Do interviews impact a lot on getting accepted or not?

<p>98% reading
89% verbal
83% Math
95% total</p>

<p>ok…thanks</p>

<p>perriwinkle where did u get that interview information? my school distributed these REALLY helpful interview tips papers and they had all kinds of really cool and good info but i was dumb enough to lose it. now ive been searching the web for a website but i cant find one :(</p>

<p>thegreencountry, welcome! The interview tips are drawn from my own experience. I’ve been interviewing applicants to my alma mater (college! not prep school!) for some time now. </p>

<p>Making eye contact is important. My children, for some reason, have never had any problem making eye contact with adults, and it’s amazing how frequently adults remark upon it. If you’re someone who finds it difficult, try looking at the spot just above the eyes, between the eyebrows. </p>

<p>I recommend you ask your school’s placement counselor for another copy of the interview tips. I bet he (she?) has extra copies on hand. If your school has a website, your parents may be able to access a copy of the page on the password-protected section of the website. If you like to research advice on interviews, here are some web pages:</p>

<p>[5</a> Steps to a Better Interview! View from the Nest](<a href=“Private Site”>Private Site)
[Tabor</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.taboracademy.org/admissions_faq.asp]Tabor”>http://www.taboracademy.org/admissions_faq.asp)
[St</a>. George’s ~ Questions](<a href=“http://www.stgeorges.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=101385]St”>http://www.stgeorges.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=101385)</p>

<p>St. George’s advice is worth reading, and I’m afraid it will be changed at some time in the future, as it’s been available for some time.</p>

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<p>I also recommend Phillips Andover Academy’s “Dean’s Journal.”</p>

<p>grades are most definitely not the most important. Obviously you need mostly A’s and a good SSAT score so they know you can handle the work. I think the only way grades and SSAT will effect your chances is if you have all B’s or lower (hurt ur chances) or have below an 80% overall on SSAT. If your grades are all A’s and have 97%+ on ur SSAT that can be a small hook. Overall they want applicants who are very well rounded, have strong character (that’s why the interview is so important), and will adapt well at boarding school.</p>

<p>This is how I would probably guess the rankings for each part are, generally

  1. SSATs
  2. Interview
  3. Grades
  4. Essays and Short Answers, Extra Curriculars
  5. Everything else</p>

<p>There is no simple formula in the admissions process. Schools reject 98% or higher SSAT scores alll the time.</p>

<p>I agree with Alex–that’s giving SSAT’s way too much priority. Given that recs., SSAT’s, grades, and often even EC’s are so much the same from one student to the next, I’d say it’s essays and interviews that make candidates stand out from the well-qualified pack. Just a hunch though.</p>

<p>The SSAT is there to make sure that you can handle the academic work. I seriously doubt that the SSAT is the most important thing in an application. If anyone else is taking the SSAT today, good luck!</p>

<p>I think the interview is kind of a Pass/Fail sort of thing. A/O’s use it to determine if you know why you are applying to BS, and to determine where else you are actually applying (and yes, I think where else you are applying is a factor in each school’s decision). You need to have the ability to look your interviewer in the eye, speak in a cohesive manner and portray enough maturity to make your interviewer believe you will be ok without mom/dad. Once the “box is checked” I think they move onto other things. I don’t see them having the time at the decision table to start reviewing notes from each individual interview.</p>

<p>Post #11 is spot on.</p>

<p>Ditto! Neato did a succinct job of spelling it out in #11 and Periwinkle’s follow-up should be must reading in #12.</p>