This year, I don’t think my family can afford to go to America for interviews. I feel like Skype interviews would be less interactive and it would be harder to connect with the interviewer, but would this decrease overall chances?
I don’t necessarily think so. I’m an international student from Asia, and I have conducted all of the interviews either through Skype or in-person when the AOs are visiting the country. I have been accepted to 4 schools that I have interviewed via Skype. DO NOT worry about something that you have no control over!
I hope this year will treat you well.
No.
@Bantisse - trying to be helpful in sharing with you that for us having a backup plan for Skype interview really helped. For some reason, Skype connection one day didn’t work with the interview. Thankfully, we had emailed the AO well in advance and agreed on a backup plan should it not connect that day. Instead, we used FaceTime for that interview. All other Skype interviews went well.
No
My daughter got in to all the schools she Skype interviewed with. We travelled to some other schools in early August for in-person interviews. Several of those school waitlisted her. I think Skype (with a back up plan in case of Skype glitches) is preferable to summer interviews. I believe the AOs forgot her after meeting so many other great kids after her.
We weren’t able to travel to any schools during the application process and DD was accepted to a couple of the schools she applied to. We did struggle to get them all in, because they wanted completed applications first and getting everything from the school was not easy, but it worked out okay.
My kids did all of their onterviews on Skype this year except two that were done by alumni in our state. (One of those was amazing and we have kept in touch with the interviewer and the other was a disaster). My 8th grader applied to a lot of schools and was accepted to 8. My 9th grader applied to a handful and was accepted to 1. They have very different personalities and that would have came across in person or on Skype. Our situation did not allow us the time and money to travel to visit and interview in person. The AOs were great, but the hardest part, like @makp715 said, was scheduling.
Both of my kids did a Skype interviews when they applied to grad school and it was not an issue at all. Admissions officers are very comfortable with Skype interviews and understand that not everyone can make it to campus. A Skype interview will not lower your chances for admission.
ChoatieKid interviewed with an alum at a local Starbucks, never met a Choate AO prior to admission. He’s three years into college and not one of us ever saw the inside of the Choate admisssions office/building.
Don’t sweat this. The schools would not offer alternatives that penalized you. Plenty of stories here of kids who were accepted via screen interviews and plenty who were rejected who interviewed face-to-face with on-campus AOs. It’s the quality of the connection you make with the interviewer, not the format of the interview, that counts.
not one of us ever saw the inside of the Choate admisssions office/building.
That’s a kind of a shame, @ChoatieMom - it’s a beautiful building, and as I recall, offered decent snacks (albeit nothing compared to the hot apple cider and fresh doughnuts at Lawrenceville or pumpkin bread at Andover 
)
It’s basically a female dorm. No need to be in there if you are male and not interviewing, but I do agree that Archbold is a beautiful building. Just never went in.
I had every interview in person, except for one, which I had over Skype due to scheduling issues. I got wait listed/denied at every other school I applied to. I got accepted to the school I Skyped my interview.
@Totorocinnamon03 People here are saying that a Skype interview does not lower your chances, yet their only reasoning is that in their case, it worked out well. Nobody really knows if a Skype interview increases or decreases your chances. That’s why it’s not really a question anyone here can actually answer. We all just say it’s not a problem because AOs are experienced and kind to all applicants no matter the situation. I myself did Skype Interviews, and although it was comfortable, I feel that it was more difficult to connect with the interviewer. Despite this, I did get into a few schools, and I am more than satisfied. However, I think you should really contemplate on whether or not it would be helpful. Tips are good, but bias is inevitable so in the end, it’s you who comes up with the decision. Talking with someone over an app seems less engaging, yet many people have found success in it.
Don’t think Skype interviews are completely fine, but don’t think they’re bad either. Although I have bias too, I would say that if you are confident enough in your competency for boarding school then choose to do a Skype interview. If you want to have an engaging conversation with your interviewer and be able to have a discussion face to face in person, go to the campus. One good thing about on campus interviews is that you can do a tour as well. That helps with making decisions, so you should compare the benefits and harms and make your final decision by yourself. Consulting other people is great, but do what you think is best in the end.
@ChoatieMom It is a good point that schools wouldn’t offer an alternative that penalizes you, but I just think it’s inevitable for the quality of a conversation to be worse when its happening over a chatting app. Even if interviewers try not to judge applicants by the type of interview, I don’t know if it’ll be possible. And some people have trouble making quality connections when they don’t have a face to face conversation.
anyways, Good luck 
Don’t forget that most schools, Choate at least, REQUIRE on-campus interviews for all candidate who live within a 200-mile radius of the school. They want to see your commitment. Skype and alum interviews are offered because, for everyone outside that radius, they may be the ONLY way to interview applicants. Remember, not everyone can afford to travel, and the schools do not want to miss out on or penalize excellent students who can’t afford what others can. There is no bias here; proximity and means dictate which method must be used.
Don’t overthink this.
For her very first Skype interview, our girl had a post-it with key points to remember, right on the monitor. Hard to do that in person.
@ChoatieMom I agree with you, and of course schools do not want to miss out or penalize excellent students who can’t afford what others can, but some students may not be able to do as well when having a conversation with Skype. Schools are not at fault here, but there may be some students who are more comfortable with talking in person rather than talking through a live webcam. But, I still see your point and it is true that schools should not and most likely do not have bias depending on the type of interview.
@CaliMex I also did that! XD It’s very helpful though, and it’s a great way for practice for your first interview.
@Golfgr8 That happened to me as well! I doubt that is common practice, though. Which school did you do that with if you don’t mind me asking?
I did it with the Hun School.
Anecdotal experience with 5 GLADCHEMMs schools (western US applicant):
- On campus tour and interview - WL
- On campus tour and interview - accepted
- On campus tour, local alumni interview - WL
- No tour, Skype interview - rejected
- No tour, Skype interview - accepted
Conclusion - your guess is as good as mine. Just do the best with what you are able to put together for touring and interviewing.