<p>how important is the interview in the holy cross admissions decision? their website says it is not required by highly recommended. I was planning on doing one off-campus but i didn't realize that you had to submit a request for an off-campus interview by december 1st and i'm not able to travel to the campus to do one.
How greatly will not doing an interview affect my admission decision?</p>
<p>Honestly, my impression of Holy Cross and how they view interviews is sort of a “who is really dedicated” measurement. Put it this way, one of the admissions officers said “If you have the opportunity to interview at a school and you don’t, you are a fool.” Depending on your other scores and stats, it may or may not hurt you enough to be accepted. </p>
<p>But, what I would do is if you can’t interview, try to get as much contact with the school as possible. Call admissions with a question, try to meet with a representative at your school (if offered). Holy Cross also has online student chats, so participate in those. I would highly advise using their “meet some students” button that will give you the email address of a student in your major or areas of interest. Every call and message is noted by HC admissions. Holy Cross wants students who want Holy Cross. Show them that.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice! i’m thinking of emailing them and explaining the situation.</p>
<p>but what do you think my chances are WITHOUT having done an interview?
Here are my stats:
SAT (sumbitted): CR-790, Math-630, Writing-750
GPA: 3.7 (UW) - 4.0 (W)
SAT II (submitted): US history (650), Biology (670)
ACT: 29 (reported)
APs taken: language (4), US history (5), World history (4)
Senior year schedule: AP Bio, AP lit, AP spanish, AP gov & politics, Intro to Calc 300, Economics 300
lots of ECs and leadership positions
Great essay and recommendations</p>
<p>You look good! but as YOUSER said–HOLY CROSS strongly factors in your interest in them. Sounds like HC may be a safety for you if you just are checking out deadlines now???</p>
<p>I would say you have a pretty good shot. Even w/o the interview. HC sends you a verification form after you submit your app and they ask you what contact you have had with the school. As long as you can list something on that, I would say you are in.</p>
<p>Thanks! i emailed them telling them my situation and im still waiting to hear back.
and yes HC is one of my safeties but i want to make sure i get in. i did fill out hte verification form and i have been to the campus once (last year) and i listed that.</p>
<p>We have had such bad luck visiting. Well the first visit we had a traffic snafu and missed the 12noon tour and then this week, they looked forward to seeing the campus more fully, and my brakes went on my old van. “Maybe” in the late winter, we can try again. : /
Seeing it ourselves 2 months ago was nice though because we met so many nice students and saw things more casually and “off script”.
I hope not being able to interview wont hurt.</p>
<p>sorry, not interviewing will certainly hurt. you should read the admissions blogs at HC theres a ton of great advice there. I think they will pick up on the fact you’re using them as a safety.</p>
<p>BTW… They offer alumni interviews in most areas…theres really no excuse NOT to have interviewed.</p>
<p>If you’re using Holy Cross as a safety, they may see that. My daughters aren’t. They hadn’t applied yet, and although recently a student said applying and having an alumni interview wasn’t mandatory, on their site, it said you had to have applied.
My son didn’t interview because of transportation issues 3 years ago, but had visited early in the Fall, and he got in and my niece’s friend didn’t and attended Holy Cross. I know it is important, but I wouldn’t say it is totally mandatory. They even called him after his acceptance to see if he had any questions.
My daughters tried to show interest by going on chats, etc. but found so many students asked questions readily answered on their site. They didn’t want to seem stupid, so they only asked a couple that they didn’t see. Maybe that doesn’t matter either, but an AO told me with all the questions and mail, they did wish parents/students checked before they wrote or called. I hope for their sakes, they check that also, since you have to register.</p>
<p>Deburns–Absolutely, I agree, it’s not MANDATORY… it will be one less check on their ballot sheet. Therefore it will hurt you. Sounds like your son had enough checks to offset his not interviewing. Hopefully your D’s do too.</p>
<p>I did see a vague reference on their site that Dec 1st was the last date to make one,the time had passed, but then it said to call admissions, so “maybe” they still do them if you want it. Time will tell. I know a lot of students at my son’s old Catholic school didn’t interview, but then they might have a relationship with certain schools.
The reference:
The Dec. 1 deadline to request an alumni interview has passed. If you would like to schedule an on-campus interview, please contact the Office of Admissions at
(800) 442-2421. more information</p>
<p>Holy Cross doesn’t like to be people’s safeties. And at all of the info sessions I went to they seemed pretty strict on missing deadlines for interviews, actually, they explicitly said that they feel no sympathy for those who missed the deadline to interview. </p>
<p>You should at least have some contact with the school, in fact you should have some contact with EVERY school you apply to.</p>