<p>hey..okay umm yeah well are the interviewers allowed to ask us our sat scores and everything....?</p>
<p>they can ask you whatever they want. they had me fill out a profile with my sat scores and my ap scores. i had no problem with it, why shouldn't they be able to ask?</p>
<p>not only are they allowed to, Harvard asks that they do. Personally, I don't like that they do, but they're Harvard. They can do what they want.</p>
<p>i seriously didnt get the point of the interview then because 45 minutes was spent justher writing down my scores on all my exams my grades and stuff like that..i thought the interview was about getting to know the individual ...not to basically repeat everything that was on my app..but oh well..:</p>
<p>What did you do to try to change the course of the interview? It is important for the student to be assertive. Students who passively wait for the right questions to be asked will probably not get much of a chance to talk about the things that best display why they should be accepted to Harvard.</p>
<p>I remember, for instance, asking a student if they had anything else to add to the interview that might help Harvard learn more about what they had to offer. The student said, "I don't know. What do you think?" This is the quintessential example of passivity!</p>
<p>I know that it doesn't take 45 minutes for an interviewer to hear about your senior year courses, gpa, class rank and exam grades. </p>
<p>Considering all of the advice that has been posted on these boards about Harvard interviews, I also don't understand why you were surprised that the interviewer asked those questions, and I don't understand why you didn't present the info to the interviewer in written form along with your activity sheet. As has been stated many times here, doing these things speeds interviews because the interviewer doesn't have to waste precious interview time getting answers to basic questions.</p>
<p>Although I don't know you, based on your various posts, I have guessed that in general, you are passive. For instance, you claim to have been "forced" to use a sn that make you sound superficial and that might make an adcom or interviewer take pause if they should view your posts and figure out who you really are.</p>
<p>My Harvard interviewer asked for my scores/rank right off to "get it out of the way". It didn't bother me.</p>
<p>interesting observation northstar..but no im not passive at all..i actually told her i felt like my personality didnt come out in this interview..and we started discussing other things..but that was later on..and while she asked me about my grades..i added in things into the conversation that i wanted to discuss like my school and everything..Im not passive at all that when she asked me is there anything else..I said yes ..theres something else..then i just started talking about debate my interest..etc...I ALSO GAVE HER AN ACTIVITY SHEET TO LOOK AT!!..she said she'd rather I tell her because it willl take her too long to read the list..huh.Also she didn't only ask for senior classes..she asked me to list my classes from freshman year..Everything that you're saying NorthStar ..I did..there is nothing else that I can do..this is the first time im not impressed..and actually insulted..I'm not trying to be rude btw.</p>
<p>In our area, interviewers always get the whole high school packet, including grades, scores, EC list and counselor report, in advance of the interview. To me, this makes sense, and I can't understand why all regions don't do it this way.</p>
<p>I don't understand why you were "insulted" by the interview.</p>
<p>Your subject header, "Are they allowed to ask us..." sounds presumptuous and unprepared since the issue has been discussed many times on the board.</p>
<p>I still wonder whether the interviewer was reacting to you and how you come across. </p>
<p>And, however an interview is conducted, one's personality will come out. That may mean, however, that what comes out is not the most appealing part of one's personality.</p>
<p>sexydesi - If you're worried about being judged prematurely, please don't worry. My interviewer suddenly remembered a little late in the interview, i.e. "oh, oh, sorry, can I get your SAT scores from you? It would help me assess you academically..." but this was only after he'd asked me about academic activities etc (like Math Team, college Biology classes, why I'd chosen this subject, what I liked about it). As per usual, your 'number' stats will only be a bit of the puzzle.</p>
<p>Northstarmom - Just thought of a little question you might be able to answer for me : Is it all right/polite/not polite/irrelevant to ask the interviewer about him/herself? Little things like "what did you major in? What's it like interviewing students?".</p>
<p>Mea,
Of course, it's all right to ask the interviewer about themselves. That's good interviewing sense. The more you know about the interviewer, the more things that you can highlight about yourself during the interview that are likely to impress the interviewer. That will help you make best use of the short amount of time for the interview.</p>
<p>One small warning: Some interviewers will get so carried away with talking about themselves that you won't get time to talk about yourself. If this happens, find a way to bring the subject gracefully back to you so that the interviewer will get enough info to write their report.</p>
<p>I don't suggest asking a question like, "What is it like interviewing students?" because that answer isn't going to help you get info about what to highlight about yourself. Asking about their major, profession, why they chose Harvard, what they felt they got most out of the experience - and listening to their answer-- will help you out, including helping to establish rapport.</p>
<p>BTW, few things look more artificial than when a student asks the interviewer a question such as, "Why did you decide to attend Harvard?" and then proceeds to look bored while the interviewer is answering. All this does is lets the interviewer know that the student is simply going through the motions or has been coached about what to say and doesn't give a darn at all about personal interactions.</p>
<p>northstarmom - I see how that works, neat. I was thinking that there shouldn't be a problem since that's just the way I and most people naturally handle a conversation. I guess I was worried about it sounding too contrived, or it not being in my interests given the short time. Thanks for your tips + insight - lots of that will definitely help me out for my next interview tomorrow, : ) : ).</p>
<p>Mea,
From your question, it sounded like you have excellent instincts about how to handle interviews. I bet things will go well tomorrow!</p>
<p>P.S. Most people do not handle conversations the way you do. In interview situations, they tend to be too passive or they tend to have absolutely no interest in the interviewer. They become so focused on themselves that they forget that the interviewer is a person, too -- a person who's volunteering as an interviewer because the person likes students, not because the person has a yen to torture young people.</p>
<p>In my interview my interviewer asked me to bring an activity sheet and my test scores. I just put the scores on the activity sheet. It worked out really well. He made one little comment telling me my scores were good and that was all that we did with the scores. The activity sheet ended up being really helpful because he was able to get a quick overview of my interests and then ask me questions he had about them. We got off topic a lot talking about issues here in Indiana and other things, but it was pretty fun really.</p>
<p>i wasnt insulted by the interview at all..i meant i was insulted by u...I did read everything but I just wasn't sure..just because i asked the question..u assumed I did everything wrong in my interview..i just felt that my interview was awkward..and Byerly..i agree, what's the point of me basically repeating everything from my application..flipchick..btw i did the same thing but she said it was just take too long to look at it..i should just list them..did anyone list the classes they took since freshman yr?...northstar i think its kind of wrong for you to immediately think w/e happened in my interview was my fault or it was boring because of me..you dont even know the interviewer so its like your sticking up for someone you don't know at all and you weren't there so i just dont understand how you can say anything about my experience..but thnx everyone else for answering my question!!.....i just wanted to make sure..</p>
<p>at least u have a harvard interview!! for my area very , they rarely they conduct!! :(
is it poss for u to request another one if u truly feel dissatisfie wif yours?? tho it may be extremely hard or impossible i guess...</p>
<p>My Princeton interviewer spent most of the hour talking about himself. I kept trying to work my summer volunteering experience into the conversation, but he kept changing the subject or interrupting, so I eventually gave up. He told me that I was like, the fourth person he'd ever interviewed, so I'm gonna chalk that one up to inexperience on his part.</p>
<p>actually....i am not criticising harvard interviews when they ask for stats n all but i liked wat my mit interviewer said, he did not want to talk abt grades, sats etc as all that ad com will handle..he wanted to talk abt my expericenes, ecs etc and get to know me as a person.. even tho the interview was not very long...it was abt stuff i wanted to put in my appl but did not know the best way to put across hence expressed it properly in interview..</p>
<p>northstarmom - just to let you know, interview went pretty well. Or at least, I enjoyed myself. Thanks again for your help + general wonderfulness.</p>
<p>Mea,
I am glad that your interview went well. Based on what you've posted about your plans for handling the interview, I anticipated you'd have a good experience.
IMO whatever college that you choose to attend will be lucky indeed!</p>