<p>I heard that the interview doesn't really matter for top colleges. Ultimately, it's your stats and extracurriculars, etc that will get you in. The interview doesn't play a big part. Is that true?</p>
<p>Also, if you have an extreme passion in a certain area, how do you let that show through in the application? I know you can do that through essays, but are there any other ways?</p>
<p>In addition, what is the best way to get teachers to write a dazzling recommendation, besides doing well in the class? Any advice is welcome.</p>
<p>It’s true, the interview CAN’T play a big part. Usually, interviews are conducted by alumni–and of course, with the thousands of volunteers these top schools have, they can’t control for the different ways alumni conduct interviews, so it wouldn’t be fair for some students. Most interviews will end up being “great” anyway; colleges simply can’t admit every applicant who had a “great” or “fantastic” interview.</p>
<p>Show your passions through your extracurriculars, essays, and maybe even your coursework. In my case, most of my ECs had to do with my passion, and I used college supplements to further explicate (although this might not be the best idea since some colleges don’t have supplements).</p>
<p>Get to know your teacher outside of class, if possible. Maybe you have a teacher who is also an advisor for one of your ECs? I’m not saying you should become all buddy-buddy with them–though that may help–but having your teacher include an excerpt or two on who you are as a person might definitely help.</p>