If interview is offered, do I have to do it?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>I just got an email regarding an interview for Cornell. Do I have to do one? I read it isn't mandatory, but I picked up this link from a different thread, and saw this.</p>

<p>"If you don’t receive a response after your first attempt to contact a particular applicant, please try again using a different communication medium (phone if initial attempt was email, etc…). If the applicant still does not respond, you should submit a contact report indicating that the student did not respond to two different attempts to schedule a meeting."
(<a href="http://caaan.admissions.cornell.edu/ContactTips&Advice.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://caaan.admissions.cornell.edu/ContactTips&Advice.pdf&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p>

<p>I'm applying to CALS primary and CAS alternate, by the way.</p>

2

<p>If you are contacted for one I think it looks quite bad if you do not make the effort to call back and set up an interview. Is there some reason why you wouldn’t?</p>

3

<p>I have recently contacted seven applicants by e-mails and phone - only one has responded. I planned to drive 1.5 hours each way to meet these kids near their hometown. I told each applicant that the meeting was not required - but good manners does require you to at least respond that you are not available. You can be sure that I will mentioned that I got no response from the ones who don’t respond.</p>

4

<p>You should make every effort to be interviewed if it was offered and if you are serious about your application.
I believe they are not mandatory because it is impossible to offer one to every student because of geographic limitations.
Just think of what it says about your intentions and interest if you let it slide.</p>

5

<p>It is a combination of being a bit nervous about it, but also mainly having tons of schoolwork and school soccer. But yeah, I sent an interview to the guy, and the one from Penn as well, explaining my situation.</p>

6

<p>Explain that you are busy and ask if it’s possible to do it over the phone (if that’s the only way you can).</p>

<p>If you turn down the request, the alumnus does file a report that the request was turned down.</p>

7

<p>You are too busy to have an interview when you are in high school? How are you possibly going to handle your course load in college? I would bet most of those interviewers are busier than you are, and they are giving up their spare time to volunteer.</p>

<p>If you are declining because you are nervous, don´t be. My daughter had over 10 interviews when she was applying to schools. Most interviewers are very nice, they are doing it because they love the school, they are not doing it because they want to give applicants a hard time. It is better to do the interview and blow it than not to do the interview at all.</p>

<p>At some point (before you gradudate from college) you will need to interview for a job.</p>

8

<p>heck no bro. no interview needed!</p>

9

<p>Is there anything that you want to make known to the school that doesn’t stand out from your application? If so, an interview is a must.</p>

<p>Otherwise, the ‘word’ when I attended Cornell was that alumni interviews don’t have great weight. However, there is little to lose from doing one, and it gives you the opportunity learn more about the school from an alum. These days, when ‘demonstrated interest’ appears to be the flavor of the day, I’d think twice before turning an interview down.</p>

10

<p>If you have one, or get a chance - little to loose if you do an interview. Unless you are very bad at it. You can add a personal touch to your application if your interview goes well even if not excellent. Just give them a few times you are available, if Cornell is important, you can put away volunteering on saturday, or church, or something like that. Just say because I have school most days, I finish late and I am only available after 6PM, etc. </p>

<p>MAKE SURE YOU REPLY TO THEIR EMAIL; it looks really bad if you dont.
AND if your not super shy, have an interview, can only help you.
THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME!</p>

11

<p>It’s not exactly interview as in Q&A. I’ve felt that US college interviews are much more comparable to conversations. I actually enjoy talking to most interviewers quite a lot. My UChicago interviewer even emailed me later concerning a book we talked about!</p>

<p>I have no doubt that you can spare some thirty odd minutes for the colleges you want to get in. Especially considering you spent your time preparing the applications.</p>