<p>Some of the colleges I've applied/thinking of applying to (e.g., Vanderbilt, Northwestern, USC, among others) say that they have an "optional" interviews. What I'm uncertain about is how truly optional the interviews are? I understand that interviews are good for showing interest, but how much of an impact on admission does doing an interview vs not doing an interview make? And how large of an effect does the interview have on the overall admission decision?</p>
<p>For the top tier schools, optional means mandatory. </p>
<p>No, I disagree with viphan — only MIT and some LACs view it as important. In some cases for internationals. Most schools know the extremely limited utility of alumni interviews (and I’ve loyally been doing them for 25 years). If offered one, go for it – spend an hour w/an alum and ask her/him what the experience was like.</p>
<p>But only in very rare instances does it make a difference.</p>
<p>For many schools it is important as a demonstration of interest as much than anything else. If you have the chance to interview, I’d take advantage of it.</p>
<p>Alumni interviews are of questionable value to the schools, because (with some exceptions) they don’t have much control over the interviewers. While most alumni interviewers are, I’m sure, well meaning and maybe even expert, others might be eager to stock the school with what they consider the “right” type of student, which may be quite at odds with the school’s own take on the subject. Or the kid with the incredibly stellar interview report may just mysteriously turn out to be the son of one of the interviewer’s golf buddies.</p>
<p>As I stated earlier, the alum interviews are of limited value to the college. But my view of it is not as cynical as ThereAreLamas point. Interviewers certain are both good and bad but to presume people are just rampantly biased against one sort of applicant or pulling nepotistic fast ones on the home office just does not bear out in my experience. A full 40% of my school’s interviewers are graduates within the last ten years. These people who do this do it for the enjoyment of meeting interesting HS students and hopefully, to serve the college.</p>
<p>While TAL’s dire predictions are indeed salacious, I have found nothing but honorable and enthusiastic alums who serve and volunteer in this manner.</p>
<p>The school I know best reads interview reports for the first hand look the applicant, outside his hs context. The CA is a rather rigid format and a good interview can bring a kid to life, round out impressions.<br>
I’d be curious to know what schools TAL thinks are trying to stock- and what knowledge that’s based on.</p>