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Alumni Interviews

December 1st, 2015

College interviews sometimes cause students to quake with nervousness, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Interviews rarely tip the scales for an admission decision; they more often confirm other information in an applicant’s file. Only now and then is an interview so strong or weak that it truly makes a difference. As with so many other things in life, preparation and understanding purpose and intent can be key to feeling prepared and confident.

Colleges with the most stringent competition for admission typically deploy alumni as interviewers, keeping them involved with the institution productively. Yale has very helpfully posted guidelines for alumni interview report-writing, giving us insight into what’s valued. We note two factors as especially important: intellectual depth and a clear understanding of the resources that the University presents. Please click through to the Yale link below and let us know what additional factors you note.

Let us know, too, if you find this link helpful. Good luck with interviews ahead!

Published by: Yale University

Sample Interview Reports

We oﬀer these samples of actual interview reports or excerpts to highlight the kinds of commentaries that help the admissions committee make careful, informed decisions. For contrast, we’ve included examples of write-ups that could have been more inﬂuential with the addition of supporting detail. This selection is not fully representative of the many eﬀective reporting styles used by ASC volunteers, but we hope it serves illustrative purposes. We’ve changed names and other identifying characteristics.

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