<p>Hello! I am an Andover grad and an alumni admissions interviewer for PA, as well. I interview students who cannot make it to campus for an AO interview, for whatever reason. I am happy to answer any questions you or your children may have about the interview process or what qualities boarding schools look for in potential students. Good luck with the admissions process!</p>
<p>@agentwood: Some colleges say that alumni interviews play a minor role if at all in admission decisions, partly because alumni interviewers are volunteers and have received little training so the ways they conduct interviews and make conclusions on candidates vary significantly. What is the role of alumni interviews in boarding school admission decisions? Have you received any training or are you following certain “SOP’s” in conducting interviews?</p>
<p>Hi Benley,</p>
<p>You have posted some good questions and concerns. </p>
<p>At Andover (and the other top BS), alumni interviewers provide an important service to the schools, as many applicants cannot interview on campus for several reasons: a) they live too far away from the school and cannot travel to campus for financial or logistical reasons; b) there are many more applicants than there are spaces available to interview at the AO, so they must meet with an alum; c) they have applied late and cannot interview with the AO, for the same reason as b. I live in a nearby state, so most of my interviewees fall into category b.</p>
<p>Although we are volunteers, we are provided with some training in how to conduct interviews. For example, during my first year as an interviewer I traveled up to PA that fall and went to a seminar where we discussed how to conduct the interview, what qualities to look for in a candidate, application numbers and admittance rates (including those of our fellow schools), and other things pertaining to the interview process. We were joined on conference call by other alumni interviewers who lived in other parts of the U.S. and the world. It was an invaluable experience which gave us insight into the application process at our school.</p>
<p>The admissions office encourages us to really go to bat for students whom we feel would be a great asset to Andover, as well as be frank about those we feel may not be good candidates for PA. I have called the AO personally when I had a candidate I was particularly impressed with in order to ensure they were given an “extra look.”</p>
<p>So basically alumni interviewers are important to boarding schools, and we are very proud of our schools so we are more than happy to speak with candidates about what we hope will be a wonderful and challenging experience for them!</p>
<p>Fantastic agentwood! I think private schools in general rely on those admissions volunteers and really value their opinion and insight they may have with families during the admissions process. I know from personal experience at our private day school, many of the same parents are asked to tour, answer questions during info sessions and the open house. Before any of this happens, we meet with the DOA to discuss what she expects from us and we also meet with her directly after these encounters with our notes in hand. The DOA and her assistant conduct all interviews but as parents who’ve been a part of the school for many years, she values our impressions. What I do know is that some families feel very comfortable and let their guard down when speaking with a current parent. Parents don’t realize that they are being observed and talked about even during an open house or an info session. There have been families that I’ve loved and thought would be a great fit and others who were abrasive, rude and even racist. I can tell you…when the DOA hears something positive or negative, she immediately notates it all on their file. I thought this was how our school did it but I’ve had children in two different private schools and it’s the same way in both schools. </p>
<p>I think having an alum who’s trained interview the kids who can’t make it to campus is a good idea. The alum has been there and experienced life at the school and has an insight that many staffers wouldn’t have. </p>
<p>Thanks for sharing</p>