affairs, and also my volunteering experiences.</p>
<p>She asked me about my awards. Then she asked me about my family. I talked a lot and made her laugh about anecdotes and memories and such, and how even though I'm ethnically South Asian, I also live in a really diverse part of the U.S. in Northern Cali and speak Spanish fluently, etc. I kind of related this all back to Penn and how I want to get involved with the Indian Students Association (name??) or dance for hte Bhangra team but also study abroad in Argentina or Spain.</p>
<p>We didn't really get off-topic and I didn't try to charm her into talking about excessive rubbish. Ultimately we had to end on schedule because another interviewee had arrived. </p>
<p>I think that being honest and straightforward is the way to go. Sometimes it depends on your interviewer. They're supposed to be warm and fuzzy and welcoming. If they come off as cocky, brusque, or condescending, and as a result you don't feel like your interview goes well, don't let that discourage you. More often than not it's their fault for representing the school in such a crass manner. I think that as long as you be yourself and don't appear overacheiving and faux, or don't sit there and drool, then it can't hurt you in any way. Well, that's pretty much it. Hope that helped!</p>
<p>rohan2k6, you row? Pretty sweet- I'm a rower too. Who do you row for?</p>