So awhile ago a Cornell alumni emailed me about an interview. I stupidly missed the email because it was in my spam, so I got back to her a little late. I apologized but obviously it was still pretty bad. I asked about interviewing that weekend. She said she couldn’t because she had to take care of her child, etc. and suggested next week. I got strep the next week, and I wanted to wait until I was feeling a little better and the antibiotics kicked it. I asked about early next week and suggested Skype, but she didn’t get back to me until Tuesday 2/9 and said it was too close to the deadline. Is this an automatic rejection? I am so upset with myself for missing the email and I honestly can’t believe I got strep then and I’m thinking maybe I should’ve gone to the interview sick anyway…
No, but since you did not answer her she most likely sent a report to Cornell saying “Applicant did not respond”. It’s nothing bad its just that they have write up a report and send it in before the 15th for your benefit, the interview is not meant to hurt you. Mine was right after the deadline so basically my interview has no effect on me I guess.
@LlenrocPeoh Doesn’t not responding look really bad? And I technically did respond before the deadline and she couldn’t make the interview times I suggested, then I got sick and asked if we could meet after I was feeling better. Do you still think she’ll say I didn’t respond?
The interviews are mostly PR. A good interview often makes the school seem more appealing so that you are more likely to think positively about the school. If you are worried you could tell her you’d still like to hear about her experience at Cornell-as an expression of interest. You can drop admissions an email and let them know you were sick but are trying to talk with the interviewer anyway.
@lostaccount So you don’t think I’m totally screwed?
I really want to know how my interviewer explained us not being able to meet. I seriously hope she didn’t say that I declined because I didn’t :((
Cornell had 40,000 applicants in 2013. I don’t think they have time to parse out whether your strep throat justifiably prevented an interview. I’ll repeat here what I said in post #6 to your “Demonstrated Interest” thread:
“Your stats from your ‘Journey’ thread are impressive. You have a good mix of reaches and safeties. I think your biggest problem is likely to be that you will receive 4 or 5 compelling acceptances all around the same time, and will have to make a tough decision quickly.”
The best thing you can do to prepare for next year is to learn how to drop your anxiety level a few notches. The first year of college is hard, especially at the schools you have applied to. You won’t be able to overthink all of your assignments the way you are overthinking all of your applications. Their in, it’s done. You WILL get in to an excellent school. Now go work out, or go to the rink. But take a break from CC!!!
International applicant here. Didn’t receive any interview call! Means I’m outrightly rejected?
@pk2608 You’re fine, probably just not enough alumni interviewers in your country. I’m just worried because I was offered one and I wasn’t able to schedule one with my interviewer because of scheduling conflicts.
@MidwestDad3 I was debating whether I should email admissions because I think it looks like I really didn’t care about Cornell, but I don’t know. I’m just worried because out of all my reach schools, Cornell has by far the best relationship with my school. And yeah, I’ll try to stop worrying. Since I no longer need to worry about grades, I guess I’ve shifted to worrying about applications :))
Maybe they ha enough in India I guess
At top schools, interviews are not just PR.
OP, missing the interview chance isn’t good but these things happen. Now you want to do the triage you can. Go ahead and send a note asap, but don’t make it worse (far worse) by heaping explanations on them. Along the lines of: I was unable to respond in time, we couldn’t set an alternate date and I would gladly interview if the possibility is still open. Don’t use my words, use your own, satisfy yourself that you thought this through and chose your own words. Your file will show the note that you were, in fact, open to one.
Well they’re apparently supposed to make 2 attempts to contact you and then say you didn’t respond
@emilyskates If you don’t get accepted into Cornell, you are always going to wonder if it was the interview. And there is no way to know what the interviewer wrote about your correspondence with her. I would write to Cornell ASAP - as the poster above suggested - and briefly explain the situation. Mention that you still are open to interviewing if it isn’t too late.