<p>Hey all! I have my interview in about a week, & I was just wondering what to expect. So, what kind of questions should I be prepared to answer? What kind of clothes should I wear (casual, business casual, etc)? Should I bring a resume/transcript?</p>
<p>I'm really nervous, if you couldn't already tell! I really feel like Reed is the place for me, despite being 3,000 miles away </p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any help!</p>
<p>I’d recommend business casual just to be safe, but don’t be surprised if your interviewer shows up in jeans. The interview will be low-key and informal, more like a friendly conversation then a Q&A.</p>
<p>I doubt you’ll need a resume or transcript, but if bringing copies makes you feel more comfortable, that’s worth it right there.</p>
<p>The interviewer will not be interested in evaluating your academic credentials – other people will be doing that. He’s there to see if you’re a good match for Reed and Reed’s a good match for you. Know why you think Reed’s the place for you.</p>
<p>If you have questions that can’t be answered from the website or viewbook, have them ready.</p>
<p>Do not be pretentious. If you’re geeky, don’t be afraid to be geeky, but don’t be pretentious.</p>
<p>After my own interview, my pre-interview stress just seemed like a silly waste of time, and other Reedies I’ve talked to had similar experiences. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>My interview was casual; I wore a t-shirt/jacket with jeans and sneakers. The questions were also pretty casual/normal. So, like, my interviewer asked what I’d wanna study/why, what I maybe wanna do with myself. We talked about what I do in school. Basically, like Tetra said, it’s for Reed to get to know you on a personal level.</p>
<p>Good luck, you’re gonna do great! Maybe I’ll see you there next year ;)</p>
<p>Awesome! Thanks so much for the advice. & @Francaisalamatt - I sure hope so!!</p>
<p>It’s a pretty casual interview, but dress nicely just to be safe. I think I wore a casual dress and leggings, if I remember correctly. No need for a resume/transcript.</p>
<p>The topics were discussed ranged from practical to quirky. Out of all of them, the hardest was “Tell me about yourself.” There were some out-of-the-box questions which were fun to answer (eg “If you could invite three fictional/famous/historical people to dinner, who would they be?”) although, for the most part, it was relatively free-form and much like a conversation. Just stay calm and be yourself, honestly. It’s not meant to be high-stress. They’re looking for what you’re passionate about, who you are in person, as opposed to on paper. I was freaking out beforehand, but after it was over, I thought, “That’s it? I could do this for hours!” It actually boosted my confidence re: admission chances and reaffirmed that Reed is the only place I want to go. (I got in via ED, in case you’re wondering.) I know what you mean about knowing Reed is perfect for you despite being so far away! It’s actually about 3,000 miles away from me, too- I’m from the DC area. </p>
<p>Good luck with your interview!</p>
<p>Hmmm. I really think it depends on the interviewer—several people have mentioned “quirky” questions. I was never asked anything wacky (although I confess to thinking that I would have enjoyed that :)). Rather, it was very conversational. In terms of the intellectual, I happened to be reading Milton, so we discussed that in brief. I did not bring a resume/transcript. My location was slightly bizarre (a very fancy hotel) and merited a dress. Just use common sense. </p>
<p>I was eaten alive with anxiety prior and was almost about to back out, but a friend had interviewed with Reed several weeks prior and said that it was good fun, that she emerged from it in roughly the same condition 
</p>
<p>Tetra makes an excellent point: do not be pretentious. These people are former Reed students. They know a lot and will not be impressed. </p>
<p>Don’t be nervous. There’s really no need to formally prepare. </p>
<p>PS: I’ll be a freshman next year and am coming from thousands of miles away, too. Part of what makes Reed so neat is that it attracts people from everywhere :)</p>
<p>Okay, great. Thanks so much guys!! This is definitely calming my nerves (the most important part for me)! And it’s nice to know I don’t sound crazy for wanting to go so far away from my top choice. 
!</p>
<p>Oh & congrats to all those who got in ED! Maybe if I’m lucky we’ll be classmates next fall!</p>
<p>Aha I visited twice from CT, I’m the crazy one! ;P</p>
<p>Thank you!! I definitely hope you get in.</p>
<p>The quirkiest question I got was “If you were a lamp, what kind would you be?” 0_o
Other questions were
-What three books would you bring if you were stranded on an island?
-If you attended Reed what club would you start?
-What was the most exciting class you have taken?
And we discussed whether mathematics was discovered or invented.</p>
<p>Overall the interview was much more casual than I expected. It was basically talking to a really intelligent person about the awesomeness of Reed! I know it’s impossible not to think about the interview, but try not to obsesses about it. That’s what I did and it was a waste of time.</p>
<p>Also, I think a resume is overkill. All necessary information should be on the common app, and if it isn’t, you should give that information to the admissions office, not the interviewer. But if there are some interesting things about yourself that would go on your resume, I think it would be a good idea to have those in the back of your mind to use to answer questions. And I wore dark jeans and a nice shirt and felt perfectly comfortable. Good Luck jmefaismal!</p>