Is it OK if I refuse alumni interviews?

Applying to College
41

<p>Even if you believe that these interviews have no value, you are being asked to, at most, invest an hour or two of your time. That is a cheap insurance policy in the possible event that the interview does matter. </p>

42

<p>@IxnayBob
I don’t personally need to do interviews for the schools I am applying to.
My brother did an interview tho and like someone else here said, It was “people being fake and selling themselves” through laundry list of accomplishments. </p>

<p>And yes I am being helpful because the majority of this thread is trying to sucker him into doing the interviews out of fear and guilt. Negative emotions. I’m one of the few people asking him to analyze the situation through logic. </p>

43

<p>Not sure I understand? If it’s too much “trouble” to interview, then don’t apply. It’s like saying well I just don’t want to write all those essays, so I’ll just skip a few. I just can’t imagine declining an interview as ever being viewed positively.</p>

44

<p>For a high school student inexperienced with interviewing, an interview can offer more ways to do poorly than it can offer ways to improve one’s application.</p>

<p>However, declining an interview may itself be a negative point, particularly at schools which use “level of applicant’s interest” as criteria for admission.</p>

45

<p>You may want to read this (from MIT):
<a href=“Interview | MIT Admissions”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/interview&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

46

<p>I agree that it depends on the college. Considering that they are “elite” colleges as you have described, they probably have very many applicants, and your application could be boosted by doing the interview. I sympathize with having so many, but here’s another perspective: could this mean that some of the colleges are not for you? I mean, before applying, I would have expected you to have done some research on the college already, but are there ones you feel like you would drop? It may be a sign that perhaps you wouldn’t go to that school. Something to consider if you haven’t clicked “submit” on those applications yet. With 9-10 schools offering you interviews, and you applying to at least that much, I imagine there might be an abundance of applications in there</p>

47

<p>I agree with the others – you need to accept an interview at any school you are interested in attending.</p>