Hey Alums, Help Interview Prospies!

[soullessthinker]

Dearest Oberlin Alumni

Comments

[vexedvagabond]

Do they provide interview questions? Or can I just have fun asking absurd questions of a prospie for an hour?

[soullessthinker]

A bit of both. It's really a conversation with two points:
1. What do they care about?
2. Will they succeed at Oberlin?

I like to know what classes they like, why, what they might want to major in, or what dreams they have. What they do for fun, in their spare time. Do they play sports, or play music, do theater... we generally gravitate towards topics: indie music, football, historical fiction, comic books and a few others I don't remember.

I like to know why they're looking at Oberlin, what other schools they're looking at.

Sadly, wacky questions don't always reveal as much as you'd think. And the most important thing is having a real conversation. Get them to tell stories, to talk about their opinions and lives.

I wrote interviewing advice for applicants last year-- that might be helpful:
http://blogs.oberlin.edu/applying/interviews/interviewing_ad.shtml

I think you'd be great at it.

[obie110]

I have volunteered as a interviewee for a number of years. I really enjoy it! It is really exciting to see the prospective students that want to come to oberlin! :-)

[soullessthinker]

I can't count the number of times I've been deeply impressed and wished I were an iota as cool in high school.

[milaya36]

Okay, I don't live anywhere near any of those cities, and I didn't grow up there either. But I do remember having an interview for Oberlin in Atlanta, one-on-one with an alum in a coffeeshop. So, now that I'm an alum, how would I get involved in that type of interview? I'm in Madison, WI if that helps.

[soullessthinker]

Yes! That's super-excellent! Just shoot an email to arn@oberlin.edu, with your name and location would be grand.

I really want to meet my interviewer again and give him a huge hug.