<p>Out of the schools I'm applying to, I have 9 alumni interviews. That is just way too much for a part of the application that is not even weighed heavily in the process. Is it normal for people to have 9 or 10 of these interviews? Am I complaining too much? Because it seems a little overwhelming, especially when these interviews each take about an hour long, and one has to do extensive research on the school and whatnot. Also, the schools that want interviews are ones that are high or mid reaches for me, so doing an interview for them seems kinda weird to me.</p>
<p>It is unusual for a student to have that many interviews, but I would not refuse any of them if they are not optional. If they are optional, choose the ones that are most important to you.</p>
<p>@ee1025 They are all optional. The schools that have alumni interviews are the “elite” ones, and I’m applying to many of them in hopes of landing in one. But I did not realize all of them have this BS alumni interview that they count against you if you don’t go. Supposedly these interviews might tip the scale if an applicant is on the bubble, so choosing the ones that are most important to me and not going to other ones might not be the best idea. I don’t know though, maybe I’m misinformed.</p>
<p>Having that attitude will become self-fulfilling. Presumably the high or mid reach schools are more holistic in their decision making. If you can’t “do extensive research” on a reach school, which presumably is selective and can pick among its applicants, well, …</p>
<p>Personally, if it were me, I would not apply to a school where I did not want to interview. </p>
<p>I recall seeing some advice somewhere that you should only accept interviews at those schools you wish to go to. Meaning, if you don’t do the interview, you can write off the school.</p>
<p>I have no idea if that is true, and I have also seen commentary that the interview is but a very small part of an application. However, it is my understanding that if you were invited to be interviewed and refused, a notation will be made of your refusal, which could be interpreted as a lack of interest in the school. </p>
<p>I agree that they are exhausting for students; however, presumably, your research regarding the school was done before you applied. </p>
<p>If it’s not too late, you should plan your dates accordingly. Another option is a phone or Skype interview. They are generally shorter and less stressful imo. </p>
<p>I strongly suggest you do the interviews. Obviously, the weight of the interview depends on the school but the admissions officers may assume something else about your personality, if you don’t provide a valid reason for turning down their interview. </p>
<p>If that time is really better spent elsewhere for you, then choose the schools that are most important to you-- including matches, and safeties. Besides, 9-10 alumni interviews is normal.</p>
<p>It is exceedingly impolite to refuse an opportunity to interview. And it is not unusual for each college to which you applied to offer you an interview. Colleges go out of their way to make the interviews possible. I would encourage you to rethink your approach to the interviews. To the extent that you resent them, you are likely to communicate that attitude during the interview.</p>
<p>@IxnayBob I can do extensive research, and I can do all the interviews. The issue is whether or not these interviews have any bearing on my application, or at least significant enough where doing 9 of them is not an insane idea, or where refusing some would not be a bad look. And by “extensive research” I also mean to envelop thinking and coming up with questions, knowing the potential questions you’ll have to answer, and not just doing research but also studying and knowing the school.</p>
<p>And regarding that last comment, what if a person is socially awkward/shy, or particularly unenthused by interviews, or has to make unfavorable travel arrangements? Not saying those are my circumstances, but my desire to do these interviews has nothing to do with the level of interest I have for each school. I mean how exactly is doing these interviews in any way bolstering or showing your own personal interest in the school? It seems like the whole premise of these interviews where you “ask questions” and where “its not heavily considered” doesn’t really reflect the purpose of them, whatever the purpose even is.</p>
<p>@AnewCrown I can just do 4 in one day, and 4 another day. I reckon they’re all located in the same place or within the vicinity of one another. I don’t think the majority of them even offer Skype or phone interviews. I live in NYC and its not easy to get from one borough to another, so scattering many across several days is not a great idea.</p>
<p>@prospect1 But refusing one wouldn’t break your application would it? And what if you show your interest really well in the supplement?</p>
<p>@lovers I’m now leaning towards doing all the interviews. What would be some valid reasons for turning them down though?</p>
<p>@fogcity I do resent them but only because I have to do so many of them. I don’t mind them at all if it was 2 or 3 or 4, but pretty much every “elite” school offers one and I applied to many of these elite schools. I don’t see how colleges would go out of their way to make interviews possible, though. I live in NYC so there’s probably hundreds of alumni in my area from these elite schools that have signed up to do interviews. Turning one down would actually lessen their workload, at least that’s how I think about it. </p>
<p>PromotionMan, ultimately it is your decision. I think we are only passing on to you what we know to be true in the real (adult) world, and that is when great effort is made to offer a kid an opportunity, great effort is expected from that kid to accept the opportunity. You may see your rejection of an interview as freeing up some adult’s time, and this is true for that particular adult, but the college will not see it that way. THEY - and the alumni groups - do go through some effort to offer these things.</p>
<p>I do agree with you that this whole college application thing has become ridiculous. Kids today have to apply to waaaaaay more schools than we did in my generation. This means more applications, more essays, more visits, and, yes, more interviews. There is even far, far more testing that is required today. And all for far fewer spots. It’s insane.</p>
<p>That said, I do recall seeing (or reading?) an interview with an admissions officer who said that they do wonder when a kid turns down an interview, and it is viewed negatively. They view the interview as a way to judge how an applicant comes across to someone they only just met. My takeaway was that even a poor interview is better than no interview at all. </p>
<p>So… reject an interview at your peril. But then…think of all that time you wasted filling out the application/essays for that particular school. Finish strong!</p>
<p>I’ve done/will be doing alumni interviews at all of the schools I’ve applied to that offers them. 7-9 total. Although I started requesting earlier in the process so I was able to manage them all better.</p>
<p>Logically you would be better of not doing the interviews.</p>
<p>If your application is good then a bad interview will hurt you.
If your application is good then a good interview won’t really help you.
If your application is bad then you’ll be rejected regardless of the interview.</p>
<p>So mathematically speaking the interview has a better chance of hurting than helping you. </p>
<p>@Ctesiphon</p>
<p>Think of the interview like being interrogated by the cops. The more you say, the higher your chance is of self incrimination yourself or in this case screwing up. </p>
<p>@PromotionMan, DS only had two interviews (he was done in the Early Round), but he enjoyed the interviews and had a better sense of how he’d fit at the school as a result. </p>
<p>In actuality, it may be of great importance to attend these interviews. The interviewer will definitely have part of a say on whether you should be a student at their school. You will enjoy them, they are not meant to be intimidating, it’s just another way for the university to truly get to know who you are and for you to know the school. I know most people who have kept contact with the interviewer, whether they got in or not because they enjoyed the interview that much.</p>
<p>The interview process is offered by some schools because that school feels that this tradition is important. If you are really interested in these 9-10 schools then you should accept the opportunity to interview. If you weren’t open to interviewing you might have considered other choices of schools that don’t include a interview in their application process. </p>
<p>My son was a recruited athlete and was told that the interview (if offerred) is never seen as optional. This was straight from the ad rep. I understand your frustration as well, but declining your interview will likely void all your hard work on your applications. Fortunately, a mediocre interview won’t really hurt your chances. Hang in there! </p>
<p>@bomerr, poor logic, because you left out another possibility:
If your application is “good”/borderline, not doing an interview could certainly hurt you.</p>
<p>Quite a few schools care about demonstrated interest.</p>
<p>In any case, if you don’t want the hassle of applying to so many schools (and it certainly can be a hassle), then . . . don’t apply to so many schools.</p>
<p>I do these interviews for my alma mater. We never get a refusal; I think all students who have applied to this school want to “demonstrate interest” and so take the interview whether the school is really a first choice or not.</p>
<p>That being said—I went to a talk given by admissions (for parents and students), and admissions flat out admitted that the interview doesn’t really count for much in the scheme of things. They said the interview write-up I submit goes in the applicant’s file, but at the back, and is really only used to “confirm” the rest of the application.</p>
<p>If my submission seemed really off from the impression admissions had gleaned from the rest of the package, they indicated that they may contact the HS to further discuss the applicant (if they are interested). </p>
<p>I have interviewed many kids I thought were fantastic who did not get in, and I have interviewed (thankfully only once) a student who was fantastically rude—I interview with my husband and the male student acted as if I was a ghost, no eye contact or response to any question I asked, refused to shake my hand or acknowledge my presence in my own home, also admitted he only volunteered at a soup kitchen because it looked good and that really he thought it was “funny”–This one got accepted.</p>
<p>So that’s how much the interview counts, I guess. That kid must have been some sort of genius because we could not have been any clearer that we did not feel he was a good match for the school.</p>
<p>@bearpanther, he sounds like he might be “on the spectrum,” which is not inconsistent with great talent in an area. I wouldn’t want him as a roommate 
but he might have had serious academic chops. </p>
<p>Alumni interviews are generally “tie-breakers”. If someone’s application is very strong, it won’t matter. But if there is any question at all, and you give an interview where you keep forgetting which school it is, and don’t seem interested, they WILL reject you.</p>
<p>9 or 10 interviews for someone applying to Ivies and other highly competitive schools would not be unusual. Most should be 30 minutes or slightly more, so just get them done with. I do not suggest more than two in a day, and at least be fully aware of each school and what they would offer you. </p>
<p>You are very cynical about the process, or are worried about how you will look. The most socially awkward kid who shows sincere interest will be rated much higher than a smooth talker who talks about himself and shows no care about the college the interview is regarding.</p>