<p>My D interviewed at both schools twice 
interestingly, very different each year at each school. Our overall impression the first time at Cate was very warm. I loved how much the students and faculty spent with each family. We met a lot of really charming kids. Cate felt very diverse. In every way you would expect. When my D was 12 and in 8th grade her interview at Cate was AMAZING. Well, at least that’s what the admissions interviewer told me in our interview. He actually said " Your daughter is not the typical student we admit, she is who we hope to see our students like when they graduate. She is our end result we hope for" Like, wow! right. March 10th, skinny envelope.
Second year interviewing at Cate felt very busy and somewhat overbooked except that we interviewed with Ms. Brown Lee. It was not warm and fuzzy. Although I do like her very much it didnt feel like a fit this time at all. On her end particularly.</p>
<p>Thacher felt exactly the same both years so from my perspective, hearing everything the second time around, it definitely came off as very polished marketing. But, the first time you hear it, it definitely feels dreamy and almost mythical. So, it was the same but my impression was different. I feel like Thachers admissions office was always very kind and attentive with the whole process including interview day.</p>
<p>Goes without saying my D was not admitted to Thacher the first year either or she would definitely be there!</p>
<p>I dont really know if she would have been accepted to either school the second year. As I have mentioned before, she applied through ABC and they deal with these applicants slightly different. We told both schools before March 10 that she planning to accept an offer from Midland. </p>
<p>I just want to make the point that regardless of cold, warm, scripted, rushed whatever, both schools are obviously amazing and have a huge number of applicants for the limited spaces so they have devised the way to interview and keep the day going for families that best meets their needs. I wouldnt read to much into it as far as acceptances or denieds (did I just make that word up?)</p>