@jym626 I would hope so. I was mainly saying that to point out the sour grapes idea. that @itsJustSchool mentioned. I think with the details though it will be be fully considered either way. I will probably just email them at least to start.
@ARandomGeek haha good idea! I was considering bringing a fee waiver but that would work better
@matt846 thats a good point. I mean the email from Bates seems pretty official and i definitely used the exact email I was given. It could be possible somone is posing as an Alum though.
@ csmoove haha If I actuallly did help him eat he better write the best damn report ever! There would proabably be additional charges along the way though. Plus I dont think Interviews are huge for Bates. I am sure they help but if I was going to waste a large sum of money on something unethical it should at least be “very important” on the common data set
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Please let us know what happens! I came back just to see what happened. After hearing from an alumni interviewer that it is wrong, I think you should report. I don’t think it would effect you poorly, in fact, I think it would go IN your favor. They would be afraid to deny for fear you’ll cause a stink.
jmbakh-
I would definitely contact Bates admissions. My guess is that someone got the email address wrong and this is a stranger playing with you. Bates does not, I repeat not charge for interviews and I can’t imagine anyone who does alumni interviews ever suggesting it. I would simply assume this is not a real Bates alumni interviewer and call Bates admissions to explain the problem.
@Jmbakh - I would definitely contact Bates and specifically ask to be assigned a different interviewer. It’s possible they will grant your without asking why - but if they ask why, go ahead and tell them. Although there is no way you can prove your allegation and the interviewer is certain to deny it if asked, they will likely grant your request.
I think he is just a weirdo with a bad sense of humor. But do contact admissions and see if you can get a new interviewer. Don’t worry about repercussions. There seems to be a growing awareness that not every alum makes a good interviewer----note that certain categories are now ineligible to interview at some schools, including people with a history of sex crimes (!) and people who have high school aged kids.
One of my kids had a bad interview, not with Bates. We had the same feeling that this was a person who just shouldn’t be allowed to interview. We were going to let it go, interviews don’t really matter that much, when I ran in to the local head of the alumni group for that school and spilled the beans.
Certainly, call Bates now. But also call your local police department (and let Bates know you intend to do so). This is either a terrible attempt at humor (which must be explained) or it is attempted fraud through misrepresentation (which really should be investigated by law enforcement professionals). I am sure Bates’ Admissions Department will be very grateful for your “heads up,” whether or not the caller is a Bates alum; they will absolutely want this sicko charlatan stopped before he does further harm to their excellent reputation.
This sounds really weird. Contact the school, give the name of this guy, and see if he really is the alumni. And if that’s how they all are… pick another school.
My S is a student at Bates. They do not charge for an interview. If you haven’t already done so, call Admissions on Monday. I would be beyond shocked if they held this against you. Imo, they will be quite appreciative.
“Plus I dont think Interviews are huge for Bates. I am sure they help but if I was going to waste a large sum of money on something unethical it should at least be “very important” on the common data set”
Interviews are important to Bates, but that being said - they do not charge for one.
The fact that he immediately switched from email to a phone number…he could be anybody now. What if this isn’t the Bates interviewer at all, but his creepy roommate, or a stranger who hacked his email while they were using the same wifi? I’m firmly on the side of the posters who want you to contact Bates and request someone else. He’s crossed the line.
I think it’s personally strange that he even switched to texting in the first place. Email imo is a much more professional way of communication, especially for an alumni interview.
This probably wasn’t the intended alumnus - either a roommate or brother or ?
Even if it was a joke, it was totally inappropriate and could even be construed as an attempt at bribery on your part if you actually paid up.
Call Bates. Say you’d like to switch interviewers, and ask whether it was normal whether your interviewer requested to be called at 7:30 sharp, and when you said you’d be at school and took the bus at 6:30 in order to arrange for another time, were told you’d be called back later; that the later call started with the person indicating they charged $100 for the interview and you were speechless so after you reacted as if it was a joke, the person hung up on you. Say you’re not sure you got the right person or if it was a joke but it may also have happened to other applicants and you thought Bates might want to check up on it and you can give them email and phone number if they wish.
(They WILL want to check up on it but it’ll be out of your hands.)
BTW: Either this is an alumnus who shouldn’t be interviewing, or this is a scammer who took hold of a Bates alum’s email ( or this is a scammer who went to Bates…) but this is not a legitimate Bates request nor is it proper interview behavior.
It will not be used against you but rather be in your favor, if you report things precisely and honestly - and help them catch someone who does their college a disservice, or, worse, is scamming students using their name.
Thanks for all the feedback! I have sent an email to Bates Alumni In Admissions. That is where I who originally gave me the contact. I did that Friday around noon and recieved no reply. I only have a small window between the time I get home and the time Bates Admissions is open, but I will try to call Monday.
also @emilybee that statement sounded bad, but I mainly was just referring to where they put a check on the common data. I would not consider paying regardless of importance, but I assumed it would be considered and planned to prepare. Thanks for the link
They emailed me back saying they’d look into it and contact me. A week later they said the alum never responded do they’d set me up with someone new soon. Still haven’t heard after that. I probably should have called Bates admissions but I’m not on the east coast and the office closes around when I get home from school.