<p>My S just started his interviews. Please share example interview feedback and interpretations. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>We've had 3 interviews; two top tiered, one just below.<br>
How did they go? Who knows.</p>
<p>The admissions reps were professional and spent plenty of time talking to our daughter (and us). We prepared for the interviews using a collection of questions from discussion board postings plus notes our daughter took from each school website, noting anything that resonated with her regarding the school. Post interviews, she received nice notes from the admissions reps who each encouraged her to apply. </p>
<p>It's wise not to assume anything. These discussion boards have been helpful to keep perspective. If we were less informed, we may have overestimated how well the interviews went. It's good business for boarding schools to get as many applications as possible--that's part of the game.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to hear any stories from those who have gone through this who may have had a hint they were going to get accepted or rejected based on their interview or admission process prior to March.</p>
<p>(Great thread under prep school parents; interview process).</p>
<p>Take all interviewer comments with a grain of salt. My D's Andover interviewer loved her and asked her what it would take to make her decide to come to Andover. He told us that she was the best candidate to walk through his door in two weeks. After she was rejected, he didn't return our 3 phone calls.</p>
<p>Yes, he seemed sincere at the time, but the interviewer does not make the decision, a committee does. We were less than impressed with his refusal to speak to us post-rejection. We took it as a sign that, for mutual reasons, Andover was not the right place for our D.</p>
<p>Thats harsh...was it an alumni interview? You can't really take in consideration much of what thye say in my opinion. Or was it someone like the director of admissions?</p>
<p>I believe the interview is just a part of the process. I know that a great deal of importance is placed on it, and it probably is a very important part. But just like a 90+ ssat does not cinch an admission, I doubt a stellar interview does either. As baseballmom states, a committee makes the decision, not the person who interviewed your child alone. </p>
<p>The interview is a part of the puzzle. I tend to look at the process as a series of hurdles. I just hope my son didn't give the impression that he was someone they DIDN'T want! (I don't think he did, btw.) It's easier for me to understand the process if I look at it as a series of elimination.</p>
<p>mpicz--no, he was an English teacher who also worked as an asst. director of admissions, the title most of the interviewers have. He and my D talked about Huck Finn in depth during the interview because she happened to be reading it for pleasure and his freshman English class was reading it at the same time. They really hit it off and spent most of the interview discussing books.</p>
<p>When we left Andover that day we were certain she would be admitted. Then again, EVERY interviewer told us what a great kid she was and made comments leading us to believe she was the perfect candidate for XXX school. Got to keep those applications coming in!</p>
<p>What school did your daughter end up going to?</p>
<p>mpicz--not one that's talked about on this board. We made the mistake of only applying to tier one schools. Eight of them! She was rejected, WL, or WL for FA from every single one. All of her interviews went well and every interview told us what a great kid and good candidate she was. </p>
<p>So, after waiting in vain for FA to come through and/or a WL space to open up, we realized she had no option other than our public school. So, we applied, post April 10, to one more BS that would have been a safety for her. They accepted her and gave us over 50% FA. She was at the top of their applicant pool.</p>
<p>This is why I am such an advocate for applying to mostly matches with one or two reaches in there. It's tough for a 14 year old to deal with a heap of rejection letters, especially after his/her parents have told them how smart and talented they are.</p>
<p>lol baseballmom, to prepare for the very plausible torrents of sadness that will emerge come march 10, I am flying out of the country for a school-related tournament HAHAHAHA
since most of my schools are online, I'll know around 6 of my decisions before the 16th, when I get back. I was amazed when I saw the timing XD</p>
<p>always always always have a match and a safety, regardless of the reaches you apply to. I don't discourage reaches (when I advise boarding school newbies as well as friends who are applying) but always make sure that you have a couple of matches/safeties so that you won't be bawling over rejections (:</p>
<p>does sending a handwritten letter over int'l postage (lol, dunno maybe because it's not domestic it would count more) post-interview mean ANYTHING? Just want to know lol because I got one from a school I adoreeeeee and I didn't really think much of it until now.. but I want to know now LOL</p>
<p>lol baseballmom, to prepare for the very plausible torrents of sadness that will emerge come march 10, I am flying out of the country for a school-related tournament HAHAHAHA
since most of my schools are online, I'll know around 6 of my decisions before the 16th, when I get back. I was amazed when I saw the timing XD</p>
<p>always always always have a match and a safety, regardless of the reaches you apply to. I don't discourage reaches (when I advise boarding school newbies as well as friends who are applying) but always make sure that you have a couple of matches/safeties so that you won't be bawling over rejections (:</p>
<p>does sending a handwritten letter over int'l postage (lol, dunno maybe because it's not domestic it would count more) post-interview mean ANYTHING? Just want to know lol because I got one from a school I adoreeeeee and I didn't really think much of it until now.. but I want to know now LOL</p>
<p>Ya that must have sucked for your daughter. Is it a consensus on this board than no top-tier school can be a match for someone, or are they all considered reaches. Like if your not a famous legacy child, but you have a pretty big hook and are in general most likely a unique applicant, should the person still just go ahead and consider the top-tier as reaches.</p>
<p>Personally I'll just stay were I am if I can't go to the very best, but that's just me.</p>
<p>Exactly, mpicz, NOT ONE APPLICANT can be guaranteed admission to a top tier school.</p>
<p>Remember, if you have stellar stats or a big hook, then the tier one's may take a second look at your application. You might get in.</p>
<p>BUT, there are probably hundreds of other schools that would love to have you and may give you a boatload of FA.</p>
<p>Son's number one pick happens to be the strongest match on his list. For him it has nothing to do with tiers and everything to do with culture. The standard interview at this school was somewhat short as the admissions person spent a great deal of the remaining time discussing and encouraging him to apply for a very substantial merit scholarship (yes they do exist). Son is a strong applicant, great resume, ECs, very well hooked with an affable manner so, I don't know, we'll see...</p>
<p>At one of the "ten" schools, the interviewer was one of the admissions office staff and without looking up the exact number, there were probably six or eight people that were in this position. This interviewer explained to us, that at that school, each person pushes for "their" candidates, but of course, not all of "their" candidates can be accepted. The interviewer has no idea of who is concurrently being interviewed down the hall, or who will come in next week. I think that they do try to sell the child on the school, too, unless of course, it is obvious that the child would not do well there for some reason. This was not Andover, and this interviewer told me that she had historically gotten calls after negative admissions decisions and that this interviewer spoke to parents. I can understand needing to call if all the decisions were waitlist or rejection, and I think it would be appropriate for feedback in such a case. Baseballmom, I hope your child is doing fabulously wherever.</p>
<p>I personally think that needing financial aid can be a detriment (realizing that of course many receive financial aid), even at the "need blind" schools. I have no empirical evidence to back this up, so sorry for that. Just my feeling. I also, however inconsistent this may sound, think that being full pay, even for a great kid, does not guarantee entrance either.</p>
<p>The other thing to realize that at the top tier there are recruited athletes and URM students that probably have a better in than a lot of the plain well rounded kids (of whom there are too many to admit in full.)</p>
<p>I think that one of the consistently emphasized things on this thread is that schools look to fulfill their needs with athletes, musicians, truly gifted students, artsy students etc., and that this is true.</p>
<p>Full pay is not entirely true... At Andover I know the average cost is 66,000$ a year per student. Nobody pays this... Everyone gets a little break when you look at the facts.
Just a little FYI.</p>
<p>The way that it was explained to me:
Interviewers will always tell you that you did a superb job and that your interview was great. The only exception is when they say, "Your child did a great job of <em>(Something very unique)</em>_"
What would happen if an interview said, "YOU TOTALLY BLEW IT". I can imagine some mad parents, and some requests to re-interview. To avoid re-interviews they leave a bland response.
If your interviewer aids you past the interview... Another good sign. Two of my interviewers from Tier 1 schools send me emails about thanksgiving/family/birthday.
If you get something unique stuck in their minds then you are doing a great job. You don't want to be the usual interview, you want it to be larger than life.</p>
<p>THAT BEING SAID.
When you are warming up to an interviewer, they can express extra interest in about 10 kids and really stress that they would be great additions. I was told that on average Tier 1 admission reps host over 290(High 200s I was told by a rep) interviews.</p>
<p>So if you can still stick out after 290 more people talk to that person... Then you are doing a good job.</p>
<p>THE TRUTH:
When they said you did a great job, you were average. I barely ever see people say, "I'm bad at interviews/essays". In relation to your school you might be good, but in reality you might be closer to average(boarding school applicant wise)... So deal with the fact that you arn't the super nova(top .001%) of boarding school.</p>
<p>^^^Take all that info with a grain of salt. Keep in mind the person is in the same situation as you...waiting for March 10th to see if their accepted also.</p>
<p>italianboarder--are you at a top tier school now? i thought you were an applicant this year. if thats the case you don't know that the written post interview contacts/comments were a good sign since you have yet to know of the admissions decision.</p>
<p>anothermom2--my D is now a jr in college and she did have a great boarding experience.</p>
<p>The reason for all of the rejections/wl was that our D didn't have anything on her apps that stood out and did not have a hook. We were not aware of all of the other great schools out there (i hadn't discovered CC!) and overestimated our D's attributes. She was a great and talented 14 yo, but had no stellar attributes that would have set her above hundreds of other great kids.</p>
<p>IMO, it is simply bad business for an interviewer to ignore a parent's phone call. It is indicative of the kind of response, or lack thereof, that a parent of a current student might experience. Once your kid is living at a school & you contact them for some reason, the manner in which the admin responds can be of paramount importance. You are literally at their mercy and will be in a position of waiting for the call. Not much fun if there is a non-responsive person handling your issue.</p>
<p>Italianboarder, thanks for the non education. I am an adult. I have actually worked for a living and pay bills. I am so glad that you know everything and can educate me. If you think that full tuition stops there, think again. Plenty of families donate money to the schools. That is how they get their endowments. FYI. If you would stop being such a know it all, with all your non experience in the real world, it would be better for you. I wish you luck in your quest, but in order to learn, you must open your mind.</p>
<p>anothermom2--I agree. There are lots of 14 and 15 year olds on this site who are APPLYING and give advice to parents and other applicants based on absolutely nothing but their inflated egos. If they happen to score on the 90's on the SSAT, it gets worse and suddenly they are doling out advice on multiple facets of the application process.</p>
<p>Parents and students beware!</p>