Interviews are a frequently optional part of the admissions process, but provide an excellent opportunity for you to learn more about a school, and for them to learn more about you. Recently, however, a number of colleges (notably Northwestern) have instead switched to offering “alumni conversations” in place of “alumni interviews.”
This raises all sorts of important questions like “what’s the difference?” and “why the change?” and “are these something that’s worth my time?” In this article then, we’re going to examine the answers to all of these questions, and give you some much needed insight into admissions in the process. Let’s get started!
What is an Alumni Conversation?
So this is a somewhat silly question and answer, because the simplest possible explanation is that it’s exactly what it says it is: a conversation with an alumni of the university about that university. This is meant to be a casual discussion of what the university offers, and whether or not it’s right for you.
The shift from interview to conversation as a term isn’t solely done for alumni interviews, but is most commonly seen there. Here is our guide to the observed differences between interviews and conversations:
| Interviews | Conversations |
| Are formal in tone and setting | Are less formal in tone and setting (but you still shouldn’t wear sweatpants) |
| Focus more on evaluating you | Focus more on discussing what the school can offer you |
| Used in the admissions process | Sometimes used in the admissions process |
As a whole, these conversations are significantly less formal, and have a lesser impact in most circumstances on the decision of admissions officers. They are designed to let you ask questions about a school from someone who knows it quite well, and so determine if it is the kind of environment where you would be able to thrive.
Why are Schools Changing to Conversations?
So if these conversations are less formal, why are schools offering them at all, and why are they offering them in place of interviews? There are several reasons for this, and each university likely has their own internal logic, but we have seen the following primary trends for why universities are acting as they do:
First, and most importantly, a lot of colleges already don’t care very much about interviews, nor do they put much weight on them (schools that do can be found here). Often, interviews are offered as a historical relic of an earlier age of admissions, one where far fewer students applied and personal qualities were seen as far more important. Anymore they are vestigial, and rarely impact the admissions process at most schools.
Note that this is not true of all schools; there are a small number of schools or programs within schools where interviews are still quite impactful, and these will continue to be called interviews. At the universities where they matter less however, moving to a less formal conversation makes good sense.
Next, universities don’t want students to stress out unnecessarily, and the connotations of an interview are often far more alarming than those of a conversation. Thus if the interview isn’t actually going to matter much for their admissions chances, then admissions officers don’t want students stressing out over it like it will. They should save their energy for the parts of the application the university does care more about, like their essays.
Finally, this allows schools to refocus the subject matter of interviews. For many of these schools, fit is an incredibly important thing, and these new conversations allow students a better idea of what a university really is, and how the student might fit into it. This is quite good for you, as it allows you to learn whether or not a school is worth applying to, and if so, what about it makes it the right fit for your own skills and talents.
Should You Participate in Alumni Conversations?
This, of course, depends primarily on your own needs, but in general we think the answer to this is yes. There are two primary reasons for this, the first being admissions considerations.
While an interview (or conversation in this case), does not matter much for admissions, it does still matter. In fact, the part that matters the most is that you choose to do it. Thanks to cookies and other technological marvels, universities are able to track whether you open their emails, visit their website, and interact with admissions events, including things like optional conversations.
These are all used to evaluate how interested you are in attending a particular school. Like everyone else, universities want people who want them back; while showing interest in a school like this doesn’t guarantee admission, it can definitely help. For more insight into how all this works, see our article on demonstrated interest.
The other reason to participate is so you can learn more about the school in question from someone who knows it well. Alumni interviewers tend to be big fans of the schools they interview for (that’s why they volunteer to do it), and are more than happy to discuss them with curious students; this makes for a great opportunity for you.
If you think a school might be a good fit, but have concerns about the practicalities, from the food to the weather to the distribution requirements, then one of these conversations is probably your best bet to get your questions answered. Even if you’re already sure a school is your top choice, this can still be a great way to gain insight into what they’re really like.
How to Prepare for an Alumni Conversation
We have a guide to preparing for your college interview already, but conversations are somewhat different. We recommend reviewing the guide to interviews, and will include here some factors that set these conversations apart, and how you should go about preparing for them.
Don’t dress too formally
These are meant to be a more casual conversation, rather than the more formal tone of an interview. Don’t show up wearing sweatpants, but you definitely don’t need to wear a suit either. Casual and comfortable clothing should be fine for most cases; dress as you normally would, in clothes you are comfortable with.
One important note is to make sure clothing you wear does not have any slogans or graphics that might be considered distasteful. If it violates your school’s dress code (or would be questionable under it), then you shouldn’t wear it to one of these conversations.
Do your research
An interview is generally an opportunity to talk about yourself, and how you envision yourself at the school. These conversations are instead framed as a way for you to learn more about what the school offers, and that means asking insightful questions.
To do this, you should have some sense of the school already from information you find online, and questions to ask that the school’s website can’t answer. There are the classics of course, like asking about the general culture or what the food is like, but you should also ask about things important to you, be that school spirit on campus or particular extracurricular opportunities. Your interviewer might not know all of the answers, especially to questions about specific programs, but they can give you insight into how life works on campus.
Check requirements
Interviews often encourage you to show up with a resume (though some others say not to bring one). Conversations, on the other hand, generally discourage bringing a resume or other materials. This does vary by school, but you should check the requirements carefully, so as to not get off on the wrong foot.
Final Thoughts
College admissions are an ever shifting landscape, as schools constantly tweak their systems of evaluating students. This latest trend of changing out interviews for conversations is just another step in a long list. We hope this article has helped you understand what the differences are, and how this change may impact your own admissions process.
The biggest problem students often have with this and every other aspect of college admissions is how opaque the whole system is. Colleges are not very good at being clear about what they actually want from you, leading to students being confused or unnecessarily stressed. Ivy Scholars works to help guide you through this process, offering clarity and showing you how best to give colleges what they really want. To learn more about how we do this, and how we can help you, schedule a free consultation today. We’ve helped hundreds of students apply to top schools, and are always happy to hear from you.
