<p>So I'm an international student from Canada and I am probably an average applicant with strong grades, but I have not gotten any interviews at all! I have applied to all the Ivy League schools but haven't gotten a single interview whereas my friend has gotten 6 interviews (5 Ivy League 1 MIT) so far, so I was just wondering whether the interviews is really "random" or if they chose qualified or favorable candidates. By the way, my friend has lower marks than me but has really good supplements. Anyone who does actual interviews? Can you let me know how much interviews are worth or if a very notable alumni puts a good word for a student would they get in?</p>
<p>For Ivy Leagues and MIT, interviews are assigned depending on your area’s local alumni coordinator. For those schools, they are no indication of where you fall in the applicant pool.</p>
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<p>If you guess between zero and zilch, you won’t be too far off. Consider yourself lucky, as you just avoided an utter waste of time and effort. Unless conducted by ADCOMS, the interviews are the dumbest and least relevant part of the entire admission process.</p>
<p>Do not stress about it.</p>
<p>Colleges often do not have enough alumni to interview everyone who requests one. So don’t sweat it. Here is an article from an Admissions department on this topic -
[Nailed</a> It! Interview Tips from ED Inside Admissions Tufts University Admissions Department](<a href=“Nailed It! Interview Tips from ED · Inside Admissions | Tufts Admissions”>Nailed It! Interview Tips from ED · Inside Admissions | Tufts Admissions)</p>