<p>Hello there.. I'm a rising senior and and am going to apply to Tufts. I'm a little nervous about the alumni interview which im going to have to give after applying. Not sure what kind of questions to expect. I'd appreciate it if you guys could shed some light on how your interviews went. Were they very formal?</p>
<p>Thanks much.</p>
<p>I actually didn't have an interview for Tufts (I got in, nonetheless). However, I did about 6 interviews, total, over the course of the application process, and the biggest thing I can tell you is that, unless you have a witch of an interviewer, these people WANT you to go to their alma mater. just show a lot of enthusiasm about what you're interested in (if you don't know what you're interested in, you can show interest in learning about many different things--just show some intellectual spark). formality ultimately depends on where you're meeting. if you're meeting at a starbucks, I think nice jeans/casual slacks with (for girls) maybe a blazer-ish looking jacket over a top (that's what I wore) or (for guys) a nice collared shirt. if it's at someone's office... actually, I can't really help you with this because, in Hawaii, people usually just wear aloha shirts to work..I'd say to wear something that will match the interviewer's formality/work clothes, but I don't really know what people wear to the office on the mainland, so I can't be very specific about what kinds of clothes this situation indicates. my interviewer for the Brown PLME program showed up in a knitted sweatshirt and hospital scrubs--he had just come from work at the hospital. I guess what I'm trying to say is that these interviewers are people, with lives, and the interview is basically a conversation--so don't freak out about it. And, good luck!</p>
<p>Hey thanks for your post. What kind of questions did these universities ( such as Brown,etc ) ask you? Really not sure what to say to "Why should we admit you" without sounding a little pretentious..</p>
<p>Don't worry, I was nervous for all of my interviews too. Out of the four I had, two were at the schools, one was at starbucks, and one was at my interviewer's house. The last one was Tufts. We timed the interview so that her two year old son would be napping while we talked. I always wore either khakis or nice jeans (ie dark, no holes) with a nice top and shoes, and always felt comfortable. As for questions, here's a few I remember:
-What will you contribute on campus? What activities will you participate in?
-Tell me about your high school.
-Where do see yourself in ten years? (That was Northwestern, I hate that question)
-Is there anything that didn't come across in your application that you would like the admissions board to know? (That was Tufts, I loved that question)
-Do your grades accurately reflect your academic potential?
-Which of your ec's is your favorite?
-What have done over your summers?
-What attracted you to Tufts?</p>
<p>That's all that i can remember, but if you google "college interview tips" you'll get a bunch more. Try to have some sort of idea of how you'll answer the questions before you get there. Make sure to study the viewbook and the website as well before you go. At the end of every interview they will ask you if you have any questions for them. Do not say "no"!!!! Prepare at least four questions to ask before you get there. That way if you happen to cover a couple of them during the interview itself, you still have some for the end.
Another thing to remember is that the interviewer knows nothing about you. They don't get to read you application. All they know is your name, phone number, high school, and sometimes the major you're considering. Keep that in mind when answering questions. Don't feel like your simply reiterating what's already in your application because they don't know that.
As soon as you get home sit down and write your interviewer a thank you note. Regardless of how well you think it went, they are busy people who took time out of their schedules to talk to you. Try to remember a couple of specific things you talked about during your interview to put in the note. Besides just thanking them, sending a note ensures that their last impression of you is a good one.
The last thing to remember is that your interview will not skyrocket you into the accepted pile, nor will it send you into the rejected pile. It simply does not carry that much weight. It is basically a way for the admissions officers to learn more about you, and if they're on the fence about you it can pull you one way or the other. So, prepare but don't stress about it too much. Just be yourself, be polite, be on time and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>My Columbia interview asked me about my academic strengths and weaknesses. At my Harvard interview we talked about my activites such as tennis, why I loved certain teachers and books.</p>
<p>Yeah, the interview is such a non-issue. I think of it as a conversation with a person who loved their school so much that they're doing these interviews, not some horrible grilling session. And the questions don't have to have official answers. My Columbia interviewer asked me either what my favorite class at school was or why I wanted to major in political science, and I started talking about AP Government and this amazing public policy project we were currently doing, where we were pretending to be an aide to a US Senator (the teacher would give us the state and party; I was a Minnesota Democrat) and we chose an issue (mine was nuclear waste disposal) and basically had to become experts on it and then advise our senator on what position he/she should take, and then prepare a press release with their statement. It was fascinating! And really made me that much more interested in government and the policy process. The interviewer was also really interested in the project - even though he was an architect! - and definitely liked the way that I was so openly enthusiastic for it. Often the interviewer will not have studied what you plan on studying, so you just have to show why you're so interested in it. "I'll make lots of money" probably isn't good enough, lol.</p>
<p>Plus it's good to work in interesting things about yourself. I'd always mention that I speak Russian, that I kept a livejournal with funny accounts of the school day which was read daily by half my school and other kids, that I once played piano at Carnegie Hall, that I competed in an international latin dance competition in the Prechampionship division, whatever. But don't do it like it's a list of your achievements, just the things you're interested in.</p>
<p>But most importantly - just BE YOURSELF. And definitely show interest in the school. They love the school so much, they want to see kids who are worthy of the school by actually knowing some stuff about it. Like, don't go into a Tufts interview and talk about how much you want to be a business major - we have no business program! Instead, log onto tuftslife.com and look around the various organizations or classes we have, so that you can come prepared with examples of what you want to get involved in or take advantage of on campus. And try to make some Tufts-specific; like, you may want to go there because it's close to Boston, but a ton of colleges are also close to or in Boston. Try to find things particular to Tufts that you can laud.</p>
<p>my tufts interview was pretty interesting...the lady had 20 cats and a dog and they all started jumping on me...but i'm pre-vet so it worked out well</p>
<p>it's an opportunity to talk about yourself, which most people are pretty good at. Make the best of it. </p>
<p>Back in the day, I wanted to get into Yale more than anything in the world, but my interviewer was kind of a d1ck, so I wasn't sad when I got rejected. Today I'm actually glad I don't go there.</p>
<p>Hey.. Thanks for your responses guys.. Appreciate it :) </p>
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the lady had 20 cats and a dog and they all started jumping on me...but i'm pre-vet so it worked out well
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<p>Damn... I'm not really a fan of dogs and cats so would probably not be comfortable sitting around them in such a scenario.. Oh well, I'm gonna hope for the best!</p>
<p>don't even stress about it, so long as you are truly interested in the school it will show and thats enough. with US schools, i think the primary purpose of the interview is to see how much of a match there is for the student, rather than to put you in the spotlight like it is in the UK.</p>
<p>i didn't get an interview for tufts, because they confused my mailing and permanent address. i really don't think it mattered though, i still got in while all the other people at my school stressed about theirs and didn't get accepted. </p>
<p>i had a horrible interview for one of my schools, the alumna's children were very physical and kept running into the room and touching me in awkward places :s i also made several comments that openly displayed my keynesianist tendencies :p big guess what school that would be a problem for.</p>
<p>Wow... no one thought to ask the resident alumna interviewer. Sigh! </p>
<p>Anyway... I really try to make it a conversation. Tufts sees and analyzes your stats - frankly, I don't care about that stuff. I want to know why Tufts should admit YOU and what you will bring to the campus. To that end, I ask about:
-favourite classes
-if you listed a potential major (esp. if you are thinking about engineering), what attracts you to it. (I also try to talk a bit about non-high school majors, like anthropology and psychology - kids get stuck in English/math/science/foreign language/history. I try to use the interview to impart some recent grad knowledge that my kiddies can use wherever they go to school.)
-favourite ECs and why you do them
-family - no right/wrong answers here, just looking for what makes you tick. I personally find people with less high-achieving families to be more impressive.
-what you do with your summer. I scooped ice cream because I had to work, so no judgments here.<br>
-miscellanea - wherever the conversation takes us
-finally, if the student has questions for me. I'm willing to answer anything, from what the dorms and food are like to financial aid questions. Even if it's about college generally, I'm happy to help out. To me, the interview is part me evaluating the student, part the student learning about Tufts, and part big sister/mentor time - because I really think that a recent grad can be of help in ways that someone who graduated 30 years ago can't be of help.</p>
<p>My advice: we don't analyze your body language, tone, etc - I know that y'all are 17 and nervous. So relax and realise that you're having a nice conversation with someone who really enjoyed her college days and also enjoys the energy, intellectual curiousity, and enthusiasm that is so peculiar to high-achieving teenagers. Yes, there are people who, sight unseen, think it would be cool to meet you. Go with it.</p>
<p>Dress nicely. I'm taking time out to interview you. I don't care if you are wearing a skirt and hose or slacks - wear what is comfortable. However, be neat and clean. It does mean something when a student makes that effort. No jeans. Slacks and a sweater or a polo is fine.</p>
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Wow... no one thought to ask the resident alumna interviewer. Sigh!
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<p>I tried Pm'ing you earlier but your inbox was full.</p>
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I want to know why Tufts should admit YOU and what you will bring to the campus. To that end, I ask about:
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<p>Its a relief to know that the questions you ask are pretty casual and nothing too formal ( such as the "Why should tufts admit you" kind of question ) </p>
<p>Thanks much for your input. Much appreciated :)</p>
<p>Ah! You're one of the legions of people who tried to get to me while I was away. My apologies. :)</p>
<p>I don't ask straight-out "Why should Tufts admit you?" I really try to ask about what interests them, makes them tick, etc, so I can see what they will bring to campus.</p>
<p>I'll also ask about what the student knows about Tufts. Not a trick question. When I lived in Massachusetts, I really expected that the students would have made the 15-minute trip to visit campus. In the South, when it's a good 11 hours to drive there and flying isn't much faster, I really understand if the student has not visited. </p>
<p>By the way - if anyone has suggestions about how to make interviews more relaxed and get the students to better showcase their abilities, I would love to hear it.</p>
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Ah! You're one of the legions of people who tried to get to me while I was away. My apologies.
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<p>No problem :)</p>
<p>You sound like a great interviewer! Now if only I lived in MA ;)</p>
<p>I don't live in MA anymore. Currently (see "location") in DC, then moving again sometime.</p>
<p>My main advice is not to worry if you don't have much in common with your interviewer: mine was a doctor, and the pre-med/science/math tracks are the last thing I want to do, and I blurted that out pretty quickly. But hey, everything turned out fine in the end and I'm headed off to Tufts in the fall.</p>