Is it true that Harvard shortlists international applicants for interview?

I got contacted to have an skype interview with an alumna from my country (Mongolia). I thought it was nothing special like Princeton interview, but there are old threads in CC that only few students get interview from a specific region, and no one gets in without an interview. Is it still true in recent years? Can international students from previous years share your experience with interviews? This year’s RD applicants, did you get an interview? (And how/how much should I prepare?)

International interviews are mostly given based on availability. There aren’t enough volunteering Harvard alumni to interview every applicant in every country of the world. As far as I know, no college specifically places a limit on the number of students they interview from a region.

The rumor that no one gets into Harvard without an interview is simply false, since it would be super unfair for students like you who may not have the opportunity to interview, due to alumni availability. In past years, people from my HS have gotten into other elite universities without interviews.

This is true for countries where there are few interviewers, no interviewers (an admissions officer will contact you). Only the strongest contenders will be offered an interview, and will be discussed in the subcommittee meeting.

Thanks, I hope so. I did my interview and I think it went pretty well

@goldmidnight7 I was one of these applicants. Do you know how long these interviews will typically last?

@HYPSM2024 I know that interviewers are instructed to tell applicants that the interview will at most be 1 hour. Mine was 1 hr 15 mins. I really think it depends on the interviewer.

@goldmidnight7 Mine was 35 minutes…I feel awful about it-- like I had this oppurtunity and ruined it completely.

@goldmidnight7 Did you apply SCEA or RD? Can I know the country you’re from?

The operative term being at most. People in industry typically carve out 30 minute blocks for interviews, Read nothing into interview length

@HYPSM2024 I’m from a Caribbean nation so we don’t have many interviewers here. I applied RD. My interviewer sent me a screenshot of the email from Harvard to validate that he/she is actually the interviewer. The person got the request on January 9th. My interview was done about two weeks after that when we both were free. I’m not sure if the time of the interview request is any sign but yea.

@goldmidnight7 Mine was on the last days of January with an admissions officer. (I’m from a middle eastern country and there are literally no alumni interviewers here).
I also applied RD.
I hope the best for you.

@HYPSM2024 My interviewer said it would last 30 to 45 min and mine lasted for like 30 min or so. She said she got a good idea of who I am, so I don’t really think length matters. And you got interview from area with no alumni so I guess you’re pretty strong applicant.

Thank you very much @chococookies ! I hope that we’ll both hear the results that we’re looking forward to hearing! What made me nervous was that nearly everyone that has got into Harvard from my country has had interviews that lasted over an hour with the officers while mine was much shorter. I hope there will be no direct correlation.

@HYPSM2024 @chococookies good luck guys! I hope we get our acceptances come ivyday

Hello,

Does anyone know if Harvard accepts transfer international students that took college in the U.S.? Or the stats? Thank you!

I applied to the same school as well and I’m from Mongolia, too. But I didn’t get contacted for an interview and I’m just getting worried about this very topic. Which school do you go to?

@masha1215 High school? Shine Mongol

Cool. If you don’t mind me asking, did you take SAT subject tests? How good were they?

@masha1215 I sent only math lvl 2 score, which was 800