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Last Updated: December 13, 5:00pm
Alumni Interviewer Resources
Overview
Templates for Interviewer Introduction Emails
Virtual Interviewing Best Practices
Updates on Virtual Interviewing for the 2027 Cycle
Harvard College is no longer limiting interviews to virtual platforms for the 2027 Cycle. We welcome clubs to resume in-person interactions on behalf of the S&S Committees so long as they abide by all local public health guidance. We hope clubs will continue to be mindful of different people’s comfort levels and find the right type of event for your club – virtual, in-person, or hybrid. We expect this guidance to continue for the upcoming admissions cycle, barring drastic changes in the course of the pandemic.
Zoom may not be the best option for student interviews -
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For the 2026 cycle, we recommended the use of Zoom’s video conferencing app to conduct interviews with students. Unfortunately, as of May 2022, Zoom has put a universal meeting length limit that makes the free plan less effective for interviews. All meetings, including 1-1 meetings like our interviews with students, now have a 40-minute cap per call, a notable decrease from the previous 30-hour cap per call.
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To access unlimited calling, one must subscribe to Zoom Pro, which costs $150/year or have Zoom Business through their employer. The College does not require nor recommend a personal purchase of these services for interviews. The Admissions Office is not able to purchase or reimburse Zoom Pro accounts for our alumni volunteers.
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As stated in our Interviewer Handbook, we recommend interviewers meet with students for about 30-45 minutes, but no more than an hour. Therefore, if you choose to continue using Zoom’s free subscription, you may limit student interviews to 40 minutes, beyond which you will be disconnected. Though, we realize this may be difficult to do logistically (e.g., if there are any technological difficulties) and may also impact the direction and flow of your conversations with students if you feel your time is limited.
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We recommend you check out alternative free video conferencing platforms described in the section below, called Video Conferencing Apps and Relevant Training Tools, to determine which platform is best for you. We ask that whatever platform you ultimately choose is free of charge for the applicant.
Selecting an interviewing platform
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Ensure the applicant is comfortable with a video interview, and if not, offer a phone interview instead. Some applicants may not have a computer or smartphone, sufficient internet access, or may be uncomfortable with you seeing their home.
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Let the student know the video conferencing platform you intend to use. Ensure the student has access to this platform free of charge (e.g., FaceTime requires the student to have an Apple product).
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When scheduling interviews on Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, make sure to share the links with the students – candidates can then simply click the meeting's link to join.
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If you are using a video conferencing platform that is new to you, do a trial run with friends or family before the interview. Make sure that your internet is functioning properly. If you are concerned about connectivity issues, please feel free to follow up with the student and recommend a phone call as an alternative.
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Select a time that would be appropriate for a high school student to have a meeting. You should find a mutually agreeable time at a reasonable hour. Please be clear about the time zone in which you are located.
Setting up the interview
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Be clear about how long the interview will last as the student may be sharing a computer or space with others. 30 to 45 minutes is a good target – interviews should not last longer than 1 hour.
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If employing a service such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, ask the student to accept the meeting and/or confirm the receipt of the meeting link.
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Ask the interviewee if they have a place that is private enough for them to talk freely. Please emphasize that the interview is a one-on-one conversation. If the student needs to have another person in the room while you are conducting the interview, ask the interviewee if they might identify that person so you know exactly who is within earshot. Ideally a student would have a private space to do the interview, but this may not always be possible.
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Tell the applicant that this interview is not to be recorded by anybody. If you plan to take notes, please tell the student at the beginning of the interview that you plan to do so and which medium you plan to use to avoid confusion or distraction.
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Consider providing a phone number at which you can be reached in case the student has issues connecting to the video conference. Ask the student if they might be comfortable doing the same.
Background and setting
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Be sure that there are no items behind or near you that you would not want a candidate to see. If your computer is compatible, you are welcome to use the 'Virtual Background' feature. This feature is unfortunately not possible via FaceTime. You can find Harvard-themed backgrounds to download from The Harvard Gazette here or linked below.
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Please try to interview in a place where your conversation cannot be overheard and in which you will not be disturbed. People, pets, or background noise may distract your interviewee. Please also be aware that some applicants, due to outstanding circumstances, may have a hard time finding a quiet place to interview. Please do not judge the applicant for this inconvenience as it may be that they simply have no other place to go.
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Please make sure you are appropriately dressed for the interview. Applicants speaking from home may dress more casually than they would at an in-person interview.
In the interview
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Begin the interview by making sure the applicant can see and hear you well.
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Technology glitches such as sound fading or frozen video can interrupt the flow of conversation. Start the interview with a question designed to engage the student or give a short introduction. After a video or voice glitch, you may need to tell the student the last thing you heard to prompt them. Remember, you can always change to a phone interview if the video or internet is proving insufficient.
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Do not comment on the state of the applicant’s room or on any objects in the background. While it may seem like an easy conversation starter to comment on an item you see, please avoid asking about anything in the applicant’s background unless the student brings it up.
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When writing the interview report, please avoid commenting on the student’s appearance and anything in the applicant’s background.
Video Conferencing Apps and Relevant Training Tools
We hope the links and video listed below will be a helpful place for you to interview virtually. While members of the Alumni Team are not IT experts and may not be able to solve all virtual issues, you can feel free to write to us with questions at ssinfo@fas.harvard.edu and we will do our best to help you troubleshoot and point you in the right direction.
Zoom
FaceTime
GoogleMeet
Teams
Skype
Additional Links & Information
Helpful Harvard Publications
New for the Class of 2027, Harvard announces Double Concentrations - allowing up to eight credits – generally two courses – to be double counted between the concentrations.