We write reports about the kids and submit them. The reports can’t do anything but help from what we are told. The only really negative reports are when the applicant can’t keep track of which school the alumni interviewer is associated with. Most of my reports were a page and a half, but the shortest were a single paragraph
Questions are very simple, sort of like the essay prompts in some respects. Have you been to Penn or did you go on a virtual tour? What do you like about Penn? What do you look forward to in college? We have at least 20 possible questions to ask that we select from, and most people add a few of their own.
We want to tell you about Penn and may reference our time at Penn, and we want you to tell us about yourself and things you like about Penn. Penn strives for 100% alumni interviews for its applicants, and if video calls aren’t your kid’s thing, request a phone call instead. I’m not interviewing this year as my daughter is applying, I hope to start up again next year.
PS - we have no access to applications or scores. The only thing alumni interviewers get is a student’s name, proposed major and college, and contact info. That’s the most frustrating thing about being an alumni interviewer, you can be talking to the brightest, most articulate kid in the world, but if they don’t have the stats, essary, and scores for the program they are applying to, it doesn’t matter how the alumni interview went.
What’s up y’all. I applied ED to Wharton on October 22 and still have not been contacted for an interview. Is this concerning? What’s the typical timeframe for when interviews take place?
No worries. Penn typically sends list of applicants to Alumni in the area. Whether someone gets an interview or not would all depend on the # of applicants in the given region and available Alumni who signed up for interviews. If an Alum were to be available and pick a you for an interview, you will be contacted. Otherwise, just sit back and wait for the admission decision in mid-December.
Anyone have any idea when decisions will be released? I know it’s typically around the 2nd or 3rd week of December, but if anyone has any more specifics I’d appreciate it!!
Be prepared to answer questions like Why Penn? One of my favorites was “Tell me something you’ve done in your life that you’re proud of.” Got some really interesting answers to that. Be prepared to talk about academic pursuits that you are passionate about. We write reports.
Hi everyone - current freshman at Penn. Wanted to say good luck to you all in this process, and (easier said than done), try not to stress! These are also your last few months at home (assuming COVID subsides eventually), so enjoy with your family as well.
If I haven’t been contacted yet for an interview, is there still a chance I will get one? I submitted my ED application three weeks ago. I’m not from a major city, but I would have thought that there would be enough Penn alumni in my area to offer me an interview.
No worries. Alumni interview reports generally do not play any role in the admission decision; just relax and have a pleasant conversation. If you were to get an email or get contacted otherwise, make sure to respond. Be present and don’t do blunders such as confusing Penn with some other school that you applied for:-).
Does anyone know if ED applications are up this year? I’ve heard that they’re way up at a number of other schools. If applications are up, will Penn admit more students via ED and fill a higher portion of their class or will they admit the same amount of kids and go for the lower acceptance rate?
On the topic of interviews, and coming from an admissions advisor, here are some friendly reminders for you all:
Keep It Cordial. Think of this as a friendly conversation for you two to learn more about each other. This isn't necessarily another part of your application, but more of a way for UPenn (or any other institution) to get to know you "off the page."
Learn About Them. Notice how I said to "learn more about each other." Ask questions! Make an effort to learn about your interviewer -- bilateral dialogue goes a long way in building a strong connection with the person you're speaking with.
Be Confident. As with any interaction, display proper posture (even through video chat), speak with assertion and passion, and show that you are meant to be at UPenn.
Be Relatable. Going hand-in-hand with being cordial, stay calm and collected during the meeting. Being funny, wearing a smile, and speaking as if this is a normal conversation with a friend will set you up for success.
I just got mine today. I was concerned that I wouldn’t get an interview, so I emailed Penn yesterday on that topic. They gave me a pretty generic response, but I got an interview invitation this morning.
