<p>If an applicant has a "bad" interview, do you think that it would even be worth it to follow through with the actual application? I personally feel that the interview is the MOST important piece of the application and by having a bad interview the entire application could be jeopardized. What do you guys think? And is it even possible to tell if you have had a "bad" interview? In my opinion I have had some great ones, some decent ones, some ok ones, and one that I really think I bombed. But can you really ever know if they were what you thought they were?</p>
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<p>If I had a bad interview, Iâll save my time and money by not applying. A bad interview may not be your fault, the AO may be having a bad day.</p>
<p>The AO was really nice and welcoming, I just received some really tough questions that I wasnât really prepared for and I guess I lost my confidence. It just went downhill from there.</p>
<p>The thing is that I already wrote most of my essay, finished all of the short answers, and filled out the general information forms, so I wouldnât really be wasting much time.</p>
<p>Itâs not easy to tell a âbadâ or âgoodâ interview. If its a place you are really interested in, request a repeat interview. Or, write a nice letter of explanation. AOâs know itâs possible to have a bad day. We all have one!</p>
<p>@2010: If the school is at or near the top of your list, I would continue (if the $50 app fee is a non-issue). If it is not, I might not.</p>
<p>To share a story from our process this year, our D had a âbadâ interview at a school that had been at the top of our list. My wife and I also felt no connection to or warmth from the interviewer. The school was crossed off the list while our car was still in the parking lotâŠand not with regret, but a sense of surprised relief. It was simply a bad fit for our family.</p>
<p>Ask yourself if what youâre thinking was a bad interview was really just a case of bad fit.</p>
<p>There was one interview that my daughter just stops short of calling âbad.â Rather, she says, it just wasnât good. She wants a do-over.</p>
<p>Do the schools allow do-overs? Has any one tried it and how did it work out?</p>
<p>@sunrise1,
I donât think any schools have retake interviews. But then again, I donât know. Iâd contact the admissions offices of schools your interested in and ask them directly.</p>
<p>@2010,
First, how do you know it was âbadâ? My worst interview was my interview at Andover. It was my first one and I kind of nervous and I didnât know what to expect. But looking back at my interview, it wasnât that bad. In fact, my mom recently contacted my interviewer and she said that he remembered me and seemed to like me.
The only example of what I would consider a âbadâ interview was what Iâm assuming a kid I saw in the waiting room at Exeterâs interview was like. I saw this kind of awkward looking kid with his family who was in the waiting room at the same time I was. The interview (who had just interviewed me) asked him who were these people near him. He mumbled something like âmy familyâ. Then after a long, awkward pause the interviewer asked him, âdo you want to introduce them to me?â Iâm assuming that kidâs interview went bad because he clearly had no social skills and he couldnât interact with adults well. From reading your posts, you donât seem to be that totally awkward kid so I assume your interview went better than you think it did.</p>
<p>The problem with the limited view of a discussion board is that it tends to promote a certain stereotype - that every student at an elite boarding school is cut from the same homogeneous, extroverted cloth. So when students donât feel they measure up to what theyâve heard here - they disintegrate and give up on themselves.</p>
<p>Adcoms are pretty experienced. They also know the âstyleâ and âtoneâ of their surrogate interviewers. So âbadâ is relative. Boarding school students are much younger than college students so theyâre held to a more lenient standard during interviews. Youâre not going to âwowâ everyone you meet. Likewise, you may be surprised at how many seemingly dry, deadpan interviewers actually write glowing reports after the fact.</p>
<p>When I was applying for a job I confided in a colleague that the interview had gone badly and the interviewer didnât like me. There was ânoâ connection personally, or professionally. My colleague seemed surprised since the interviewer had ranked me at the top of the list for the job. Likewise, my daughter finished a BS interview and commented of the interviewer âshe didnât like me. Didnât respond to my questions, didnât crack a smile. Iâm toast.â But when I went upstairs the interviewer gushed about her maturity and sense of self-reliance.</p>
<p>So donât âassume.â Just do your best. If you apply to BS you may or may not get in, but if you donât apply then itâs a definite ânoâ right? Trust your gut instinct and do what you think is best. But do know that interviewers know that the interviewees are young and not as experienced at this part of the process. If anything - itâs the students that are too cocky and confident that send up red flags. </p>
<p>Have faith, kiddo! Have faith. When you âfall downâ just get right back up. Thatâs the attitude BSâs are looking for.</p>
<p>I think the AO is really the only person who knows how the interview was. I thought my SPS interview was my worst by far [as it was my first], but I got waitlisted. I thought my Exeter interview went fantastically, but I was rejected. I thought my Middlesex interview was just okay, but I was accepted.</p>
<p>Well said, Izzy Busy Bee. Well said!!!</p>
<p>If you are on the fence about fit and feel that you need to talk to more teachers or coaches, you can always fit that in during admitted students days.</p>
<p>Same here.
I havenât finish my essays and short answers yet, but I really like this school a lot. The interview was SUCK. I donât know whether should I apply or not.</p>
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<p>OMG! Can you please tell me what a bad interview is?? My child (who was very nervous because this was the first interview) interviewed at our home with one of the top bs alums who lives in our town. I was in the next room, so I was able to hear everything. Afterwards, the interviewer and I talked in the presence of my child, and I was asking a million questions about the interviewerâs own experience at the school. The interviewer stayed for more than two hours. Afterwards, my child sent a thank you note, and we never heard another thing from the interviewer. Is this normal? Should the admissions office have followed up with us?</p>
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<p>No that is perfectly normal. I sent hand-written notes to all of my interviewers and havenât received anything back. They usually only respond if you have some kind of question.</p>
<p>My D got responses from some and not from others. I donât read too much into it either way - they are really busy right now.</p>