<p>A mother told me recently that her son was asked to have a second interview at his Early Action college.</p>
<p>Only occasionally have I heard of a college specifically suggesting that candidates who have already had one interview should do so again. (The last time, it involved a student who'd just been booted out of his prep school for an alcohol violation. So, apparently, the college wanted to hear his side of the story ... or at least see him grovel and explain what he'd learned from the episode.)</p>
<p>Sometimes students will have two interviews when one is on campus and one is with a local alum, but this is not the same as the situation noted above, where the college was clearly looking for more information before making an EA decision.</p>
<p>Have any of you (or your children) also been asked to interview a second time (other than by local alums)? If so, what were you told (or what do you think) was the reason behind the repeat interview?</p>
<p>I’ve done alumna interviews for Harvard for a number of years and have attended several of the training workshops the Admisisons Office conducts for us volunteers. We’re told that Admissions may request a second interview for several reasons - eg if there is some disconnect between the first interview report and the application. Or if the Committee wants some more information on the candidate. I’ve always interpreted it as a good thing - means the candidate is at the very least borderline and the Committee is still considering the application. My own D had a second interview - called at very short notice and conducted in a somewhat confrontational manner.</p>
<p>In my own experience, second interviews–especially with the Ivies–are infrequent and are more apt to take place when the candidate complains about having had a crummy interviewer (e.g, such as one with an old guy who interviews for a formerly all-male college and who insists to female applicants that the school shouldn’t have ever gone coed :eek:). So then the school offers the student a chance to interview with a different–and, hopefully, better–alum.</p>
<p>So your perspective on the Harvard training workshops is helpful. Thanks.</p>