<p>I'm curious to know how much weight to put into the feedback you receive during an interview from the AO or AD and if it is a real good indicator of the admission decision. I find this process to be very intimidating, and will often look back to some of these interview moments to set my expectations and then catch myself. </p>
<p>My son is applying to several day and boarding schools. Eight to be exact -- we thought to cast a wide net of both day and boarding schools knowing how selective some schools are. During two interviews I received very positive feedback, from one Day School AO "S is just the kind of boy we want at our school" another from a BS AD "I really liked S, and I think you should apply S for a repeat of X grade. Let me go have you meet the abc coach." At a third (day) school, I could feel the admission director mentally checking off the boxes as we spoke and becoming more and more friendly and when I picked up my son from the visit they had him meeting the coach (even though I didn't request or arrange for that.) At this top choice school, I found the interviewer to be very cool and asking me about his involvement in a sport that he does outside of school and how that could detract from his school involvement (not the same sport as mentioned in the previous stories.) </p>
<p>Opinions?...well I know this group has opinions! :)</p>
<p>Positive feedback is just that and no more. it sounds like your son made a good impression and that is certainly good. If you search these threads, you will find many examples of AOs gushing over applicants who are rejected or waitlisted come 3/10. Our DS was rejected by the two schools that showed the most enthusiam. YMMV.</p>
<p>Here’s my take on feedback: It can mean something and it can mean nothing.</p>
<p>Here’s why I say that…</p>
<p>Of the superselective schools that get the most press here, our family visited and interviewed at Exeter, Choate, Hotchkiss, Groton, and St. Paul’s. We got very positive vibes/enthusiastic feedback from Groton, Choate, and St. Paul’s. The Hotchkiss and Exeter interviewers were lukewarm, and so were we. (There goes that fit thing again.)</p>
<p>Our daughter applied to St. Paul’s, Choate, and St. Andrew’s (where we also had positive vibes/enthusiastic feedback). We eliminated Groton from the consideration set for reasons not related to the vibe we got from the admissions people/students we met.</p>
<p>In term of enthusiastic feedback, we heard several versions of “She’s the type of kid who would do well at SCHOOL X.” In the end, she was admitted to SPS and SAS, and rejected at Choate…despite being told by our AO there “I could see her as the captain of the [SPORT] team.”</p>
<p>So, in our case, good feedback during an interview = two admits and a rejection. Had she applied to Exeter or Hotchkiss (where we got a “meh” reaction from the AO), I think she she would have been rejected or waitlisted despite strong stats (see my start to finish recap for the nuts and bolts). </p>
<p>But as ChoatieMom said, your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>Don’t put too much weight on the interviewers’ feedback. The interviewers don’t admit the kids, the committee admits them. The interviewer may really want your kid, but he’s only one voice on the committee. </p>
<p>I know it’s really hard to wait!</p>