Alumni Interviews for ED Applicants?

<p>We’re in Staten Island and no, it wasn’t restricted</p>

<p>I just feel I really need an interview :/</p>

<p>If your stats aren’t good, then an interview won’t help. You’re at no disadvantage if you’re not granted an interview. Furthermore, an interview is not the place to apologize for what you perceive as flaws, but to see what you’re like as a person.</p>

<p>i have an interview at starbucks with a grad student…how should i dress? i feel like even business casual might be too formal for this interview</p>

<p>What pwoods’ said. Couldn’t have said it better myself.</p>

<p>@daysgoby I think if it’s at a coffee shop or similar setting then you can go casual. Perhaps just wear a collared shirt, or even a button-down if you like. Try and be stylin’ ;)</p>

<p>What I had meant, is that I think, due to my low SAT scores, I really would like to have an interview because I would be able to express that different side of me, that won’t be shown in my application. I heard some interviews can really help out an applicant.</p>

<p>Eh, there’s really only so much you can do now. Interviews are really used as a tipping point between applicants – not as a way to make up for low scores.</p>

<p>Ah, true. I really hope I get in. Columbia has always been my dream :D</p>

<p>During the alumni interview do they ask you about the books you listed on the supplement?
What happens during the interview? What are you supposed to wear?</p>

<p>It is not really a big deal what you wear it is more important what comes out of your mouth!</p>

<p>I haven’t gotten a call for an interview yet, am I off the hook?</p>

<p>From what i heard from my interviewer, the last day to turn in the interview reports is Nov. 24th so they are probably still conducting interviews</p>

<p>still awaiting mine…fingers crossed!</p>

<p>S had his interview this past weekend at a Starbucks. He wore a plaid shirt and black jeans, but didn’t bring his resume. She knew nothing about him, so he said they talked about what he wanted to study, what she studied and the rest of the time about fencing. Turns out she fenced while in Columbia and his squad had won gold in the fencing playoffs the day before. The entire interview lasted for an hour.</p>

<p>I have a question. During the e-mailing to set up my interview, the interviewer wrote,</p>

<p>“Attire: Please don’t spend time dressing up. The location is casual, and the interview will be casual. The purpose of the interview is not to evaluate you but just to get to know you better as a person.”</p>

<p>So does that rule out dress shirt and dress pants [along with dress shoes?] I’m kind of freaking out here, so any help at all would be greatly appreciated!</p>

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<p>just wear a polo / button-down shirt and jeans and informal shoes (like sneakers), the interviewer obviously doesn’t care how you are dressed, so it’s silly for you to be stressing on this board.</p>

<p>I tell my interviewees to wear whatever they like, and my evaluations have been completely independent of their attire. I’ve had kids come wearing business casual, some wearing a tie, some with just a t-shirt and a hoodie etc. Your job is to impress your interviewer with your ideas and your personality.</p>

<p>do the interviews even help at all?</p>

<p>^given that most of the applicant pool is qualified to do well academically at Columbia, a strong recommendation from an alum can push you over into the accepted pool. It doesn’t make up for bad recs, low extra curricular involvement, poor scores and a mild work load, but in this case you’re probably not applying to Columbia in the first place.</p>

<p>I understand not getting an interview oes not mean you wont get admiited. The reverse question is if you do get an interview does it mean you have better chances?</p>

<p>you certainly can’t say that getting an interview (regardless of how well it goes) betters your chances: it clearly depends on how well you do. think of it as an opportunity, to impress your interviewer and better your chances, to come off horribly and lower your chances, or, most likely, to present yourself fairly well (ie. average in the context of all the incredible applicants to Columbia) and not make much of a difference.</p>