<p>I am just curious about what comment you received from AO after interview. I had one bad one from SPS that you had a very talkative son. I think my son tried hard to show himself.</p>
<p>Only one AO out of 3 schools sent us an e-mail after interview. We also sent thank you note after interview. But there is no reply. </p>
<p>Worried because other people seemed to have e-mails after all interview. Do you think we are the only one who didn't receive e-mail after interview?</p>
<p>I don’t think that’s bad. One way or the other, don’t attach too much meaning to anything prior to March 10th.</p>
<p>I also just found out that some applicants have received emails, letters and/or calls from Andover. We have received no communication whatsoever from Andover or any other school. My DC sent hand written thank you cards to all interviewers and have not heard a peep. Do the majority of applicants who ultimately get accepted from schools hear from them prior to March 10?</p>
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<p>Why would you think this is bad??? It’s an interview - the kid is supposed to talk! It would be much worse if your son had nothing to say.</p>
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<p>No, NO, NO! Some interviewers send follow up notes. Others don’t. It certainly varies from school to school and it probably also varies from interviewer to interviewer. It doesn’t mean anything.</p>
<p>Also, some interviewers gush over your child and say he’s the greatest kid they’ve ever met and would make a fantastic addition to the school . . . and other interviewers (thank goodness!) don’t. And it still doesn’t mean a thing.</p>
<p>And some interviewers smile all the way through an interview and others (sadly) just sit there and look somber. Again, it doesn’t mean a thing.</p>
<p>Need I go on? If there were a way of predicting admissions decisions based on interviewer emails, comments, and/or facial expressions (or anything else, for that matter), don’t you think someone would be out there earning a small fortune making such predictions? If you want to know whether or not your student will be admitted come March 10, ask a psychic. Or save your money and ask your cat - the answer you get will probably be just as good.</p>
<p>Or . . . just wait until March 10 like everyone else. :)</p>
<p>If an interviewer said my child was talkative, I would take that as a good sign. My guess is many kids aren’t. They are young and nervous and most haven’t had much experience in such a setting. Boarding schools are going to look for kids with confidence and the ability to advocate for themselves e.g. ask a teacher for help, seek advice from adults on a problem proactively. If I was an interviewer, I would find it a good sing that an applicant that felt comfortable talking and sharing with me in an interview. It also allows the interviewer to know more about your child rather than working hard to pull information out of a kid which probably happens more than you realize. Your son just made the interviewer’s job easier. :)</p>
<p>We did receive emails from some schools (2/4) after the interview, as well as holiday cards and emails from some schools (3/4). One AD spoke with my child’s counselor the other day and asked about his level of interest, but the counselor told us not to read too much in that, as the process is so competitive and it doesn’t mean acceptance, but I still took as a positive sign. I have corresponded with a few schools about paperwork, and another AD signed off with “Good Luck” which didn’t sound too encouraging. I have decided to heed everyone’s advice, and not try and read too into this and wait until March 10th to see the outcomes. I also noticed that many people on this board have applied to BS more then one year, so if the outcome is not what we would have liked, I’m going to take the mindset of “there is always next year.” Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Exactly- some AO’s commented like I was on top of the curve, met the profile of an admitted applicant, was a perfect fit for so and so school, ready for it, etc. I don’t know if the schools that praised me the most really did like me that much, or they were just trying to get me to apply. I’ll see on march tenth…</p>
<p>“Or save your money and ask your cat…”</p>
<p>Using the “one meow=yes, two meows=no” methodology, our cat was 50% accurate. Not sure if this works with dogs.</p>
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<p>Dogs lie. Their intent isn’t malicious . . . it’s just that they would do anything to keep that kid at home!</p>
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<p>And we got a note saying “Best of luck!” . . . which I read as “Best of luck wherever you end up . . . it just isn’t going to be here!” How’s that for parental insanity at its worst? :D</p>
<p>Please remember a lot of students got communication last year and were ultimately declined. It’s meaningless - mostly a courtesy - don’t read anything into it (either the talkative comment, or the receipt or absence of an email/written response)</p>
<p>I understand the logic of not reading into things, but I still can’t help but feel that it may mean something if an AO does not respond to a question that was sent specifically to him/her via email. I feel ignored and sadly, take it as a sign.</p>
<p>Actually - they’re all in marathon sessions trying to pick their classes. You’re not being ignored - their in-boxes are probably full (think thousands of applicants all with questions). When I was on Taft’s campus last year I only saw the committee when they were grabbing food and rushing back to the meeting, or looking drained late at night when they finally broke for the evening.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about it (although having survived the same ordeal I know what I’m suggesting is impossible). hang in there.</p>
<p>Thank you, ExieMITAlum. I appreciate your encouragement!</p>
<p>There is one school that continues to send out lots of form letters from various academic department heads & extracurricular areas, giving information about their area of the school and then asking a series of questions which specifically invite the student to begin a dialogue about what they are interested in. Yes, they must be swamped, but would it be taken as a sign of disinterest not to respond? These have probably been sent out to everyone who has applied, and maybe anyone who has expressed any interest in the school.</p>
<p>2kidsnoanswers: Can you say which BS you are describing?</p>
<p>^^If this is NMH, memory (from last year’s cycle) serves me that this is just “how they roll”& I don’t think a response is really necessary.</p>
<p>Yup. Thanks, PelicanDad!</p>
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<p>This speaks to the inability of the AD to predict the outcome – and the insanity of having 8th graders speculate as to the outcomes in “chances” threads using even less information.</p>
<p>Even if the AD knows for certain that s/he will vote to send your child an admission letter, there are more votes than just his or hers that get counted. And even someone as expert as an admission officer at the school – and with a current and firm grasp of what’s in the file – cannot confidently predict the ultimate outcome.</p>
<p>Check out this video from a Newshour segment from 2004.</p>
<p>[Best</a> and Brightest | PBS NewsHour | June 22, 2004 | PBS](<a href=“http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june04/merrow_6-22.html]Best”>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june04/merrow_6-22.html)</p>
<p>In the middle of the video, the Dean of Admission at Amherst goes to bat for an applicant as the full admission team is running through the files and voting them up or down. This is the Dean of Admission – not one of the counselors. He likes the applicant. He tells the other counselors – people who work for him! – that he personally spoke to this applicant’s guidance counselor and they shouldn’t be concerned about a blip in his sophomore year grades. Then it goes to a vote.</p>
<p>Care to guess how much the Dean of Admission’s influence was worth to the applicant in this case?</p>
<p>Ultimately, it was worth a wait-list letter.</p>
<p>That’s why the best any of these people can offer you is “good luck” and if you think that they’re trying to send you a stronger, more positive signal, you need to stop thinking that.</p>
<p>Relevant transcript segment from the video (the reporter is John Merrow; Tom Parker is Amherst’s Dean of Admissions and, in this instance, *not *Elvis Presley’s manager):</p>
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<p>It’s a collegial process. No matter how effusive and assuring an admission officer might be after an interview or other interaction, that’s just one person and one vote among many and they don’t all think alike.</p>
<p>Thank you for the insight. From the transcript, The AO, although had only one vote, did advocate for the applicant. It can make a big difference sometimes.</p>
<p>The alum interviewer told my sister that her son is ‘brilliant,’ eyes popping out. He didn’t get into that school. Having been involved in admissions, I advise you not to attach any meaning at all to his/her reaction.</p>