<p>I've seen a few old posts about this, but they don't really give much data from anyone who actually WENT to one of these.</p>
<p>My D ...(RD applicant) received an e-mail invite from our area's Harvard (alumni) Club to a Holiday get-together at a local biz...A chance to meet current undergrads, alumns, etc. </p>
<p>I believe this to be an invitation to ALL area applicants. I know many of the clubs have them. I'm equally sure it has no bearing on admittance, but I wondered if anyone has been, how long it is, how formal, what it entails. I assume a cocktail party without the cocktails (one hopes!). </p>
<p>Thanks for any input from anyone who has previously attended.</p>
<p>The ones my Ds were invited to were at an Italian restaurant in Atlanta over lunch. There were about 10 at each table and after lunch we heard from a current student, a recent grad, and someone who’d been out of school a while. Very nice, informative, and encouraging. Nothing pretentious or evaluative. All area applicants were invited.</p>
<p>The ones in our area are held in a large, elegant private alum home. It is also the state alumni get-together, so the interviewers are there, and definitely watch the social skills of the applicants. There is alcohol for the adults, which in the past prompted a bit too much attention towards DD by a few alums. (Not her interviewer, TG.) Parents who drove their children a long distance were invited to stay, local parents were not.</p>
<p>How formal? Festive holiday wear- dark trousers, nice sweaters for girls; dress shirts and flannel or khakii pants for boys. Adults in casual to cocktail clothes.</p>
<p>This is a good opportunity for the students to hone (or develop) their mingling and schmoozing skills.</p>