Impact of a great interview?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I had my Harvard interview last week, and I think it went exceptionally well -- the interviewer and I got along very well and we shared many common interests. He also said he thought I'd be a great fit and that he expected I'd be the best applicant he'd see this year (he said enough complimentary things that I think he meant them -- it didn't seem like simple courtesy).</p>

<p>Anyway, what can the interview do for me? Is a great interview and a really enthusiastic report from the interviewer enough to move an otherwise-qualified applicant from the reject pile to the admit pile?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Eh, it's definitely a bonus. Interviews really aren't as important as people think they are, but then again it can do more good for you than bad.</p>

3

<p>I hope so...
my interview lasted 2 and an half hours...
I really hope my interviewer will write me good report</p>

4

<p>According to this table from the NY Times, Harvard regards the interview as "important." The interview is not of highest importance to Harvard, but they attach more importance to it than does say Yale. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/01/08/education/edlife/data.1.graphic.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/01/08/education/edlife/data.1.graphic.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

5

<p>Wow. Hard to believe there's a school where extracurriculars are not considered. Some schools don't even consider the interview.</p>

6

<p>I have previously posted links to that NY Times chart - which I suggest be taken with a liberal grain or three of salt.</p>

<p>Note that not a <em>single</em> top elite is willing to acknowledge that minority status is an "important" factor in admissions.</p>

7

<p>it seems like everyone on CC had a great interview? ugh.</p>

8

<p>Na, mine wasn't great. It was my interviewer's first time conducting one, and she was very stiff and nervous. I kept the conversation going, at least, but I'm afraid she was too self-conscious to consider it a great interview.</p>

9

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<p>I can't speak for all the schools on the list, but many that put that they don't consider the interview, such as Stanford and the UCs, are schools that don't DO interviews. Interviews are not a universal thing.</p>

10

<p>Ah, I see :)</p>