<p>I just was contacted by a Princeton alumni interviewer (who, according to Google, is relatively "famous," no less!) to schedule an interview meeting for this Tuesday. </p>
<p>Just a few questions for those of you who have already gone through the whole interview process at Princeton:</p>
<p>First of all, do alumni interviewers have access to the essays and credentials included as part of the common app, or is it a good idea to bring along a copy of your common app and/or resume?</p>
<p>Secondly, care to share your interview experience? Length, questions, conversations, etc.</p>
<p>Interviewers don't see any of their application...but the parts that they care about will be what they talk to you about. My mother is a Princeton alum, and she says she hates it when kids bring resumes, because you should cover most of the things on there during your interview. (But then again, one of my interviewers this year asked that I bring one, so it's personal preference I guess.) I definitely wouldn't bring your application.</p>
<p>Hmm i would bring along a copy of your resume just incase they ask -- can never hurt. My P interview was an hour long, really laid back, really conversational .. My alum was awesome, some others may suck i guess and like interrogate you. We talked about my extra currics, the economy, his own experience and stories, and a bunch of stuff.. it was fun</p>
<p>S has taken resume to each of his interviews. He justs asks them if they want a copy before he leaves...all the interviewers have taken it....His Princeton interview was a couple of weeks ago. They talked alot about his unique junior high experience in a choice public school with an environmental and adventure theme. It was very forward looking 6 years ago when he started as a sixth grader and very current theme today. They also talked alot about all the pressures/expectations for students to have the "RESUME" to apply at the Ivies. He said it was great and relaxed and he enjoyed the interview very much.</p>
<p>I have not brought a resume to any of my interviews. The interviewer usually asks about my activities, and I can summarize them then in more detail and much more personally. My Princeton interview was super cas. The interviewer was interesting and talked a little about his experiences at Princeton, which was cool. I talked a lot about my extra currics, and why I like Princeton, and about my current school. I also talked a lot about my background, because it is sort of unique. The interview was pretty short- 45 minutes.</p>
<p>Hmm, to be honest, I think that interviewers who specifically ask applicants to bring resumes are taking it too seriously. I believe that sets a tone of one-sidedness and creates a level of inequality of applicant vs. interviewer. The point of the interview (I prefer to call it conversation) is a two-way process. Interviewers are ambassadors of Princeton. They don't have a direct effect on who gets in and who doesn't. Obviously you don't want to do anything inappropriate but the conversation is a chance for you to ask someone who has gone to the school about their life there and for the interviewer to bring one more color to the student's application.</p>
<p>I think I am more surprised that interviewers request this because I have just started interviewing for Princeton and I would never ask for a resume. I know that asking for one immediately creates a level of formality that I would have to break down during the conversation. But maybe this is a generational thing...perhaps older interviewers have grown up in this formality...</p>
<p>But by all means, bring a resume...just in case you have one that does ask you for it. </p>
<p>Oh, I almost forgot. Alumni do not know anything about you except your name, address, your high school, and gender. Truth be told, we don't need to know everything...I want the student to tell me what interests them, what they do in their HS, etc... after all, our job isn't to parrot resume information but to add new dimension/color to their application.</p>
<p>I’m a Princeton interviewer and I ask all of my candidates to e-mail me resumes/lists of extra-curriculars, etc. before the interview (and would suggest, though I don’t tell them this, that they bring them with them). I do it for them–I’ve had several interviews where candidates cannot effectively articulate their main accomplishments in enough detail. Thus, the resume gives me a “cheat sheat” of things to ask them about. I don’t evaluate the resume or use it when doing my write up afterwards, it just helps the discussion flow.</p>
<p>The moral here is that every interview(er) is different–bring a resume, the worst case scenario is that you don’t take it out of your bag and you look prepared by asking. What’s to lose?</p>