Alumni Interviews

<p>Other students from my school are already getting interview requests from an alumnus in my area, but I haven't received one. They are not applying for architecture or hotel. Could it be that Cornell is not interested in me? Haha. Also, I already submitted a portfolio so maybe they don't need anymore information about me, even though they state that that is not the purpose of the interview. HELP! I'M WORRIED!</p>

<p>I got in w/o an interview and I live in the Bay Area. It's not a big deal.</p>

<p>evanbang: No need to worry!
Official campus interviews are neither required nor offered. Most students who apply for freshman admission will at some point be contacted by a member of a local Cornell alumni committee in the fall or winter. These informal conversations with alumni are not required and are meant only to allow an additional opportunity for the student to learn more about Cornell - and for Cornell to learn more about the student.</p>

<p>If you don't get contacted for an alumni interview, it is not because Cornell is not interested in you. It is simply because there are simply so many applicants that not everyone can be interviewed. Not getting one (or getting one, for that matter) will neither increase nor decrease your chances of acceptance.</p>

<p>Since you mentioned a portfolio, I would imagine that you're applying to Architecture, Art and Planning. If that's the case, be sure to request an interview at this site:
Cornell</a> / AAP / Admissions / Request an Interview</p>

<p>I haven't gotten an alumni interview either, and I know people who have.
All I can say is hope for the best.</p>

<p>Chandler, I don't think you need to stress too much about this.</p>

<p>I just had my interview, and it went really well. However, it wasn't really an interview like CornellGrad said, it was more of an information session to learn more about the school. The alum talked way more than I did, telling me about how much he enjoyed it there and just some of his experiences. I don't think it has any affects on your admission into the school, but I'm definitely glad I met.</p>

<p>I know, but I would really like an interview :(</p>

<p>That sounds like fun, I hope I get one!</p>

<p>Ack got my ILR interview call. I missed the call because I was at my AFL-CIO delegate meeting and she left a message, shoot. Shes one of the heads of a major labor thinktank nearby so I gotta prep for this interview and impress her.</p>

<p>cheer,
Mike</p>

<p>No interview yet. lol</p>

<p>My son just got a call for an alumni interview today. I was surprised since I had read that ILR did not do alumni interviews. I guess that is not the case?</p>

<p>PS any suggestions on what he should wear to the interview? A co-worker who heard that my son was applying to Cornell generously bought him an ILR t-shirt on a recent visit to see her daughter who is a freshman there. Would it be wrong to wear that, or would it show interest? Alternatively he could wear a nice shirt and dress pants along with a sports jacket. Or maybe something in between?</p>

<p>Alumni meetings are not interviews. Cornell alumni are asked to arrange informational meetings with every applicant in their geographic area. It would be great if we could get to every applicant, but sometimes alumni volunteers are overwhelmed with applicants (and then the choice is random) or the applicant's geographic area is not covered by an alumni committee. Contact by an alumni is not an indication of an applicant's status. Alumni committees are referred to applicants before the applications have been reviewed. </p>

<p>misterbill. I think your son should dress nicely. He does not need a sport jacket, unless the location of the meeting requires such attire. The meeting is intended to be a friendly informational session and should not be construed as an interview. The alumni will likely ask questions about why your son chose Cornell and why your son chose ILR. He should be friendly and relaxed. The best reviews I see from alumni are those where the applicant is enthusiastic about Cornell and the alumni comes away with a generally positive reaction to the applicant. We all loved our experience at Cornell, which is why we volunteer to serve in this alumni ambassador role. There's nothing better than a meeting where the applicant is enthused to learn about our experiences.</p>

<p>CornellGrad19xx, thanks for the info. I guess he'll skip the ILR t-shirt.</p>

<p>I'm glad to know I'm not the only one perplexed by this interview business. I got an email about an interview and the alumnus and I scheduled one for next tuesday, and I applied to CAS-- which I thought wasn't an "interview/information session" school. </p>

<p>My interviewer told me to look for an old, bald guy with a white beard. ... Well. This should be interesting.</p>

<p>I have my interview tomorrow...I'm rather nervous...</p>

<p>I read that interviews can only result in good and that it could give you a slight advantage over those who didn't do interviews (this was in a how to write the common app book by a former Dartmouth admissions officer). So i guess it would be a real blessing if you are offered one.</p>

<p>I'm a little nervous as well, but mine is on monday</p>

<p>I haven't been offered one, so I don't know what to do.</p>

<p>ChandlerBing - don't worry about it. Alumni have until November 30th to submit a report for early decision applicants and February 22nd for regular decision, so you may still be contacted. If there is a Cornell Club in your area, you could touch base with that club to see if there is a CAAAN committee in your area. Sincerely though, I can promise you, not having an alumni meeting will not negatively affect your application.</p>

<p>The reports often say nothing more than "met with applicant". It's obvious from this forum that you are very interested in Cornell and I'm sure that was communicated through your application. That's typically the message conveyed by alumni as a result of these meetings. Your years of schooling and extra curricular activities speak for themselves.</p>

<p>Thanks for the heartening post, CornellGrad :)</p>

<p>^Also, I was under the impression you were from FL-I can't imagine Cornell has much of an alumni network down there. But yeah, I wouldn't worry too much about the interview thing. In fact, it may be a good sign. Last year tons of kids from my school applied to Middlebury, (which happens every year because I live in VT), and the school only set up interviews with kids they were on the fence about. The two kids who ultimately got in didn't have them.</p>

<p>Nope, I'm actually from a pretty densely Cornell-populated area of NY.
But I don't think it really has much effect on your decision: my sister got one 15 years back and got rejected.</p>