<p>Do interviews really weight a lot in the application process? Some of the schools my interviews went well but some didnt and I'm really worried.
Help me out please? :D
Thank you!</p>
<p>It is a huge part.</p>
<p>oops :
sshoooott</p>
<p>how much does each part of the application process count?</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s an exact equation, it’s just how everything adds up to give them a picture of you. The interview weighs more than others because it is the only first hand experience the Admissions office gets of you.</p>
<p>This is what I have heard:
Grades-25%
EC’s-20%
SSATs-10%
Interview-20%
Essay-25%
These are probably not the exact percent and the system is most likely different depending on the kid, but I found this on another website.</p>
<p>the interview is the most important because you can have a smart kid with no character and he wont go far but you can teach a dumb kid with character to be smart</p>
<p>i thought ssats weigh a lot</p>
<p>well the only time they look at it is in the begining to either put you in the applicant pool or not and in the end if youre in a close race with someone else</p>
<p>yea if ur SSATs are over 80 then they really don’t weigh that much, if they are below 80 it’s probably gonna hurt you and if they’re 98 or 99 that’s gonna give you a good boost. </p>
<p>Urbanflop, there’s no way the essays and grades weigh more than the interview and ECs. Those percentages should be switched, interview definitely the most.</p>
<p>Guys, it’s not that simple. If an applicant is amazing on paper and is a psycho in the interview, then the interview will weigh 100% and the other stuff zill.</p>
<p>I sometimes wish it was as simple as knowing that if you have this this and that you will be offered a spot, but then; would I want my son going to a school like that? Would you want to go to a school like that. </p>
<p>The only thing that everyone can do is to present themselves as honestly as possible and let the admissions committees do their jobs. They are very good at them.</p>
<p>There was a thread way back when titled “weigh the following” or something like that. Do a title search and then bump it up. But please recognize that everything on it is general speculation. Not one person who posted works in admissions. </p>
<p>If every part of the app wasn’t important, they wouldn’t ask for it. They just want to know who you are. If you appear brilliant at the interview, they’ll probably expect your teachers to say the same. If your essays are incredibly insightful and your prose is flawless, they may look at your ssat essay to see if it might be the seed of an essay as polished as the one you turned in with your app. </p>
<p>It all needs to fit.</p>
<p>I agree with Neatoburrito. A bad interview can end your chances of admission. The schools do not want to admit someone who won’t be able to cope. </p>
<p>On the other hand, you don’t necessarily know if your interview went well or not, from the interviewer’s perspective. If it does not knock you out of contention, it may be a neutral factor. Many nice, smart, energetic kids apply for admission to these schools. </p>
<p>**Do:**make eye contact with your interviewer. Be honest. Have a question or two to ask the interviewer if the conversation flags–something unique to the school in question, which you can’t answer by reading the viewbook or website. Something related to one of your interests would be a good choice, because you’ll be interested in the answer.</p>
<p>Don’t: exaggerate your accomplishments. Don’t lie. Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself–that’s why you’re there. And, when the interview’s done, don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>How come no one mentioned teacher’s recommendations?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I was referring to the teacher recs here. Unless a child is at a school which regularly sends kids to independent schools, their teachers may not be very experienced in writing the kinds of recs that are actually useful to the admissions office.</p>
<p>I know my teachers aren’t at all familiar. I had to spend ages explainig A) what the schools were B) Why I didn’t want to go to the local magnet. C) Why a “really bright girl” like me wouldn’t be easily accepted and then D) How to fill them out. I hope they compare to my SSAT, I get on alright with my teachers but spend little time with them. When a class has 40 pupils and 1/4 of them are at risk of failing the state exams, who do you reckon has to recieve all the attention? Then again Im terrible at estimating how well things will go, as proven by my SSAT score.</p>
<p>Something else people need to know is that the SSAT essay is looked by the commitee in a different way then most people expect. The school doesn’t look soley on whether you answered the prompt or not but how your writing is. Do the sentences flow? Is there good variety of word choice? Even if you didn’t do to well on answering the prompt, you still have a chance. Just something I wanted to let everyone know.
*I found this on a website about school admissions.
@detrombone that’s not my info, I found it on somebody’s blog about boarding school. You are probably right.</p>
<p>thanks for sharing urban 
so doe this mean the writing peace has an impact but vrry small right?</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how well you did it. Honestly, I wish I could sit in on an admissions comittee and hear them deciding whether to admit an applicant. Then I could give out information that is actually right!!!</p>
<p>yea, there’s no way there’s one formula that decides if u get in or not, or even put in the applicant pool. It’s probably so complicated.</p>
<p>Urbanflop, I have no clue where you got that weighing system, but it is certainly not the skeleton key of admission. (I’m not trying to flame you, just pointing out that the variables are too great to put it all into numbers, admission may depend on the quality of the doughnut your admissions officer had on February 17th. Idk)</p>
<p>More than one interviewer has noted, to me, that it is unlikely than an interview will HELP the application, but it can certainly hurt one. Most applicant materials fall under this category. They are not looking for reasons to admit you–they are trying to find a reason to say no, due to an overabundance in applicants.</p>