My Interview -Byerly, NSM help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Alright, I had my interview for Harvard today. My interviewer, a doctor, called me the night before to schedule it for today. Anyways, when I arrive, I wait around for 10 minutes in her office lobby, along with like 2 of her clients. I overhear that they have appointments during the time of my interview. Anyways, she comes out an greets me. She is such a peppy/casual person. </p>

<p>We go to her office office and start talking about myself, my academics, school etc. Then we go into my culture and why I want to go to Harvard. After explaining why I love the Romance Languages and Literature department and the effect Harvard had on me this summer when I attended, she tells me how her experience was (I asked her). Then somewhere in between we talk about my APs. I took 8 AP exams, so she asked me for them. However, I could only remember 7 exams off the top of my head, (unfortunately I forgot English, 4). Anyways, we talked about my jobs and economic situation. She told me I seem pretty confident and energetic, etc etc. At the end, she told me not to be down if I was deffered, because she had recieved my application the day before and it was sent late (the hurricane hit us and basically disabled our city, Miami). However, she said she was rooting for me and to call her if I have any questions. Suprisingly though, guess how long it lasted. 15 minutes. The interview for my dream school, the school that I would do anything short of murder to get in lasted 15 minutes. I know that the time doesnt really matter and she had other affairs, but I mean 15 minutes! I was hoping to have a 4-hour moving conversation about our domestic policy and foreign policy concerning immigrants and other affairs (low income, hispanic) but it didnt happen. Nevertheless, she was such a great person. He had this upbeat attitude and such a vibrant joy for life. I really liked that about her, and it made my day. She seemed like a nice person. I am just scared that I didnt get a 'full-interview' and dont know what to do. Others have suggested I call the Admin office and request another, but isnt that too drastic? Could she have seen enough of my character and personality in 15 minutes to determine whether I was a viable candidate? (oh and I left her my activites and awards resume outlining my achievements etc., which i didnt even get to explain at all)</p>

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<p>She's a busy doctor. Be grateful she hasn't sent you a bill.</p>

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<p>why, I appreciate your much helpful candor</p>

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<p>mine was 26 minutes... and it was in a b&n, very relaxed
i feel like it was a good interview though</p>

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<p>"I was hoping to have a 4-hour moving conversation about our domestic policy and foreign policy concerning immigrants and other affairs (low income, hispanic) but it didnt happen. "</p>

<p>Very unrealistic to expect a 4-hour interview. It would be realistic, however, under normal circumstancees to expect a 30-60 min. interview. Considering the hurricane, though, and the fact that apps from your area got in late and the alum interviewers probably are swamped with extra work and hassles related to the hurricane, I'd bet that most EA applicants from your area got the same length of interview that you did.</p>

<p>Sounds to me, too, like she gave you a big hint that Harvard is going to be deferring all of the EA candidates from your area -- or at least will be deferring you due to the lateness of your application. Being deferred for such a reason doesn't hurt you or help you. It's a neutral factor.</p>

<p>My advice is to send the interviewer a nice thank-you note, and also e-mail Harvard admissions expressing appreciation for her interview, particularly since it was done on short notice, and she was courteous and fit you into an obviously busy schedule. Also, however, ask if there's a chance for you to get a second interview since due to the late app, etc., she only was able to interview you for 15 mins.</p>

<p>This may help you get a second interview after Dec. If you don't get a second interview, it would be either because despite the short time, the interview report gave Harvard the info they need (which could be confirming Harvard adcoms' favorable impression of you) or when adcoms get the chance to examine your app (which in your case, they aren't likely to do until Jan.) they realize that even a great interview wouldn't get you in.</p>

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<p>"Sounds to me, too, like she gave you a big hint that Harvard is going to be deferring all of the EA candidates from your area -- or at least will be deferring you due to the lateness of your application."</p>

<p>Speculation. Do you have knowledge that this is the policy? If it is, it would be incumbent upon H to inform applicants applicants from the affected areas. Since they have not, I suspect this is not the case.</p>

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<p>Sounds like she'll write you a good recommendation.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I wouldn't worry if I were you DHA. She said she was "rooting for you" so obviously you made a very favorable impression on her. It also seems like you hit all the major points (energetic/passionate/informed/etc...) so she'll write you a pretty good report.</p>

<p>As far as ppl from Hurricane areas getting defferred. I think the reason they haven't outright told all the apps from the Hurricane areas that they'll be deffered is because they're still not sure about it. What they'll probably do is leave the Hurricane apps till the end, and then try to get through as many of them as possible for the EA round. </p>

<p>IN fact, you're probably one of the lucky ones to get an interview. I'd imagine with all the chaos down there, the Harvard Alumni Associations might not have been able to effectively organize interviews. Of course, that last bit is pure speculation on my part.</p>

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<p>"Speculation. Do you have knowledge that this is the policy? If it is, it would be incumbent upon H to inform applicants applicants from the affected areas. Since they have not, I suspect this is not the case."</p>

<p>It would not be incumbent upon Harvard to inform applicants about this. Why should they? Heck, the majority of students who apply EA to Harvard get deferred anyway.</p>

<p>I also imagine that while Harvard is likely to defer a far higher proportion of students from hurricane-affected areas than from nonaffected ones, it may make some exceptions for students who are at the very top of the list such as nationally ranked athletes or large donors' kids. </p>

<p>As Eyze suggests, because of the variables, the adcoms also may not have made a final decision on how to handle the apps from hurricane-affected areas.</p>

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<p>Whoa</p>

<p>Is it fair that Harvard just puts them off till the end and then tries to finish them if not defer them</p>

<p>Even if theyd get deferred otherwise, THEY USED THEIR ONE EA ON HARVARD. That would mean that they sacrificed applying early to another insitution where it really counts, in favor of Harvard, and Harvard simply dumps them into RD. If thats the case, They should be able to due everything over, like essays, interviews, everything.</p>

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<p>"Is it fair that Harvard just puts them off till the end and then tries to finish them if not defer them</p>

<p>Even if theyd get deferred otherwise, THEY USED THEIR ONE EA ON HARVARD. That would mean that they sacrificed applying early to another insitution where it really counts, in favor of Harvard, and Harvard simply dumps them into RD. If thats the case, They should be able to due everything over, like essays, interviews, everything."</p>

<p>Anyone smart enough to apply to Harvard should be smart enough to Google and learn that most EA applicants to Harvard are deferred.</p>

<p>It's up to applicants to make a decision about whether it's worth it to apply to Harvard EA.</p>

<p>As for those affected by the hurricane, Harvard is going out of its way to accept their late EA applications and to arrange interviews for those students now even though those applications came in late. This includes the applicants getting a lot of support from alum in hurricane affected areas who are volunteering to put aside their own hurricane-affected problems in order to interview applications at the last minute.</p>

<p>Common sense should indicate that Harvard is not going to be able to give most of these late applications the careful consideration that it gives to the other EA applications. Consequently, if a higher proportion of those applications get deferred than normally would occur, at least those applications will be in a position to get a careful review in the RD round. </p>

<p>That's far better than rejecting students due to a too-hasty review or due to adcoms sticking to deadlines that don't make any sense under the circumstances. After all, if the adcoms weren't trying to look at those applications in the EA period, they wouldn't be asking busy alums to interview EA apps now. I am sure that the doctor whom the OP referred to went out of her way to squeeze in his interview.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, I'd bet that some very top picks in the hurricane affected EA applications will get reviewed and will get acceptances. I doubt that every EA application from hurricane affected areas will be deferred.</p>

<p>There are no rules preventing any EA deferred applicant from submitting more materials. It would be ridiculous, though, to expect that alums would have the time to reinterview every EA deferred applicant from a hurricane-affected area. Remember: the interviewers are busy volunteers whose lives also have been disrupted by the hurricanes. They are going far out of their way to do this kind of volunteer work when they also are dealing with their own business and family problems that are due to the hurricane.</p>

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<p>Couldn't have said it better myself.</p>

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<p>"THEY USED THEIR ONE EA ON HARVARD. That would mean that they sacrificed applying early to another insitution where it really counts, in favor of Harvard, and Harvard simply dumps them into RD"</p>

<p>I totally agree with this point. It's unfair if H does this, since applying EA is a big help at Yale and H.</p>

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<p>You don't want a long interview. My Yale interview was three hours long. Paaaiiinn.</p>

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<p>I understand the issue, and I know that many applications were sent in late. However, my stuff was rushed and it got to them a couple of days late. Then, when I called the office they told me that they dont start going through apps until around the 15th, because until then they are getting everything together. They dont have rolling admissions. Therefore, I sent it all my stuff on time (technically) and it should be evaluated as any other app would be. Cmon, they look at apps in minutes. Its not that they wont have enough time. If I am going to be deferred, then I want to deferred because of other reasons, not because I sent my app a couple of days late.</p>

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<p>could this be why there are only 3700?
cause theyre not counting the ones from the hurricane affected areas?</p>

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<p>bastards lol</p>

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<p>ill feel so smart if im right lol</p>

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<p>DHA,
It seems that you're quite fortunate to get any Harvard interview.
This is what a Harvard applicant posted in the "Chances" forum:
"oh i just found out that because i live in a hurricane-affected area, there arent enough interviewers. soo.. i wont be having an interview."</p>

<p>Another reason for you to send notes of deep appreciation to Harvard and to the alumni interviewer.</p>

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<p>oh definitely. I have learned so much from CC and you guys (NSM, Byerly, etc.) and I am going to absolutely going to send her a thank you note. It wasnt her fault, and with the situation as it is, I was lucky to have an interview. I have also reconsidered calling them. She did say many positive things, and it might actually backfire if I call and ask for another. It would demonstrate lack of character and confidence. Anyways, when do you think I should send her a card? I had it on Friday and from what I gathered, she filed the report the same day. Therefore, is it ok for me to send her the note now, so she gets it three days later? Should I send a plain "Thank you" note, or something else (like something Hallmarkish, only less flashy)?</p>