What if one isn’t offered an interview by an elite school? Is it a reflection of the applicant’ rejection? Do you know any international students who made it to elite schools without interviews?
It can mean all sorts of things:
- The applicant didn’t ask for an interview.
- The applicant applied too late in the admission cycle to make an interview feasible.
- The applicant does not live close to an interviewer.
I have read conflicting accounts of the importance of interviews. The head of admission for one highly selective college outlined in a newspaper article her school’s reasons for offering (optional!) interviews:
- they increase yield rates because applicants will have a personal connection to the school
- they increase donation rates among alumni because alumni stay involved with the school (as interviewers)
She also pointed out that interviews rarely yield information that affect admission decisions.
Rest assured that interviews are arranged (or not) well before anyone has actually read your application.