Does being an Alumni Interviewer help your child in the admissions process?

Applying to College
1

My wife has been an alumni interviewer for the past 5 years. She went to a Top 15-20 University. She’s interviewed many kids who are amazing achievers, answer their questions and writes a summary for the University.

Our D will be applying to colleges soon and she may be interested in attending the school.

Does anyone have any experience or insight as to whether this will help her application and if so, is it marginal or material?

Our D is an excellent student and objectively could get in the school on her own (GPA/Test scores, etc) but there are thousands of well qualified students who are rejected. We’re going to visit the school soon and if it’s a good fit, we’ll apply ED.

The combination of ED and an alumni interviewer - how much will that factor into the process?

2

On top of whatever legacy advantage there is? I don’t think so.

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3

No. Also, your wife would need to recuse herself from interviewing the year your daughter is applying.

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4

Yes. We are aware my wife can’t interview the year my daughter is a senior. She’s been doing this for 5 years so we understand the rules.

5

Probably slightly more than that of an alumnus per se, because she is active, but not as much of the advantage that kids of an alumnus who is also a big donor would have. I would also say that @CFP’s wife likely also has better insight into the admissions process, which could help, but only if their kid will listen to advice from her parents.

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6

Being an alumni interviewer is interesting because you get insight into personality traits, some EC’s, but not their grades or SAT scores.

She usually will grade a student high if they’ve done some research and if she feels they will be a good fit for the university.

It’s very exciting for her when she can follow up and congratulate an interviewee with an acceptance email.

We are donors but very minimal.

7

From a data point of two, as my DH and I both interview for our respective schools, I’d say there’s no benefit.

8

How would they even know? Unless your wife is well known in the admissions office or they know to look for an application when she recused herself, they may not know.

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9

Appreciate the insight.

We didn’t think it made much of a difference but since she’s the only alumni interviewer in the state, we weren’t sure.

10

Then I think the regional AO knows her and it will likely be an unconscious advantage.

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