Interviewer Best Practices

The AAP interviewer serves as the most direct point of contact between the Alumni Admissions Program and a prospective student. As an interviewer, you can significantly impact an applicant’s perspective on Georgetown. It is your role to interview students in a warm, welcoming way and in an effective, timely manner. Submit your interview reports thoroughly and thoughtfully, responding appropriately to requests from your Chair, reviewing communications from the Admissions Office, and contributing a positive view of Georgetown in the applicant’s local area.

Conduct in-person interviews of at least thirty minutes. 

Spend adequate time with the applicant so you are able to write an interview report that provides relevant, helpful information to the admissions committee. Maintain a welcoming tone throughout your time with the applicant. Unreasonably short interviews may give students the impression they are not worthy of Georgetown’s time and usually long interviews may give students the impression they are favored and therefore likely to be admitted.

Conduct the interview in a location mutually convenient for both you and the applicant.

Interviews should be held in locations conducive to discussion and comfortable for the student. An office lobby, local library, classroom or picnic table at the student’s school, or a quiet coffee shop all fit that description. For liability reasons, do not conduct any interviews in your home. If geographic distance is an issue, you may conduct a FaceTime or Zoom call. It is not necessary to include in your interview report how the interview took place; we do not want how the interview took place to be a concern for the applicant.

Dress in business/professional casual for the interview and do not judge the applicant for how they dress.

Your own choice of dress sets the tone for applicants. You are representing Georgetown and you want to show respect for the applicant. Sloppy, disheveled clothing does not make a good impression.

If you are unable to conduct an interview, notify your Chair as soon as possible because they will have to reassign the interview. 

Schedules may change with little notice and conflicts may be unavoidable. In the event something comes up, immediately notify your Chair, so they can reassign the candidate to an available interviewer.

Submit reports no later than the deadline date provided by the Admissions Office. 

It is best to submit your interview report within two weeks of the interview. If you do not submit your report by the deadline, the Admissions Office cannot guarantee it will be taken into consideration during application review.

Submit well-written, thorough reports that include relevant detail. 

Please ensure your report is detailed enough that it provides helpful information for the Admissions Committee. One or two sentences is not sufficient and does not give adequate context or evaluative material. While writing your report, remember the Admissions Committee will have the student’s transcript and list of extracurricular activities. Provide context for your rating and examples supporting any conclusions you make about the student.

Do not discuss or predict a student’s likelihood of admission. 

The interview is one important piece of the application. It does not present the “whole picture” of a student’s application. Transcripts or other materials provided by the student at the interview are not requested by our office and are insufficient to predict the probability of admission. Do not articulate your own evaluation of an applicant’s “chances.” You may not only be setting them up for disappointment, but also putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation.

Respond in a timely manner to the Admissions Office, your AAP Chair, applicants, and families. 

We expect interviewers to respond in a reasonably timely manner to requests from the Admissions Office and your local Chair. Applicants and families may also contact you with follow-up questions, which could be time-sensitive. Please respond to AAP-related communications as needed, referring students and families to the appropriate contact when necessary.

Do not establish social connections or relationships with students on social media sites or apps. 

While students are in the midst of the application process, all communication between interviewers and students should be related to university-affiliated business.

Congratulate admitted students after admissions decisions are released.

If one of your interviewees is admitted to Georgetown, call or e-mail them to congratulate them! Ask if they have additional questions or concerns. As the warm, welcoming face of Georgetown, your congratulatory call or email is a great yield activity and may signifcantly impact a student’s decision to attend.

Attend local meetings as well as recruitment and yield events. 

The AAP Fall Meeting serves as a helpful way to stay “up-to-date” on campus events, admissions policies, and school culture. Admitted Student Receptions are most successful when a number of admitted students and alumni are both in attendance, since alumni showcase the local Hoya community.

Remain informed about Georgetown’s policies, activities, and trends through the AAP Newsletter, University website, and other available means.