We’re here to support you as you help us fulfill our annual admission to bring the best and brightest to the University of Rochester. This page contains links to the information and materials you may need to assist you in fulfilling your role as an admissions volunteer.
Alumni Interviewer Program Description and Application
Program Description:
Alumni interviewing season is roughly four months in duration, from early fall through early February. Throughout this time frame, alumni receive requests directly from applicants and initiate follow-up to make arrangements for an in- person, virtual, or telephone interview. Within 48 hours of completing an interview, the alumnus/a submits an evaluation which is used by admissions counselors as part of the application review process.
* IMPORTANT * Because all applicants are encouraged to interview as part of the application process, thousands of interviews are conducted by alumni and staff each year, and this number continues to grow. We are seeking alumni who can take on the significant commitment that this role requires of representatives of the University in terms of time and responsiveness. When follow-through is not timely and professional, it reflects poorly on Admissions and the University, and negatively impacts the student and our relationship with their high school. If your professional or personal schedule would inhibit your responsiveness, alumni interviewing may not be the best volunteer opportunity for you.
Alumni interviewers are responsible for:
- Reaching out to (possibly multiple) prospective students who’ve requested an interview with you, to schedule a mutually convenient interview method, date, time, and location keeping in mind the location of the student be they domestically or internationally located.
- Dedicating time to self-train by utilizing the available online volunteer resources.
- Devoting time on weekends and/or evenings as needed throughout the season for interviewing events and/or several 30 minute time blocks for individual interviews.
- Monitoring one’s interview requests on a regular basis (daily) during the interviewing season and following up accordingly within two days of the request.
- Submitting an evaluation within 48 hours after completion of an interview, using the prompts on the interviewing evaluation form as a guide for the information most valuable for admissions staff. If a reasonable effort to meet these expectations is not maintained by an alumni interviewer, the Office of Admissions reserves the opportunity to remove the interviewer from active status temporarily or permanently.
Prior to submitting the application form, please take a few moments to consider the questions below to help us, and you, determine if alumni interviewing is a good match for you.
- Why are you interested in being an alumni interviewer?
- Do you have enough time in your schedule to monitor your interviewer account and requests, conduct, and evaluate your interviews? For example, if you travel frequently or on short notice, causing delays in responding to and scheduling students, alumni interviewing may not be the best opportunity for involvement at this time.
- Would you describe yourself as an “active listener”?
- Do you have any interviewing experience? (Prior experience isn’t required to be an alumni interviewer, but can be helpful.)
- What is your comfort level interacting with high school students?
- How would you describe your current level of knowledge about the college admissions process?
- Do you have relatives who may be applying to the University within the next 3 years? (Please note that we require interviewers to take the year off the season during which their relative is applying.)
Questions? Please contact Beth Luke, Director of Volunteer Programs, at beth.luke@rochester.edu.