Northwestern Online Interview

Hannah56

Hello,
I submitted my application to Northwestern and registered for an online interview. Kinda nervous. Anyone has any tips? Or if anyone went through it what was your experience?
P.S. It is by far my top choice

Leah M B

I’m in the same boat and was planning to ask a similar question. So, no help from me but I’m watching this thread!

TabbyG123

I'd recommend this pretty actionable guide to preparing for an interview: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/preparing-for-college-interviews-2-of-2

It's partially for undergrads, but the advice is the same: 1. Build a message box, 2. Prepare specific questions for them in advance, 3. Research the right things.

TabbyG123

Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

TheMikey

@PublicInterested said:
Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

Thanks for the info! were any of the practice questions asked as one of your real questions? Or do they not do that? Just curious! lol

needmylsat180

@PublicInterested did you receive an email invitation or you have to go somewhere to register yourself? I clicked for video interview when filling out my application, but have not received any information regarding the interview. Thanks!

TheMikey

@needmylsat180 said:
@PublicInterested did you receive an email invitation or you have to go somewhere to register yourself? I clicked for video interview when filling out my application, but have not received any information regarding the interview. Thanks!

You have to go to their website and schedule it yourself. The video interview email should come soon after that. I think they tell you that you will wait like 2 days or something on the website (don't remember though) but I got the email for the interview like a few hours later after scheduling.

TabbyG123

@TheMikey said:

@PublicInterested said:
Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

Thanks for the info! were any of the practice questions asked as one of your real questions? Or do they not do that? Just curious! lol

None of the practice questions ended up being any of the real questions.

I would be surprised if the real questions weren't randomized. Or at least that some of them were mandatory, because these are pretty staple interview questions.

I'd say definitely prepare for 1. The why northwestern question, 2. And the "do you have anything else to add to your application" question.

To anyone else that has maybe taken the interview already: can you verify that these are the questions?

@Hannah56 @"Leah M B"

ML_LSAT_Killa

omg I am not planning on taking the LSAT until June of this year at the earliest...but if anyone wants help with why Northwestern (i.e. research) ...I would love to try to help as that is my number one pick (i live in chicago and am totally biased though)...you can pm me, any info I can find for you at your request I'm sure would help me in the long run

needmylsat180

@TheMikey just scheduled it! Thanks!

LCMama2017

@PublicInterested said:
Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

Oh man! Those are tough questions! I couldn't answer most of them just reading them! Good luck!

TabbyG123

@ML_LSAT_Killa said:
omg I am not planning on taking the LSAT until June of this year at the earliest...but if anyone wants help with why Northwestern (i.e. research) ...I would love to try to help as that is my number one pick (i live in chicago and am totally biased though)...you can pm me, any info I can find for you at your request I'm sure would help me in the long run

That's awesome! Thanks for the offer! I wish you the best on getting in. It's my oldest brother's undergrad alma mater so I have memories of him talking about how great it was as a kid (well, the Evanston campus).

You're gonna be great in the interview.

Leah M B

@PublicInterested I haven't done mine yet! Ugh. I've had the craziest last few weeks and now of course am sick. I'm so far behind in my apps.

TabbyG123

@"Leah M B" said:
@PublicInterested I haven't done mine yet! Ugh. I've had the craziest last few weeks and now of course am sick. I'm so far behind in my apps.

Darn! Sorry to hear that! Hope you feel better!

studyingandrestudying

So this is really general, but maybe do a technology run through the day before and prepare questions to ask them. Also, maybe ask them if there is a recent graduate and/or 2L/3L you can speak with. Is this a one-on-one interview or will they have more than one admissions person there?

TheMikey

@PublicInterested said:
Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

Wanted to add to this and say I did mine and had the Why NU and the If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be? questions. I think these 2 may be given to everyone, from what I've seen at least, but I am not 100% sure.

can't remember 1 of them but the others were:
3. what do you plan on getting from your northwestern experience? (I thought this was kinda similar to the why NU question in a way but approached it a bit different than the why NU)
4. if we spoke to a person you are mentoring, what would they tell us your strengths are in helping them?
5. tell us about a time you had a stressful workload. How did you handle it and what was the outcome?

like I said, I can't remember my 6th question but just wanted to say it was definitely a simple and easy one or else I would've remembered it clear as day lol. def not a curve ball question, I think it was easy

TabbyG123

@TheMikey said:

@PublicInterested said:
Eek! I just did my online Northwestern Interview.
It wasn't that bad. I could have done better (of course, all of the best responses come after the actual interview). I did the practice session like a million times to get a feel for it. The most important part practicing was learning to tailor my answers to the 1 minute or 1.5 minutes that were allotted. I didn't try to really come up with unique or surprising answers, but would pick the first response that would pop into my brain and spend my 30 seconds trying to figure out how to tie this response to a deeper detail about myself.

I'm not sure if they have randomized questions or if all of the questions are the same, but here are the questions they asked me (there were 6) that I remember:
1. When faced with a challenge that you are not equipped to solve, how do you cope with this? What steps do you take to be better at coping with these challenges?
2. If a fellow colleague came to you upset because she had difficulty answering questions during a class, how do you respond?
3. Why Northwestern?
4. If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be?
5. What is your favorite childhood memory?
6. What is a decision that you made in the past that you would change? Why did you make this decision? Why would you change it?

Wanted to add to this and say I did mine and had the Why NU and the If there is one thing that you could tell us that would accompany your application for Fall 2018, what would that be? questions. I think these 2 may be given to everyone, from what I've seen at least, but I am not 100% sure.

can't remember 1 of them but the others were:
3. what do you plan on getting from your northwestern experience? (I thought this was kinda similar to the why NU question in a way but approached it a bit different than the why NU)
4. if we spoke to a person you are mentoring, what would they tell us your strengths are in helping them?
5. tell us about a time you had a stressful workload. How did you handle it and what was the outcome?

like I said, I can't remember my 6th question but just wanted to say it was definitely a simple and easy one or else I would've remembered it clear as day lol. def not a curve ball question, I think it was

Things great thanks a bunch for sharing this.

So for those who have yet to take one, I'd recommend preparing for at least these three questions:
1. Why NU?
2. A weakness or a difficult challenge you've had to face that you learned a lesson from.
3. A random free response snippet that you'd like to add to your application.

Leah M B

Thank so much @PublicInterested and @TheMikey! This is super helpful. How long do you have to prepare answers? Time between the prompt given and when you answer.

TheMikey

@"Leah M B" said:
Thank so much @PublicInterested and @TheMikey! This is super helpful. How long do you have to prepare answers? Time between the prompt given and when you answer.

I think it depends on the question. Some questions give you 30 second prep while others may give you a 1 min prep. Then each answer is between 1 min and 1:30

Leah M B

@TheMikey said:

@"Leah M B" said:
Thank so much @PublicInterested and @TheMikey! This is super helpful. How long do you have to prepare answers? Time between the prompt given and when you answer.

I think it depends on the question. Some questions give you 30 second prep while others may give you a 1 min prep. Then each answer is between 1 min and 1:30

Interesting, good to know. Thanks!

needmylsat180

https://niuschools.com/article/contents/id/4683 this article i found online gathered the most frequently asked interview questions by NU and Cornell, ignore all the chinese on the site, the first 43 english questions are NU's and the rest are cornell's

lsatjess

Thanks for all the helpful information! Another question: I know you can do as many practice rounds as you want. Once you start the practice rounds, do you have to complete the real interview questions in the same sitting?

Thanks in advance!

Leah M B

Oh my gosh, this is so helpful. Thank you @needmylsat180! I haven't done any interviews yet and have a lot of anxiety about them. Seeing it laid out like this helps a lot. I don't know about anyone else around here, but I'm an extreme introvert and process everything internally so much that I get nervous I'll freeze up trying to think of an answer while watching a clock countdown, ugh. I'm much better in person, where it's easier to vamp a little or lighten the mood to give myself an extra minute to process. But the virtual ones intimidate me so much. I feel like I can breathe easier after seeing these and knowing that I have solid answers for most of them, whew.

needmylsat180

@"Leah M B" I did my NU one two weeks ago, the questions aren’t exactly the same, but prep with those def prepares you for the interview since the answers that you are going to give them are similar. Also, I think they ask everyone why NU and what else do you want to tell us.

ferndude

How much does it affect your admission chances if you opt out of the interview?

blanklaw

I'm assuming it lowers your chances at least somewhat... They take great pride in their interviews and really use it for some evaluation piece to the application... It's really not that bad-- I only had four questions with 30 sec prep and 1:30 speaking (8 min. total)