Hello, so I have an alumni interview for UPenn this coming Saturday. I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to what I could prepare, how I should dress (my friend accidentally overdressed for hers), and just things in general. I’m not sure what to expect and I would really appreciate any experiences that people would be willing to share
–I’d suggest business casual dress.
–If you have a resume, bring it as it could be a good jumping off point for a conversation. Be able to discuss your academic and EC achievements.
–Expect it to be conversational in tone, you are talking to a volunteer not a professional interviewer.
–You can google “college interview questions” to get an idea of some typical questions…
–Know why you particularly like Penn, what you can add to the school, why it is a good fit etc.
–Have a couple of questions prepared that cannot be answered on the website…since it is an alum you can ask why he/she chose Penn, what is his/her favorite thing about Penn or something along those lines.
–Be sure to thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with your and email a thank you note.
As a Penn alumni interviewer for the past 25 years, I would say just go and be yourself. The interviewers are trying to get to know you on a personal level and let you ask any questions you might have. Also, if there are things about you that you didn’t have a chance to convey on the application itself. Dress business casual (no jeans) but no need to be super formal. Penn is going for 100% applicant interviews. Some students might end up having virtual interviews instead of meeting with someone face to face depending where they live.