Alumni interviews. Vary widely! Some are totally laid back and casual and others are extremely formal, it often depends on age of the interviewer. Dress up. Boys should wear a tie and jacket. Alumni interviewers can be unusually loyal to their alma mater and may be offended if you talk about other schools to which you are applying. Best not to mention them unless asked directly and then try to bring it back to how much you love their school.

Student interviewers. Many schools cannot possibly hope to fill all interview requests using just admission officers so they supplement their staff with student interviewers. They are usually seniors who have gone through a rigorous screening and training process. Whether or not you are assigned an admission officer has nothing to do with the quality of your application or how interested in you the school is; it is simply a matter of availability.

Student interviews carry just as much weight as admission officers' interviews. Treat them with respect. They are usually easy to talk to and the interviews are generally very relaxed but don't get so comfortable that you forget what you're doing. You are not just hanging out, talking with friends so don't curse, use slang, or talk about inappropriate topics.

Student interviewers are a good option if you are very very nervous about the interview. When you call to schedule an interview simply request a student interviewer. Unless there are unusual circumstances do not specifically ask for an admission officer, it may be seen as presumptuous. Asking for an admission officer is appropriate if there are special circumstances you need to explain, problems in your application you need to address, or if you are a borderline applicant at that school. If you request an admission officer, do it respectfully as in, "If possible, may I interview with an admission officer? I have some questions that I would like to discuss with them." Don't say, "I would rather not interview with a student."