<p>Just letting you all know that interview assignments are still filtering in (albeit slowly). </p>
<p>Comments and advice re: your own interviewing experiences (or questions about them!) can also be consolidated here. </p>
<p>Best of luck to everyone! Three months (Tufts decisions come out early, usually) to go!</p>
<p>Ariesathena, how much of an impact do sat's have on the admissions process?</p>
<p>Well - I'll try to give you an idea of that. I believe that the ED acceptees had almost a 1400 SAT median this year. Generally, RD is higher. However, they definitely look at SATs in conjunction with your courses and grades. For example, if your essay is mediocre, but you got an 800 on the SAT II Writing, that 800 actually won't help you much. </p>
<p>People have definitely gotten in with low SAT scores - sort through last year's acceptances. I think that Caro (or something like that) had a 1080. She is also international or was born abroad, which is helpful. If English is not your first language, they are less important. If your high school is really competitive, a high SAT score may validate not-amazing grades. My understanding is that SATs aren't looked at just as a number - they reject 1/3 of the people who apply with 1600s. I think it's taken in context with other things. I do know plently of people who got in with 1300ish SAT scores, and plently of 1400 range type people get rejected. </p>
<p>So - it's hard to say exactly how important they are, but SATs are used in the "academic" portion of applicant evaluation. Extracurriculars and personal qualities are also important. My understanding is that it is most important to be strong across all three areas, rather than amazing in one and medioce in the others.</p>
<p>Awesome - thanks. I had 1110 on my sat's. My sat II's were extremely low; however, I hope my B from my writing class at Harvard will cancel out my sat 2 in writing.</p>
<p>a few questions....first off are we contacted for alum interviews or we need to call the admissions office to schedule one? Also how much emphasis does Tufts put on ECs and sat2s, and if they are truly superb can they mitigate medicore SAT1s??</p>
<p>i'm getting my alumna interview the end of this month and i was wondering how much interviews count for in the entire application process.
also, is there some kind of format that the interviewer follows (like a form to fill out, specific questions, etc.) or is it entirely up to the alum?</p>
<p>In order: the alum contacts you. We get a little form with some of your basic (i.e. no grades or SATs, just name, address, etc) information on it, then give you a call or an email. We're still getting names in. </p>
<p>I don't know about ECs mitigating mediocre SATs, but I think that strong SAT IIs would do the trick. Hopefully - enough so that you come across as being very solid. </p>
<p>Interviews are more used to confirm information that they already have. They can be used to supplement the application, give a better picture of the student (which is important), or add in some really pertinent information that wasn't complete in the app. It can help if your career or academic goals come out (and why they are formed), or, conversely, if you're really a jerk. The recommendations might dance around that issue, but the interviewer might come out and say it.</p>
<p>We do written reports, about one page long. I think that the format is really up to the individual interviewer, but it's supposed to be a conversation. I, for one, really like all the kids that I interview.</p>
<p>thanks for the response</p>
<p>thanks, ariesathena! :)</p>
<p>I have a question, how long should we wait until an alum contacts us?</p>
<p>i had my alum interview about a month ago..</p>
<p>Do you rate interviewees? Like on a number scale?</p>
<p>How much do interviews count for?</p>
<p>How long to wait until alum contacts you: depends on when you sent your application in. If it was towards the end of December, plan on waiting a bit. They probably have to process over then thousand applications - it's going to take a while! I know that I'm still waiting for assignments. If you sent your app in a while ago, or your an ED II applicant, then give them a call.</p>
<p>Interviewees are rated, but I think that the actual report matters more. The interview isn't very important, but I think it's used as a tip factor. I think a lot of it really depends on what comes out during the interview. First kid in the family to finish high school? I think the interview would matter for a lot - because that's really important to know! You like soccer - well, that's not going to be a huge thing in admissions.</p>
<p>gotcha thanks</p>
<p>Eeek... meant to say "over ten thousand applications," not whatever I typed. Two thousand ED I; a bunch more ED II (which probably have priority), and then, for a total of 16k, the RDs. I know for a fact that I'm waiting on getting applicants (getting a whole group together so I only have to make one trip), so don't sweat it. Interviews run up through the end of February.</p>
<p>Also should mention that, typically, only 80% of kids get interviews. Tufts will tell you if they can't assign you one.</p>
<p>Hey so I have an interview this thursday, the 27th, but I applied EDII, so will the results from my interview make it to Tufts before I get my answer?
Thanks.</p>
<p>I honestly don't know... aren't EDII decisions supposed to come out on the 1st? Can you be deferred from EDII? (If so, I think it would matter, potentially.)</p>
<p>smandel- that happened to me last year when I applied ED1. The results will make it to Tufts within a day or two (I was told) -- they are e-mailed to Tufts. But you don't know if they'll actually read it in time. The best thing you can do is treat it like the results will be read and will matter. I got in ED1. I will never know whether my interview (that went super-well) mattered. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am having an interview this week, and my interviewer said it's more like a conversation than just him asking me questions. I know I should probably have some questions ready to ask, but I've already been to an info session, gone on a tour, and met with a rep. at my school - so I think a lot of my questions have been answered, and besides, how many questions can I ask an older alum of tufts? I'm interested in study abroad, I guess I could talk about that, and maybe joining/starting a club. Tufts is one of my top choices, if not my #1, I just don't know how to show it. Anybody already had an interview? Any advice?</p>