<p>My daughter had a terrible experience with an alumni interview for Duke. The interviewer kept interjecting politics. The third time she questioned my daughter, my daughter told the interviewer she did not share her political view. My daughter was told the call would last 30 minutes but the interviewer immediately cut the phone call short after 10 minutes and upon learning that my daughter did not share her viewpoint. Should I call the school?</p>
<p>My background: current Duke student</p>
<p>Alumni interviews, as far as I could tell during the admissions process, were not important to admissions decisions. They were meant more to foster warm and fuzzy feelings about the school in your daughter than to accurately assess her fit. Clearly, the interview did not accomplish its purpose, but I would not worry about it affecting her chances of admission.</p>
<p>No, you need to call. Of course the interview report can affect the outcome. If someone goes to “committee” at Duke, the first thing read is the interview report-- or so I’ve been told. I’ve interviewed for Duke for 15 years. This shouldn’t have happened.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification. I would make sure it was your child who called then, and not the parent. When I talked to admissions officers last year they downplayed the importance of the alumni interview, with the exception of MIT. For at least one school, I received a likely letter the same week as the alumni interview, so I don’t think it factored in at all. Duke may be different. </p>
<p>Still, at the very least, the call would prevent this interviewer from similarly distressing other students.</p>