Alumni Interview Tips, Questions, and Thank You Follow-Up

This article deals with Alumni Interview Tips, Questions, and Thank You Follow-Up. 

If you’re planning on studying at a certain educational establishment, then one of the easiest means to get get your foot into its door is through Alumni Interview. Unlike before, this interview has become popular in the United States hence seeing a college without one is rare.

Through these interviews, you can get to obtain first-hand information about the certain higher educational establishment you are interested in studying at. Nevertheless, the interview can be complicated most times as it certainly does not operate with a one-fit-for-all style. 

And of course, many students do wonder and contemplate the consequences that can arise as a result of a lack of knowledge about alumni interview tips and questions. But be rest assured, knowing how to go about it can make your admission procedure simple and nearly non-complex. 

In this article, we’ll be dealing with what questions students should ask the alumni during the interview and how to do follow-up thereafter.

The Tenets of the Interview

While there are many alumni interview questions, three of them stand out as the most asked. It is nearly impossible for these trio not to be asked and many interviewees have confirmed that. Up next, we’ll be dealing with these fundamental questions…

• The Why Us?

This question is obviously and most probably the first to be tabled by the alumni. They ask this question to know why you are interested in the school of which they are part of its identity. 

Don’t just get sentimental when answering as you may end up providing a low-quality answer(s). Tell them about your first encounter with the school which can be through your experience with a faculty member, staff,  program, or anything.

From there, tell the alumni how the experience has managed to change your views towards the school and do well to make your points short, clear, and straightforward.

• The Why You?

After the why us question, you are more likely to be bombarded with the why you question. Most probably, you won’t be the only one to apply for admission at the school hence others are there to seeking for that same admission spot of yours. 

It will be up to you to tell the school what makes you a good fit and why they should prefer you over others. To answer this question effectively, start by telling the alumni when your passion for the program began and how far it led you in terms of goal accomplishments. 

If you can crack up a little nice true-life story, then you’ll be good to go. And remember, the alumni interviewing you were that passionate about their fields at one point in time.

• Do You Have Questions For Us?

Replying to this question with: “I don’t have any question(s) to ask” can be the beginning of doom to your admission chances. It is a sign of a lack of zeal, interest, and passion altogether. So, do well to go to the interview pre-loaded with lots of questions to release. 

If you don’t have a clue on how to begin, read on as we’ll be uncovering them for you, subsequently.

Questions to Ask in an Alumni Interview

It is almost impossible to not be given a chance to ask questions during an interview with the alumni. These school legends will allow you to ask questions and gain clarity on subject matters of which you’re unsure.

This session is usually interactive hence there isn’t much need to worry or feel intimidated (after all, it is your opportunity to fire back the pressure on them). 

But, it is important to ask important and mind-provocative questions. Here are some tips on that…

• Ask the alumni about their personal experiences with the school

• Show curiosity about the field of specialization you are going to study by asking them about the coursework and its relationship with your career goals.

• Ask the alumni about the school’s relationship with the nearby communities and their commitment to integrating students with the locals

• If interested, ask about the social lifestyle of the school and what students’ life looks like. 

• You can ask about the research programs offered by the school and how they tapped into those opportunities.

• An alumni interview is the best avenue to ask about the cons of the school. Every academic institution in the whole world has its bad side and there is nothing wrong with showing intent to know them. At least, you won’t act all-shocked in certain circumstances.

• Faulty relationship with students is also important so do well to ask about that to ascertain whether it is strong or otherwise; judging by the alumni cases.

How to follow up after an alumni interview 

There are many ways to follow up on an alumni interview. This will go a long way in cementing your chances of gaining admission to the school.  

You can do this by telling them that the school is your number one choice. By so doing, you have sent a signal of seriousness to them. 

Even so, you surely should not relent after that. Chat with the school from time to time through the mail and reveal what you loved and enjoyed during the interview. 

This point is extremely important as no school can tolerate the feeling of being considered a second choice. Remember that you’re not the only student to have had an interview with them so do what it takes to stand out from the crowd.

If you follow up via chat, the school will more likely take it as a zeal of seriousness and commitment and once this happens, your chance of gaining admission will be high. 

Read on for information on how to keep in touch with the school after the alumni interview 

How to Keep In Touch After An Alumni Interview 

Keeping in touch with the school after the interview is one of the sure recommended ways to boost your admission chances. And by this, we don’t mean constant messaging but periodical checking up through mails.

It shouldn’t be daily, weekly, or monthly but from two months to quarterly is quite ideal. Do endeavor to gain clarity on what you don’t understand during the admission process by letting them know what bothers you. 

For sure, alumni will be more than ready to answer your questions and clear your uncertainties as well.

Nevertheless, you should know that alumni who are part of the interviewers have something special with the school. They are not randomly picked nor selectively chosen but are preferred because of their strong personalities and characters worthy of emulation by potential scholars.

These guys do have a remarkably close relationship with the school’s management including faculty members, staff, and administration. Since the management does get too much work to do, your best bet for gaining admission should be through the alumni. 

However, some do think that alumni are not the most important factor to consider for admission. This can partly be true but the reality is that they are the link between you and the school’s management.

A good relationship with them can translate to good advocacy which will more than likely increase your chances of studying in that dream school.

Conclusion

An alumni interview can be a great way for you to boost your admission chances. Though some scholars may take it lightly, we strongly believe that it is important to have the best interview with the alumni of your preferred school.

This interview provides an opportunity to obtain first-class information about the school from those who are already part of the system. If you can play your primary assignment of following up and keeping in touch after the interview well, then you are more likely to be presented with its acceptance letter.

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