<p>I applied to transfer to Harvard for Fall 2012 and just received an email for an alumni interview. I was under the impression Harvard didn't give transfer interviews in general. I go to a school very far from Boston, so I'm guessing that's why its an alumni interview. Is this a good sign or just protocol? The email I received made it seem like interviews are not a huge deal.</p>
<p>They usually accept around 20. I of course am going to go to the interview and would like some real feedback as to what this interview means (I.e. is it bad or good? Is there something they are unsure about in my application?).</p>
<p>Dear dsterino, you seem frustrated. You sound like someone who was rejected from Harvard and is now crying in despair. Seriously, we thank you for your concern to remind us that Harvard is very selective, but that does not mean nobody can get into this school.
Don’t try to dissuade someone like angelsonthemoon who can possibly have the potential to get into this school.
Please understand that your deliberated pessimism can be not only useless, but even damaging.</p>
<p>to:angelsonthemoon</p>
<p>I don’t know if a request for an alumni interview is a positive sign, it could be.</p>
<p>However I would reccomend you to interview on campus instead.
I have heard (don’t take what I say for 100% sure) that there you are able to talk directly to someone who can have a decisive role in your admission process.
I don’t think an alumnus could be that useful.</p>
<p>I wasn’t given the option of an on campus interview. It is my understanding that only transfer students who live near Boston are invited on campus. The rest of the transfer interviews are conducted by alumni for the obvious reason that I cannot afford/take the time off from school to fly to Harvard.</p>
<p>Well, according to the admissions office, it neither helps nor hurts, but just serves to clarify. According to trends seen here on CC, it is a mildly good sign. (Some in, some wait listed, few rejections recorded.) Some people speculate that it’s a way to distinguish between really competitive applicants, but others seem to think that it might really be for further clarification of extracurriculars, or a way to weed out frauds.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t invest too much thought in its meaning, though.</p>
<p>Eesh that makes me nervous, but thanks for the info!</p>
<p>Don’t know about Harvard in particular, but interviews can usually do more harm then good. If you charm the pants off the interviewer, it really won’t help you too much since most people do. It is if you slip up and say something wrong or don’t have sufficient knowledge of the school or its programs, then it could reflect poorly on you. Pretty similar to letters of recommendations. Unless they are really spectacular, they don’t help you, since almost everyone will have the same stuff from their bosses/teachers/professors of how great you are. But if none of them are too positive, then it could put a dent in your chances.</p>
<p>Given that these are not normally given, I’d say you’re a finalist. They won’t waste resources.</p>
<p>The interview is mostly for your info. It’s not a sign, jst standard procedure if alum are aviailable in your area. Harvard only uses alum, freshmen applicants don’t get real interviews either.</p>
<p>Angel: go for it! I didn’t apply their but I mean if they r going to take their time to interview u then its worth a try. It’s not going to hurt anyways. Good luck!!!</p>
<p>Sent from my Desire HD using CC</p>
<p>I’ve read other posts, and apparently you can still get in without having an interview.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how many candidates are granted an interview?</p>
<p>Is anyone else applying to H as transfer this year?? There doesn’t seem to be an official thread yet!</p>
<p>Me 10charrr</p>
<p>Hey Angels,</p>
<p>Congrats on the request for an interview, if it is indeed a positive sign. I’m a transfer applicant for 2012 as well, and I got an email this morning from a Senior Admissions Officer requesting a Skype interview (I’m an international applicant). I know it’s been discussed a little already, but I was wondering if anyone has perspective into whether this is a positive sign? From what I’ve read, part of me is ecstatic and part of me is deathly nervous that they’re suspicious of my application and need to clarify.</p>
<p>Anyway, good luck to everyone who’s applied this year :)</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a negative sign by any means. I am also interviewing next week and am super nervous… It at least means that they were interested in us enough so as to not reject us at first glance. I’m not sure how many people are given interviews but from past years’ threads, it seems like the results were a mixed bag: a few accepted (in the more distant past), a few waitlisted, some rejected. Still, I think it’s a somewhat positive sign.</p>
<p>According to the admissions office, it isn’t good or bad necessarily- the admissions committee just wants more information. Which I take to be a good sign personally, because it means they are considering us. Better than glancing once at our applications and tossing them!</p>
<p>I agree with all other posts, but I wouldn’t take it as too strong of a positive sign. By all means, it’s not negative. But it is what it is, they just want to know more about you. My friend who transferred last year from my school didn’t get a request for interviews though so for those who are anxious because no request was received, don’t be!</p>
<p>Has anyone heard back?</p>