<p>windcloudultra - do you interview for Harvard?</p>
<p>My daughter interviewed with a med school professor last year who requested several documents upfront (CV, commonapp, harvard supplement etc). I was a bit surprised based on what little I have heard of from my reading on this website. I attended a local presentation by Harvard just after that request and based on how the Harvard adcoms explained the process it made sense that the interviewer demanded all those documents. They made it sound like they expect the interviewer to be very familiar with the applicant’s application.</p>
<p>@texaspg–yes. This will be year four? From my understanding, it seems like admissions is quite split down the middle between two approaches. One school of thought is that by knowing as much as possible about each applicant, the interview can ask more relevant questions without wasting too much time. If the scores and/or grades are uncompetitive, get right to questions that might explain a bad grade or bad test section. </p>
<p>I’ver never asked for a resume; some of that info will come up naturally during an interview anyway. I used to ask for scores and grades, but this year I’m trying not to ask. I tend to be in the school that thinks I can get a pretty good idea about a person’s intellectual capability and other personal factors based just on a conversation. Can they lead a conversation? Take a conversation with a stranger in surprising directions? Or do they mostly give rehearsed answers? The admissions office sees the app already; not sure what I’d gain by having the app or even a resume ahead of an interview, especially because Im not using it as a screen.</p>
<p>I think a good tip for the day would be for applicants to spend 3 minutes and memorize their SAT & AP scores. I can’t imagine it leaves a good impression if you tell the interviewer you don’t know.I’d bet many don’t believe you.</p>
<p>I had my interview today and my interviewer asked me my SAT and AP scores and GPA towards the end. He said that Harvard interviewers are required to ask, but I don’t know…</p>
<p>I ask just to see relative strengths. It’s a self-selecting bunch, for the most part, so the scores are usually quite high. Tell the truth. It can’t hurt.</p>
<p>As my interview was 2 years ago I can’t quite remember if my interviewer asked or not. I do remember that even if it was asked, it wasn’t a big part of the interview.</p>
<p>I am an international student and I haven’t been contacted for an interview yet, do you think I could still get an interview? Do you think I am at a disadvantage by discussing personal weaknesses like procrastination or bad time management? Of course I will demonstrate how I have improved and what I have learned from those weaknesses… I am referring to both interviews and essays.</p>
<p>Interviewers are not given information about standardized test scores, but they may ask about it in your interview. As far as I know, they are literally only given your name, contact information, and school. My interviewer didn’t even know if I was a boy or a girl because my name could be both, and after the interview she emailed me to ask for my test scores to include in her report. Don’t worry too much! Things will go fine regardless. Best of luck!</p>
<p>In our region, Harvard actually emails a web link in which the kid is required to upload before the interview a resume-type questionnaire along with all the scores, the GPA and AP/IB tests taken. I am not sure how many other regions have this, but ours seems to have its own website dedicated to this.</p>
<p>I am very surprised some of this as well. My son’s Harvard interview was simply a chat with a man who graduated 40 some years ago - very informal and S was never asked about scores or class rank. They talked mostly about Latin and how helpful it can be in learning English grammar. S had a resume prepared, but he never gave it to him - said it would have been awkward after their relaxed conversation. Both of my college-aged kids interviewed for multiple ivies and other selective schools - I’m pretty sure no one ever asked about their scores, let alone requested a copy of their transcript. I think this puts unnecessary pressure on applicants and just serves to make them more nervous and ill at ease. I wonder if some interviewers want “data” because they are data-driven sorts and it help them make certain judgements about the applicants right at the beginning of the interview. Very contrary to the concept of holistic admissions.</p>
<p>Additionally, my H is a long time alumni interviewer for another ivy, and they tell interviewers not to ask for test scores, grades, etc. and instead to focus on the applicant’s personal qualities, interests, and reasons for attending the school. Years ago, many applicants would leave him with a resume or brag sheet - some with scores, some without. But in the last few years it is becoming less common, and this year no one has left him with any sort of print-out. He actually likes receiving a resume because it makes his write-up a little easier - helps jog his aging memory, and he can rely less on note taking and more on the conversation.</p>
<p>My interviewer asked what my SAT scores were and said “we usually ask for them at the end of the interview, so that it doesn’t get awkward”. He prob told me that because I had included an official score report in the resume I had given him at the beginning of the session</p>
<p>There is a simple explanation for the different approach among H interviewers regarding asking for scores.The local schools committees that arrange interviews have different rules. My local schools committee, for example, asks interviewees to fill out a blank form that asks for SAT, ACT, and AP scores as well as other information and return the form to the interviewer. The interviewer is to confirm the scores verbally at some opoint in the interview. In practice the interviewers I know do things very differently from one another.</p>
<p>the summary report form online - which is used by almost every interviewer - clearly states that scores, GPA, AP exam scores, etc., are optional; it further states while you are filling in the report that “many interviewers find that asking for approximate scores and grades can be helpful”; and when the report is submitted, the section for scores is labeled “Optional.” It is true different clubs can require different forms from applicants with score info but that’s really to help the clubs manage the flood of applicants with the reality of interviewer availabiliity. Since official standardized test scores are required to submitted to the admissions office by the applicant (the applicant authorizes the college board to send the scores) - and until the scores are submitted, the file will not be read - the only reason for an interviewer to ask for scores and other academic data points is for his/her own use in the interview - and that is perfectly OK (since Harvard can’t possibly supply the interviewer with the information). If the applicant doesn’t want to reveal the scores, s/he doesn’t have to - but why wouldn’t you, unless the scores weren’t within Harvard’s published ranges for successful applicants? And it does bear repeating that Harvard interviewers are forbidden to contact an applicant’s school for this info.</p>
<p>Not wanting to reveal your scores is similar to not wanting to discuss your specific courses (whether they are AP or honors or non-honors), or not wanting to reveal whether you play on the varsity or JV, or whether you run an important club or are just a member. You wouldn’t hold back this info, so what’s the big deal about scores? It’s up to the applicant, of course, but keeping mum about useful information about yourself changes the conversation.</p>
<p>Many interviewers don’t ask - as has been said many times elsewhere, it’s a personal choice for the interviewer who is trying to get a useful impression of the applicant. I happen to find asking for scores useful - but I interview a lot of applicants every year so that’s probably why.</p>
<p>I interview for a peer school. We are asked specifically NOT to ask about SATs and GPA. The philosophy (which I agree) is that admissions sees the entirety of the app – including context as to the student’s HS offerings and relative educational opportunities. </p>
<p>Since it’s off the table, I’m free to comment solely on the session itself rather than inserting additional biases I would have b/c I knew the students ACT/SAT scores.</p>
<p>I can guarantee you I’d view a 26ACT scorer much different than a 2360 SAT scorer and it’d color my write up as much as I hope it wouldn’t . I would project something more to the 2360 scorer and something less to the 26 ACT scorer than I would not if I knew nothing of their scores.</p>
<p>I’m sure I’ve given glowing reviews to kids who didn’t set afire the SAT/ACT and I’m sure I’ve stated kids were very mediocre despite astronomical test scores.</p>
<p>Yes, asking is optional. Yes, I do ask. Why? I am asked to provide some sort of evaluation of the candidate’s academic potential while being given no information about the applicant. Test scores are a starting point, although AP classes and scores tell me a lot more than SAT scores do. If an applicant leaves an impression that is far different from his/her test scores, I do comment on that (this could be an applicant with high scores who makes an indifferent impression or an applicant with relatively low scores who is lively and insightful).</p>
<p>I do not find that the applicant’s scores affect the interview or my impressions at all. I think there are several reasons for this: 1) My own child scored higher on the SAT at thirteen than most of the students I interview scored in eleventh or twelfth grade; I’m just not blown away by test scores. 2) Most applicants I meet have have very similar scores. 3) I am not seeing much correlation at the high end of the range (2200+) between SAT scores and an applicant’s ability or potential.</p>
<p>About that last point: Missing one question on the SAT can mean a loss of 20-40 points. Does an 800 in math really distinguish one applicant from another who scored 770? Does an 800 in math really tell us anything about the student’s math ability? I interviewed five applicants this year; the strongest candidate had the fourth-highest SAT scores. So a 2360 is not going to receive special treatment from me.</p>
<p>I was asked by my interviewer. I found it very, very strange, considering the fact that I probably wouldn’t be there if I had a 1500 out of 2400. I wasn’t asked by my previous Ivy interview either. But my Harvard interviewer had his interview evaluation form on the table in front of both of us. I could clearly see a large space for the SAT scores, with spots for “verbal,” “math,” and “writing.” I even said I had a resume when he asked me about my score, and he said harvard probably already has all that information and he probably didn’t need it. Again, I found the situation quite strange, but of course I had to answer all his questions.</p>
Wish this thread had been up in 2012 when my D interviewed.
I interview for another Ivy where we are told NOT to ask, so never in a million years thought memorizing SAT scores was required for any interview. Her interviewer asked her right away, seemed confused she did not know them… It threw her off for the rest of the interview thinking that he must think she is stupid not to know. Really raised anxiety level in what I think is a totally unnecessary way as the University does already know the scores and could fill that section on the form out themselves.If there is some cut off, do not offer interviews to kids below it. What is the point?
PS It was not a question of not revealing, her score where near perfect…but she actually didn’t care, her grandfather was dying she was going to caught a train to visit with him one last time after the interview…some people do have other things of the list of concerns much higher than memorizing qualifying SAT numbers especially if you alreadythat that you qualified at the so called cut off’s published. It is not a point of pride from some people…it is just one more hoop they jumped through in the process. Not knowing or caring is not a cover up for low scores.
Oh yeah, one more PPS this really bothered me. She had already e mailed him her CV with all the scores before hand, so she did not bring a copy. Do not assume because you have given this quantitative information to Harvard in various forms and time that they read it. They will STILL ask you. Your caring about your scores enough to memorize them is important for some reason.