I am a prospective student trying to maximize my chances of getting in to UChicago. Are interviews particularly beneficial or necessary?
No. Completely optional. Not held against you if you don’t ask for one. And don’t look at it as a sign if you aren’t given one. Depends on availability of alumn volunteers in your area.
If you want to work on maximizing your chances of admission (and are a rising senior at this point), then focus on your essays. Those really do matter.
“Not held against you if you don’t ask for one.” Isn’t it considered demonstrated interest though? What’s your source?
From UChicago’s website
https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/interview
“The interview is an optional part of the application process. If you’re the sort of person who feels comfortable having a casual conversation with a stranger, an interview can be a great way for you to learn more about UChicago from someone who goes or went here, as well as for us to learn a little more about you in a face-to-face setting. If that’s not you, don’t sweat it! The majority of students admitted will not have completed an interview.”
My DD did not have an interview and was admitted EA for the class of 2020.
Same situation here – Neither my daughter nor the other student admitted to U of C EA from her HS in 2020 had (or asked for) an interview. And that was a decision made after having read the website info NLC just posted and having double-checked with the HS college counselor about whether it seemed true in practice (she said it did). I’ve also done alumni interviewing (for a different highly selective school) and recognize that its primary functions are to keep the alumns feeling connected and to give applicants someone to talk to about the school. It’s not an assessment. Not to say interviews never affect the process – egregiously bad behavior might, as might the revelation of some key piece of info not otherwise in the application – but it’s rare even in schools that strongly encourage alumni interviews. So when U of C says “optional” and “casual conversation with someone who goes or went here” that’s credible.
I really think U of C assesses interest based on the essays (e.g. Why Chicago? but also the general presentation of self – are you the kind of person who would be drawn to a school like U of C?).
D3 and I just attended an info. session in our local community and the Admissions guy really didn’t spend any time talking about the interview. He mentioned it but spent about 1/15th the amount of time that was spent discussing the essays. They really focus on those essays!
My son went to a local info session but did not have an interview and was accepted EA.