Alumni Conversations

Note: Alumni conversation registration has closed for seniors, but will reopen for interested juniors in early February 2025.

Alumni conversations are conducted by members of the Alumni Admission Council (AAC), volunteers from all over the world. Conversations are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and due to volunteer capacity, we cannot guarantee every student who submits a conversation request will receive one. All AAC members undergo comprehensive training and sign a Volunteer Code of Conduct prior to meeting with students.

When requesting a conversation, students can indicate a preference for meeting with a member of one of our alumni Affinity and Special Interest Groups (ASIGs), or they can indicate a preference in meeting with a local alum in their area. Students may indicate up to four preferences on their request form–while we will do our best to pair students with alumni who satisfy multiple interests, students who indicate more than one preference may be contacted by more than one volunteer. In addition to alumni from the (100+) regional groups, students may request conversations with members of:

• Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American (APIDA) Affinity Group
• Black Affinity Group
• Latinx Affinity Group
• LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
• Native/Indigenous Affinity Group
• First Generation/Low-Income (FGLI) Affinity Group
• International Affinity Group
• Rural Affinity Group
• Pre-Business Special Interest Group
• Pre-Health Special Interest Group
• Pre-Law Special Interest Group
• Engineering Special Interest Group
• Media/Entertainment Special Interest Group
• Education/Non-Profit Special Interest Group

Alumni conversations are available to prospective students before they submit their application to Northwestern. In the Fall (September through December), conversations are only available to first-semester seniors. In the Winter (January through March), conversations are only available to second-semester juniors. In the Spring (April through May), admitted seniors can request conversations as well as second-semester juniors

Applicants interested in connecting with a Northwestern student are encouraged to pursue our Purple Preview program.

Since prospective students and the ASIG members with whom they are assigned may not live in the same place, alumni conversations will take place virtually by default. However, if both the alumni and student do live in the same area and both parties are comfortable with it, conversations may take place in-person at an agreed upon location. Conversations should typically last around 30 minutes.

Interested students can submit a conversation request via an online form that will become available in mid-September.

Alumni conversation coordinators will match students requesting a conversation with volunteers as space permits. Once you are paired with an alum, that volunteer will contact you directly via email to set up a mutually convenient time/location for the conversation. If you have concerns about internet access or technology availability, please communicate that with your assigned volunteer. You may also contact aac@u.northwestern.edu for additional support in coordinating your conversations.

The conversation itself is just that: a two-way exchange between you and the alum. The conversation is not an evaluation of your admissibility to Northwestern. No need to prepare a resume or any other documents for your conversation, and feel free to dress comfortably.

While alumni may ask you some basic questions about your background and interest in Northwestern, the conversation is really about learning how a Northwestern education and the relationships students build here prepare them for success both on campus and beyond, personally and professionally. If you have questions about your assigned volunteer’s time at Northwestern, their professional path afterwards, and how the connections they made continue to affect their life, be sure to ask—our volunteers would love to share!