Alumni Meetup!
Something that stands out with Dartmouth is the passion of if its alumni. Whether at they're at football games wearing their own Dartmouth gear or around campus during Winter Carnival, it is always a great sight to see the alumni's love for their college. And I got to experience this love when I was back home recently. Before I made the seven-hour trek back to Dartmouth, I was able to do something I've wanted to do for a while: Sit down and catch up with my Dartmouth alumni interviewer!
Some of you reading are currently in the process of attending countless alumni interviews; I know I was last year. For those who don't know, alumni interviews are (sometimes optional) admissions interviews conducted by the college's alumni. The interview allows the college to get to know you better and allows the applicant to learn more about the college. Like some of you, I was nervous before every one of my interviews. I didn't want to say anything bad that could hinder my application to that specific college.
With my Dartmouth interview, I was blessed to have gotten an alumnus that not only was friendly but helped me like Dartmouth even more.
About a year ago, I met with my interviewer, Mr. Bareuther, at my local Panera Bread. Upfront, Mr. Bareuther was very nice, and throughout the interview, we got to know each other. We talked about Dartmouth's history, student life, and more! Mr. Bareuther graduated in the 50s, so it was really cool to see his perspective of the College from back then as well. By the end of the hour, I wished that I could sit and talk more with him. I kept in contact with Mr. Bareuther after I later got accepted to Dartmouth and decided to join the class of 2023 in the fall. He was happy for me and messaged me congratulations.
Fast forward to when I was a college student, we set up a time to meet up again, this time from the perspective of an alumnus and a current student.
Our conversation varied from rooming to classes, and it was very cool to see the changes Dartmouth underwent from our respective times there. Mr. Bareuther also spoke about his time there on campus, including being Greek-affiliated and married, while I talked about how my first term went with moving to a new environment. Also, we found out some similarities between Mr. Bareunther and I. Not only did he major in history, but he also did ROTC!
After two hours of talking, we parted ways, glad for the opportunity to talk with each other and gain new insights of Dartmouth.
Overall, my alumni interview was one of the reasons I chose Dartmouth, so it was great to see my interviewer after all this time. We promised to meet with each other again, this time with me having more experience under my belt at Dartmouth!