<p>So many worry whether they've received an interview, especially for the Ivies. Others state they aren't but so important. Thus far, daughter has interviewed for Yale and Cornell, interviews with Princeton this weekend, and had an interview for UVA's Jefferson Scholarship. A friend of mine freaked that she received a Yale interview, asking me if I knew how important it was. </p>
<p>Daughter is fantastic.....#1 at an urban high school in a very poor school district. She's taken the most rigorous courses available and GPA is 4.0. Her SAT's were good but not fantastic. Recs were fantastic. Not sure how excited I should be.</p>
<p>Depends on if you are talking about alumni interviews or on-campus interviews with the admissions officers. Most of the bigger schools don't offer on-campus interviews, unless you are being brought in in consideratin of a specific scholarship or something.</p>
<p>Alumni interviews do not typically contribute much to the acceptance decision. It is looked at, of course, as the schools want feedback about candidates. But in all honesty, it probably doesn't carry much weight unless it is unbelievably glowing or particularly bad...</p>
<p>It is worth mentioning that students who make the effort to arrange an alumni interview are showing more interest in the school than a student who does not, and that would noted in the admissions file. Showing interest is a good thing...</p>
<p>Good thought, jym. And I would think logically, the school contacting the applicant would bear more weight....they have, at least on paper, creditentials that meet the schools requirements. One of daughter's friends got interviews for two schools, by contacting them. Her interviews were set prior to the school receiving her application. </p>
<p>Daughter did not contact any school for an interview. Most sent her emails stating they'd contact the student if one was available. She received a postcard stating who the alumni interviewer in our area but please do not contact her....(the interviewer) She contact those students in which she had the time. No interview</p>
<p>"Daughter is fantastic.....#1 at an urban high school in a very poor school district. She's taken the most rigorous courses available and GPA is 4.0. Her SAT's were good but not fantastic. Recs were fantastic. Not sure how excited I should be."</p>
<p>momray - you should be ecstatic, regardless of where D is accepted! You first three words say it all.</p>
<p>thanks, Umdad. I try to look at her realistically but she's accomplished so much on her own. We really can't take any credit. She wanted to start school at four, tested in the range for early admission but they school had no openings. Had to start a year later and within 30 days, she was bumped up a grade. She knew she was ready to learn. (smiles)</p>
<p>Momray,
I know people who are alum interviewers for some top schools. As a general rule, schools try to contact every applicant for an interview if there is an alum in their area. Being contacted for an interview by an alum does not mean that the candidate is one of the best applicants, only that an alum is available. Alums usually try to find something positive to say about the applicant.</p>
<p>thanks, prefect. Sort of what I was seeking. Sees like a waste of time, though, if a candidate doesn't meet basic requirements. Nonetheless, I am excited and proud for her!</p>
<p>I would look at a positive interview by an alumnus as a happy, memorable experience that should add to anyone's confidence, give good feeling about the college, perhaps answered some questions. I think if an interview went very poorly, and the student alienated the interviewer, it could kill the candidate's chances. But I really wonder whether a glowing report from the field is much more than another positive checkmark, a few more points on a mysterious evaluation rubric that must sit somewhere in a "lockbox."</p>
<p>The most value gained might be for the student's experience and confidence in life, as learning to interview is its own process that improves with time. Interviewing develops as a skill, with bearing on future academic and job opportunities. In that way, alumni interviewers are providing a great service, even if their recommendations could carry a veto but never a deciding positive vote.</p>
<p>I think Momray is wise not to jump outside her skin b/c of an invitation to interview, and that her pal reacted to the name "Yale." Keeping it all in perspective sounds "just right" to my ears. Glad it went well, but even that doesn't turn over tables back home at Admissions, is what I'm guessing. GUESSING. I don't know!</p>
<p>Your daughter sounds marvelous and I agree with other posters that there's going to be a happy outcome to her quest, at one of her choices.</p>
<p>I'm a Yale alumni interviewer. Yale tries to interview every applicant. There is no screening process for interviews, so being interviewed does not mean that you've made the first cut or something similar.</p>
<p>Not interviewing with an alum does not show lack of interest. There are more applicants than the volunteer alumni interviewing force can handle and not everyone can be interviewed. Yale doesn't penalize you for not interviewing or reward you for showing interest.</p>
<p>I would be excited that daughter is fantastic; she will do well in the process, but the interview may not have much to do with it if my daughter's experience is any measure. She was like your daughter except that we are at a small town (bedroom community) school 30 miles from a major metro area. She applied to four Ivies and only got an interview at one. It just so happened that we have a Yale alum in our town who loves to interview and has been doing it "forever." There are lots of alums of the other schools in the metro area, so we were concerned when she was not contacted about any other interviews and expected the worst. As it turned out, she got into two of the schools, was waitlisted at Harvard, and rejected from Yale, the only one which interviewed her. I guess we will never know whether a "bad" interview kept her out of Yale, but at least we do know that not having an interview didn't matter to the others.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Sees like a waste of time, though, if a candidate doesn't meet basic requirements.
[/quote]
Not at all. The institution will be there for a long time to come, even if the particular candidate has long since gone their own way. Colleges want to get their name out there and make a good impression; even if Joe doesn't have a chance of getting in to the U, giving a positive feeling about the school and what it has to offer might pay big dividends down the road if Joe's younger classmates hear about it and apply themselves.</p>
<p>Everything I learn about alumni interviews makes me think that the process should be reformed. For most schools, there aren't enough alumni to do the interviews. Applicants and parents stress out when the kid can't get one. When an interview is offered, applicants have to struggle to schedule it in the midst of all their school and outside commitments. But meanwhile, for most schools, they don't really matter anyway. </p>
<p>Momray says that it seems like a waste of time; is she right?</p>
<p>Seashore,
You're probably right. I think Stanford may be one school that doesn't offer interviews. For most schools, the alum interview has very little effect on the final decision.</p>
<p>How many threads here are based on getting an interview. Logically, it would seem to be:</p>
<p>applicants meeting certain criteria are granted an interview.</p>
<p>pluses/minuses are filtered to admissions committee. </p>
<p>If it accounts for litte in the admissions process or if "just anyone" gets an interview.....doesn't seem logical at add! Unless truly just a PR campaign for the school. Still...excited she'll learn more of Princeton today.</p>
<p>Remember that it costs the schools nothing to use alumni interviewers. They get a little more information about the applicants and the alumni continue to feel connected to the school. Alumni who volunteer had good experiences at the school and can pass those good impressions along to prospective students.</p>