<p>Today, CMU sent my D a notice that she “should” have an interview with an alumni and the interview must be completed before February 1. It says she should have the interview with someone in her geographical area (so happens one shares our very zip code, which means our neighborhood.) This shouldn’t be difficult.</p>
<p>However, I’m confused by this request. She has her audition in February.<br>
I do see several of the alumni are “CFA” graduates. (College of Fine Arts) So this implies that it is not out of the norm for CFA prospective candidates to be interviewed.</p>
<p>Interviews are not mandatory, but “suggested.”</p>
<p>This is one more thing, if you know what I mean, to do during audition season. </p>
<p>Should she? Is this really something the drama division cares about? Does anyone have any experience in this issue?</p>
<p>CMU is really and truly one of her top choices (BFA Acting, though…) </p>
<p>What say you, oh great gods and goddesses of cc…</p>
<p>When my D applied to CMU, she had an interview in our region with an Admissions Officer, not an alum interviewer. While it may not be mandatory, I can't see NOT doing it. I know my kid interviews well and it can only help. Obviously the student has to pass "go" with the BFA program in the audition but after that, since a small percentage of the admission decision is the application/academics, it can't hurt to leave a good impression in an interview. In my kid's case, I have no clue what effect the interview had, if any. She was Priority Waitlisted for Acting. I am an alumni interviewer for another selective university and an interview can't hurt you, but can help you. I can't see saying no to it. It is another chance to "sell" yourself. Why not do all you can, ya know? When it is offered in your own region, it is not so hard to fit in. I happen to think it is worthwhile to say yes to such an offer and opportunity to show more about yourself.</p>
<p>Signed,
Susan (who is NOT a goddess...LOL!!.....my D is writing and staging a musical about goddesses, though, this spring....does that count? :) )</p>
<p>Yes... that counts... goddess by proxy! ha ha.</p>
<p>So, the next obvious questions are as follows.</p>
<p>The woman she will meet with is not CFA. The instructions say go to your geography. No one in S.D. is from CFA, so we kinda are screwed there. But they say all alumni interviewers are trained to know about the entire CMU program. Given that, what should my daughter expect?</p>
<p>What kind of questions are likely to come up?
What kind of things should she ask?</p>
<p>It doesn't matter AT ALL that the alum interviewer is not from CFA. As I said, my D's interviewer for CMU was an Admissions Officer. As an alum interviewer myself for a selective university, I interview applicants of ALL types and they are assigned me purely due to location as I am sure is the case for your D with CMU as well. </p>
<p>I don't truly have the time to help you with all the specifics about interviews (I do that as my job actually and have written up sample questions and coach students on interviews). A student should go into an interview knowing things she hopes to get across about herself no matter what the questions are. Often questions deal with her background, her academics, her activities, her interests, her goals, her college criteria, her interest in CMU, her motivations, achievements and so forth. She should be able to articulate quite specifically why she wishes to attend CMU. She should have questions to ask that show that she has explored the school deeply (in other words, not basic questions that could be answered by perusing the website). If your D has an Activity Resume (that is not the same as the Theater Resume), she could bring that along. I recall the CMU adcom asking my D questions from her perusal of the activty resume. The admissions interview is an opportunity to show about herself....her attributes, interests, and so forth. It isn't all about Drama per se at all. Sorry for such a brief description but I don't have time to include the full range of suggestions, tips, or sample questions on the forum.</p>
<p>Chrissyblu, I am not sure what impact the interview has at all. My daughter is a sophomore MT at CMU and did not interview with anyone. Like soozie said though, it certainly can't hurt anything and can only help your daughter to get more comfortable in an interview setting. I honestly don't think that interviewing with anyone outside of the drama department has any impact on admission. If CMU was a school in which you received a separate admission from the drama department and the school itself, I would think it would hold more weight but because I think most of the decisions are made right in the school of drama, I am not sure that the interview would be beneficial but good luck to your daughter!</p>
<p>My S is also a sophomore at CMU and did not interview with someone in our area. The interviews are run through the university's admissions office using alumni volunteers. Alumni interviews are a way that many selective schools are able to provide a more personal outreach to applicants throughout the country and also involve their alumni in the university. In the case of the Drama program at CMU, I think it has little impact on the admission decision since that decision is determined so clearly by the audition. Very few programs have the level of personalized evaluation of candidates that the audition process yields. On the other hand, if there is a CFA/Drama alum participating in your region in the interview process, go for it!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice, but she decided to do it. She decided in part because the alumni had the same experience my D hopes to have. She went to a local San Diego High School not to far from us, got into CMU, moved to Pittsburgh, where she got both her undergrad and grad, and then moved back to literally our neighborhood. The alum will be very familiar with what it is like to move from sunny S.D. and this kind of environment and mindset to CMU where it is cold and things are different. Also the alum did go to CFA, so she can answer questions as well about the college. Hopefully, it will end up actully being helpful to my D. The school says its also for the student's benefit and I think my D plans to a large degree on using it that way...... They are even meeting at the Coffee Bean... that's so S.D. Ha Ha! :) Local hangout..... She's looking forward to it, but will take the advice of the "activity" resume (not theatre resume) and bring it with...... Thanks again.</p>
<p>During the summer precollege program my D attended at CMU (for MT) she mentioned to a faculty member that she thought she should do an interview with admissions. The faculty member told her it wasn't necessary at all and wouldn't be considered in her admissions decision for CMU. (I think the person's exact words were "Don't bother. It won't matter."</p>
<p>I am no expert, but I think those notices go out automatically to everyone who submits an application to CMU; they don't seem to distinguish between those kids apply for CFA and the others, for whom an admissions interview would seem to weight more heavily in any admissions decisions.</p>
<p>I agree with NotMamaRose, they sent me an invitation for the same thing by mail and through email, but I already missed the South Florida date and there was not one available that was close to me. </p>
<p>I think it's great that your daughter is meeting with an alumni, especially when it is so convenient that the alumni lives by you! It will definitely help her to figure out if CMU is where she wants to be, etc. Best of luck!</p>
<p>That was her thought process. Having someone who went through exactly the same life experience as she would going from the west coast to the east coast (even if it is not CMU) will be very helpful.</p>
<p>I never told you how this went.... It was a great experience. She's glad she did it. The alum turned out to also be from the College of Fine Arts, and they had a great conversation. She said that most of the kids she interviews are not "focused", but CFA kids are really focused, so she liked that about my D. She gave my D a lot of insight about what it was like to be a S.D. girl and move back east, which was helpful (great experience for the alum, by the way, although she obviously landed back in southern Cali.) </p>
<p>It may not count for anything, but to have the opportunity to talk to an alum who had the same experience as my D hopes to have (coming from Southern Cali and going East whereever that may be) was very good. I'd recommend it.</p>