<p>Hey everyone,
I just got a call from my Harvard interviewer after submitting my app a few weeks ago. It turns out that my interviewer is my ex-boyfriend's mother. I broke up with him less than a year ago, and I don't think his mom likes me...at all. She definitely did not sound too enthused about interviewing me when we spoke on the phone. Is there anything I can do? Can I call Harvard and explain the situation? I'm freaking out because I feel like she'll definitely be biased and I don't want her to send in a bad report and tank my chances :(. It was a very bad break up and my ex is very close to his mother. I feel like she won't give me a fair interview. Please help me!</p>
<p>Of course u should contact the school. If she had any professional integrity she wd have immediately recognized the conflict of interest and have recused herself as your interviewer</p>
<p>Anything, real or imagined, is sufficient grounds to request a different interviewer. You don’t really need a reason. The intent is for you to be comfortable and at your best so that they can get a useful exchange. Call or email and request a different interviewer.</p>
<p>Yep. Not having an interview is better than interviewing with that person. Contact H to request a new person ASAP</p>
<p>There is absolutely no reason for her to be your interviewer. In my opinion she should have recused herself immediately and given your file/assignment to another interviewer.</p>
<p>yeah, no kidding. I’ve recused myself from the siblings of kids my kids knew/was friends with.</p>
<p>hawaiinsun, I agree with the other commenters–call Harvard’s admissions office. They’ll assign a new interviewer, or set up a Skype interview for you.</p>
<p>It is highly inappropriate for any interviewer to interview her son’s ex-girlfriend. She should have informed the office of her relationship to you. It is not your fault you’re in this position. It’s her fault. Even if she thinks she could be impartial, she is too close to you.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice everyone. I have no idea why she didn’t tell admissions that she knew me. I’m quite sure that there aren’t any other Harvard interviewers in our area. Do you think that it’s likely that they’ll give me a Skype interview? And when contacting them, should I just say that I have a relationship to the interviewer and leave it at that, or completely explain the entire situation? I don’t what them to have a bad opinion of me.
This has been very helpful and I appreciate everyone’s advice! Thanks so much.</p>
<p>Even if she could be impartial, situations like this call for removing even the appearance of impropriety, to use the standard phrase. </p>
<p>
My daughter drove 2 hours to and from her interview. It was worth it.</p>
<p>Skype is OK – my non Harvard Ivy alma mater is using them fully. Tell H you dated the interviewer’s son. That’s all they need to know to switch her from you.</p>
<p>Yes do say it is the mother of an old boyfriend, That puts it in perspective. Everyone will know that is a minefield. You don’t have to say anything about her possibly disliking you. And they need to know that she didn’t initiate excusing herself imo. That is inexcusable as she will obviously have feelings if it was a bad breakup. Shame on her for putting you in this position. They will give you another interview. Worst comes to worse and you don’t get an interview it won’t be held against you and it is better than this interviewer.</p>
<p>Absolutely–this interviewer should never have contacted you and should have recused herself. Also, alumni interviewers at some colleges aren’t even allowed to interview if they have a child who is applying to college that year. Even if the interviewer doesn’t know an applicant, it’s still a conflict of interest. Contact Harvard–they definitely won’t hold it against you!</p>
<p>I’d be so bold as to say its a slight plus…they’ll 100% remember the girl whose former boyfriend’s mother tried to interview her 
and if you handle it lightly & professionally, you’ll make an impression. </p>
<p>Thank you everyone for all of your help. I called Harvard and told them that I had dated my interviewer’s son. The man I spoke to was very kind and understanding, and directed me to my state’s Harvard Club, It turns out that the next nearest interviewer is 7 hours away, so they said that they’ll work on getting me a Skype interview. The man I spoke to at the Harvard Club apologized profusely (though it wasn’t his fault!) and said he’d remind my interviewer about proper protocol haha. And @SouthernHope: Let’s hope so! I take any kind of bonus I can get :)</p>
<p>Good luck to you hawaiisun.</p>