<p>I really liked my interviewer and I thought the interview was pretty fun.</p>
<p>What kind of questions did they ask you?</p>
<p>it was real chill, he just asked me what I do and asked me to talk about myself.</p>
<p>Yeah, these interviews are not something one should prepare for. Just bring your muscular intellect and curiosity, and you should be set to go! ;-)</p>
<p>My interview was very fun, but my friends who did interview before me did not like it.</p>
<p>My current event questions were,</p>
<ol>
<li>What is your opinion on Iraq war?</li>
<li>In context of American history, is Iraq war consistent with what we usually do?</li>
<li> Is UN effective? How so?</li>
</ol>
<p>Those questions (although look not so complicated) were tough to answer without expectation and with knowledge that the other person probably know more than I do.</p>
<p>I hear the interviews can last anywhere from half to 4 hours!</p>
<p>I had my interview yesterday also. Mine lasted two hours and she asked some questions regarding extracurricular activities based on the resume sheet. After that, we just talked about personal stuff - religion , etc. No current events.</p>
<p>mine was an hour...i had yale interview that was nearly 2 hours...never heard of one close to 4 hours.</p>
<p>Just watched the superbowl...do they ask any questions on sports, like who's your favorite team?</p>
<p>The interviewers often ask YOU about THEIR interests as a way of making a connection -- I always ask if the student is interested in theater or music. So if you get a big sports fan as an interviewer, sure, he might as you if you're into sports. If you have an interview in Pittsburgh this week, chances are good that you're going to touch on sports. :)</p>
<p>No two interviewers approach the process in precisely the same way, but I suspect the fraction who quiz you on current events is in the minority,</p>
<p>The aim is to get some sense of "who you are", your interpersonal skills, what kind of roomate you might be, what your leading passions and interests may be, etc etc.</p>
<p>For most interviewers, the technique is to get a conversation going so that they can achieve their aim.</p>
<p>Is a music fanatic going to hate you if you say you don't like music?</p>
<p>Are you wondering whether Hanna would love you more if you said loved a capella, or I would love you more if you played lacrosse? </p>
<p>Possibly... but I think we'd try to discount our prejudices when writing an interview report!</p>
<p>No I just want to make sure that you can actually be honest without most interviewers biting your head off :)</p>
<p>Byerly, are interviewers allowed to assess to you verbally how they think you would fit in at Harvard? My interviewer said "I think you'd make a perfect Harvard student and I'm going to do what I can to see to it that the folks in Cambridge know this."</p>
<p>He got my hopes up, but how strongly could his words help me?</p>
<p>You'd be surprised how regularly experienced interviewers appreciate honesty and candor, and can smell a phony or calculated answer to a question.</p>
<p>As to the preceding question about how much an enthusiastic interview report can help .... well it can't hurt, but it is unlikely to get you in if you don't have a chance otherwise.</p>
<p>Most candidates are not at the extremes, however - either turbo-admit or obviously unqualified; upwards of 80-90% of all applicants are, it has been estimated, capable of doing the work. </p>
<p>Thus the issue may be what stands out about you, or whether you will add something of an intangible nature to the class - and thus to Harvard. Interviewers are always looking for these elusive "intangible qualities". For the candidate in the large middle group, they can make the difference.</p>
<p>If an interviewer is impressed, and says so, there is nothing wrong with that.</p>
<p>By the same token, simply because an interviewer doesn't cover you with praise doesn't necessarily mean anything.</p>
<p>I've heard stories of the proverbial "tough" interviewer who so intimidated an applicant that he complained to headquarters that he'd been treated unfairly. Turned out the ogre wrote a great recommendation, and that the tough questions were simply his way of "testing" the applicant to see how he'd respond to pressure.</p>
<p>The pussycat interview is far more typical, I tend to think.</p>
<p>Byerly, did you give that tough interview? lol :)</p>
<p>I'm always told to memorize sports teams and current events.. guess it's not really that important?</p>
<p>Nah, I give the laid back, casual kind of interview. No questions about (1) abortion (2) Iraq (3) Plato, or (4) quantum theory.</p>
<p>^ my columbia interviewer touched on three of those topics and some.</p>