@Momto5kiddos Declining a Princeton interview, especially if it’s a top choice, seems unwise. Other applicants will be doing everything to get an edge and interviews are a great way to signal interest and enthusiasm. I agree with @blossom that this is a teachable moment.
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Not looking to pile on but I interviewed students for my selective LAC and quickly realized that my role and input wasn’t particularly material to eventual outcomes. This was more pronounced when I strongly endorsed kids who were eventually denied admission.
I do think however the school used the evaluations provided as a means of identifying red flags.
In terms of your daughter the best case is that your interviewer never provided any feedback on your daughter. That will likely be a function of how their communication went and or how the school organizes their feedback.
At my school I would of at a minimum had to of filled out the form as declined interview after attempts to contact which would likely translate or be interpreted as a lack of interest for an RD candidate.
Good luck.
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She is excellent at all those things you mentioned. Her problem is perhaps having her interview and it not go well and be a detriment rather than a help. After she emailed, her interviewer never responded.
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Terrific. FYI-- most interviewers understand that kids “present” differently. Nobody is judging social skills- an alumni interviewer is not a scene out of an Edith Wharton novel!
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And no (mere mortal) interviewer will expect you to know who Edith Wharton is😀
Edited to accommodate responses.
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I would 
It is Princeton after all.
Edited to accommodate revision in prior post.
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The interview itself is not make or break. The interviewer sending the kid’s recap sheet back to the college saying “Applicant declined interview request” is just not a good look. No college is expecting polished interviews, so there is nothing to lose by doing one.
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To all the panicked seniors who may read this thread:
No, your interviewer is not screening you for an appearance on Jeopardy. Your interviewer will not judge you if you don’t know what String Theory is, if you don’t know what the Ottoman Empire was, and if you haven’t read any Edith Wharton.
BUT-- and this is an important but- if your stated interest in MIT is because of your alleged interest in String Theory- my statement does not apply to you. If you claim you want to attend Brandeis because of its fantastic History and Middle Eastern Studies department- you probably need to know what the Ottoman Empire was. And if you haven’t read Edith Wharton and you are already a HS senior interviewing for college, I feel sorry for you-- but I won’t judge you.
I’m with Ski Europe on the interview btw. The bar is really low if it comes to the social chit-chat component. Every interviewer knows that the student is likely nervous, and it’s not a tea party.
There are some things that happen during an interview which can be a detriment and not a help- but they are truly of the obvious kind. “I don’t want to go to Brown. I want to go to the Naval Academy but my dad is a Brown alum and is making me apply”. That won’t help the kid’s case in front of committee. “Thanks for seeing me on short notice. I’m starting my 100 hours of community service for burning down the local mosque so I won’t have a lot of free time as of next week”.
That kind of thing.
Teenage nerves, social anxiety, clearly neurodivergent communication style? Not a problem.
Parents- remind your kids- this is not the “Miss Congeniality” portion of the Miss America contest (for those of you who haven’t read Edith Wharton) and they shouldn’t fear the interview!
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Politely declining due to what?
Apart from an unforeseen emergency, I can’t think of a reason that would suffice. Shyness and nervousness are not good reasons. There is a little maturity expected at a certain age. They are going to college. They will have to deal with professors, students older than them, and new people they have never met before.
My eldest, now a postgrad student, hated every minute of her college interviews, though she put forth her best effort. She now says that experience served her well. She has been offered a number of amazing jobs and her interview for her current postgrad program was absolutely critical.
I’m not clear from your posts if your D already declined the invitation, but if she hasn’t, I strongly suggest you encourage her to do the interview. There is NO disadvantage. I agree 100% with @blossom and @skieurope .
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It won’t be your student’s only interview in life, but it might be one of the easiest. Unless your student draws a rogue alumna or alumnus who fails to follow guidelines, it’s a good opportunity to learn more about the school and seek advice on how to engage with it should the student enroll.
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Yes, it was lots of fun trying to recruit and especially to retain alum interviewers given those circumstances. It bothered me as well for about the first five years I interviewed, and then I got over it: I’ve got my job to do, and the AO has theirs. (well ok, it still hurts a little…)
Brown AO wasn’t concerned about whether any particular applicant got interviewed or not (to within making sure legacies were prioritized when we ran short of slots). BUT they did want to hear about it if someone was offered an interview and declined. So one more data point on that subject.
In regard to the various “Edith Wharton” opinions being put forth in this part of the thread, I will go on the offensive for applicants concerned that they aren’t well enough read in classics of early twentieth-century White America and say don’t worry about it if you instead chose to do other things with your limited time. One way or another, make the interview about your strengths. That’s what I focus on in my write-ups (when there are strengths to focus on, which isn’t always the case). Colleges are trying to put together a well-rounded entering class, which generally isn’t the same as an entering class of nothing but well-rounded students (and being conversant in one tiny sliver of a particular country’s literature hardly defines well-rounded anyway).
BTW I have heard stories from students about one school in particular where some alum interviewers see themselves as arbiters of an applicant’s academic fitness, to be determined by what amounts to a long pop quiz of academic questions. But most interviewers recognize that’s actually what grades, test scores and teacher recommendations are for… vs whatever topics some random alum happens to think are important.
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Well if anything, let this be a learning lesson for all who read these posts. Our actions have consequences. She will likely not get into this university now. I dont believe it was in the top 5 of her list and she has already gotten into several other top notched Ivies. But none the less, it is always a great opportunity to practice your interview skills.
How can she have already gotten into several other Ivies? I thought they all offered either only ED or SCEA which means a student can only apply to one of them. If she applied to more than one ED or SCEA — and especially if she was accepted to more than one — then she is in danger of having all of her acceptances revoked.
Or did I misunderstand your post?
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I am a bit confused as well as there is only one Ivy on the list but regardless wish your daughter well. FYI as Ski will surely tell you the only “top notch” Ivy is Princeton.
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As a Duke alumni interviewer, I can confirm that they make us fill out an evaluation form on every student. Regardless of whether or not we interviewed them. For students who declined they gave us room to elaborate. Scheduling difficulties are understood, but I’ve had students who decline because they prefer not to interview for whatever reason. This doesn’t look good when it goes back to Admissions. I’ve never had a student admitted who refused an interview.
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Agreed. Refusing an interview or not responding to the alumnus reaching out for one is usually fatal to an application.
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Oh my mistake,
She only applied to one Ivy. I didnt realize the others were not! Lol. My first time with college apps. Thanks for setting me straight!
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In my experience (limited to one university) nothing is “fatal”. But a pattern of “I’m not really interested in your college” sends a message. Not a single element-- but a pattern.
So declining an interview PLUS not visiting (if you are within an easy bus/car/train fide) PLUS not following directions on the application (college asks for two teacher recommendations plus a guidance counselor- kid sends one teacher and a generic letter from a United States Senator who has a passing social relationship with the kid’s parents but doesn’t know the kid)-- this is a pattern.
The highly rejective colleges aren’t looking askance at any one element, it’s the “preponderance of evidence” that a kid isn’t interested which becomes fatal. But since thousands of kids get rejected when the college IS their first choice, I don’t think this is the biggest problem anyone has to worry about!
Oh that’s good news! I was worried she might have made a mistake and had her acceptances revoked. That won’t happen now.
I’m very glad she has some good acceptances to choose from!
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Northwestern, Vanderbilt and BU also only have ED so can’t be them
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