<p>So I have an interview next week for an ivy league school at an alumni's home. I was just wondering, has anyone ever gone to a college interview at someone's house? I thought they were usually at a starbucks or something...</p>
<p>I almost always interview at my house. But the kids I interview generally don’t get in. Should I be worried?</p>
<p>I was just wondering if it was normal to do an interview at someone’s house. I don’t really know much about college interviews or anything, but it seems really intimidating. And I don’t think interviewing at your house Waverly has anything to do with why students don’t get accepted, lol. :P</p>
<p>Thanks, was getting a complex, but I do interview for a school with a single digit acceptance rate.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that you find a home intimidating. When I interview I’ll often light a fire, serve hot chocolate and cookies and sit in my family room in my college sweats and chat. I’ve always thought of it as non intimidating.</p>
<p>Adamlikesguitar, it is perfectly normal. My daughter did so a couple years ago. Perfectly natural and comfortable. And she got accepted, so I guess it did not hurt.</p>
<p>My college’s guidelines for us is to try to avoid interviewing in our homes due to the fact that a person of lesser means may be intimidated by our (general) upper middle class or better abodes. I’ve done it in a pinch when my wife had to go into work and I needed to stay home to watch the kids unexpectedly. In about 200 interviews, I think only two have been at my dining room table.</p>
<p>However, is it strange? No, I wouldn’t think so.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on the person for what would be more intimidating - a home or a Starbucks. As someone who is shy and somewhat awkward when it comes to situations like these, I would much prefer a Starbucks because it’s at least a “familiar” background. </p>
<p>But no, it’s not unusual to have an interview at someone’s house.</p>
<p>Five years ago, D1 had almost all of her interviews at interviewer’s house, except for one at our house, and another one at someone’s work place. In all cases, D1 felt perfectly safe and comfortable. </p>
<p>Most of those interviews do not count very much toward admission. It is a good opportunity for you to find out more about the school.</p>
<p>Hmm…maybe I looked at it the wrong way at first. But what I meant by intimidating was that if you were nervous about going to an interview from the start, wouldn’t going to an alumni’s house (especially an alumni from a big prestigious Ivy) make you slightly even more on edge? It’s not a question of feeling safe, I think it would just be more awkward than it needs to be for some people. </p>
<p>That being said, I am not too concerned about going to my interview. I was just discussing this with my friends and they thought it was a little odd, but then again, most of them are applying to small local colleges. But then that made me think: do kids think going to an alumni’s house is awkward but adults don’t? Maybe our generation is full of people who think it is intimidating to go to someone’s home. I really don’t know.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback. :D</p>
<p>I have only interviewed in my home once as I think it makes students more comfortable to be on “neutral” territory. There is nothing weird about this and some do use their homes or offices. Way back when I was interviewed for Yale at my interviewer’s home. I was struck by how modest the home and furnishings were and I was coming from a solid middle class household. What stood out, however, was a set of huge stereo speakers in the living room that I suspected cost a fortune. Having some interest in electronics I mentioned that they were pretty cool. The interviewer grew more animated and was excited to put some music on so that I could hear them. Maybe he kept that enthusiasm as he wrote my report. We had a car accident in the snow on the way home but at least I got in!</p>
<p>“if you were nervous about going to an interview from the start, wouldn’t going to an alumni’s house (especially an alumni from a big prestigious Ivy) make you slightly even more on edge?”</p>
<p>Yes. And that’s why my alma mater asks us to not use our homes if possible. Why make a stressful situation more so?</p>