Hey guys,
I just received my interview invitation yesterday, and to say the least, I’m pretty nervous. I looked up the alum who will be interviewing me, and he’s an older man and a lawyer. My preconceptions make me think that he won’t be too friendly, that he’ll be cold and try to make me slip up. 
I know my assumptions are pretty baseless, but I’m just afraid that I’ll bomb this interview. Can you guys reassure me that interviewers are generally amiable?
I’ve had 4 interviews so far this year. All the interviewers were super friendly and just wanted to know more about me. No interviewer wants you to slip up - they volunteered for this position and love the school and generally root for prospective students. I know interviews are scary, but you’ll be fine. Even if you do bomb, it probably won’t affect admission because most schools barely weight the interview.
I think it’s helpful BEFORE your interview to look at an actual alumni interview report – and to be aware of how you might come across as an applicant. Harvard doesn’t have a sampling of reports available on-line, but Yale does. Pay special attention to the reports for JEROD, RICHARD, HANS and THERESA: http://asc.yale.edu/samplereports.
Bottom line: Be yourself on your best day! Have a firm handshake, look your interview in the eye when answering questions. Be thoughtful, engaging, and whatever topic is discussed, show you’ve put some thought into the matter and don’t parrot the opinions of your parents, teachers, friends etc. And remember to ask your interviewer some questions, such as:
There are several sites you can google with Harvard interview questions, among them are:
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/hear-our-students/student-blog/my-unofficial-tips-interviews
https://signeteducation.com/blog/harvard-interview-expectations
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=harvard+interview&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=harvard+interview+site:talk.collegeconfidential.com&safe=off&rls=en