My interviewer just mailed me a book as a gift. Good or bad thing?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>On Monday the 12th, I was interviewed by a local alumnus at a nearby Starbucks. We had a great discussion, and talked for about an hour and twenty minutes. About halfway through our interview, after I had told him some of the books I had been reading (I had summarized probably three or four of my favorite recent reads), he recommended that I read "Wealth of Nations," given my passions for Business and Economics. </p>

<p>Tonight, my Mom checked the mail and brought me a package from Amazon. To my great surprise was all 1155 pages of the "Wealth of Nations," and listed on the invoice is the name of my interviewer, under the space for the buyer. </p>

<p>Should I consider this a good or bad thing?</p>

2

<p>it CANNOT be a bad thing. he bought you a book. that's pretty sweet.</p>

3

<p>Okay. You had an amazing interview. Congratulations. I am not opposed to you posting the amazing details of your amazing interview.</p>

<p>I am opposed, however, to you posting the interview in such a fishing-for-compliments way.</p>

<p>You know-I know you know- that an interviewer taking their own personal time and money to send you a book after an enlightening hour and twenty minute long conversation could only be a good thing. </p>

<p>So, I'll give you what you're REALLY looking for:</p>

<p>OMG!!! Congrats!! You're so lucky!! My interview only lasted twelve and a half minutes and he didn't send ME a book! You're in Yale for sure! Expect your letter of admission any day now!</p>

<p>Dude. Come on.</p>

4

<p>How nice of him to do so... I would thank him over a phone call or e-mail. </p>

<p>Though there is little an interviewer can do to affect Yale's review of your application, obviously you have made a good impression and his recommendation will no doubt be positive... though Wealth of Nations is a little hard to get into... :)</p>

5

<p>Pink001,</p>

<p>although you are making a point, I do not think you are the right person to be posting it. Obviously this kid wants to get positive about his chances, so why not let him? You already got into Yale, so it might be easy for you to be so cynical. A little humility and empathy would go a long way.</p>

6

<p>pink001~</p>

<p>If I came across that way, I'm sorry. I was just looking to see what the CC Community thought about whether it was good (he liked me) or bad (he felt sorry for me for some reason)</p>

<p>I am not opposed to what you said. However, I am opposed to how you said it. You don't have to respond in such an overbearing way...but whatever. I've learned my lesson that I've got to pay more attention to what I say and ask for.</p>

<p>I'll probably also request to a moderator that this thread gets deleted, given your response.</p>

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<p>Dang. I'm jealous.</p>

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<p>No, ttan, don't do that. </p>

<p>Sorry, you guys are right... I should have checked the tone of my comment.</p>

<p>I really wasn't trying to be condescending or anything... I'm genuinely impressed, and you should be extremely proud of yourself that you made such a great impression on your interviewer. Even though a lot of people say that interviews do not count for much, I personally disagree. I also had a really wonderful interview (although she didn't send me a book, lol) and she flat out told me that she would write a great report for me. Even though TECHNICALLY scores and essays and grades all matter more than the interview, most people who have a chance of getting into a school like Yale already have perfect scores and grades and great essays. It's really about distinguishing yourself from the crowd, so a phenomenal interview (like the one you described) could be just enough to push you over the top.</p>

<p>Really, congratulations. Maybe we'll be classmates next year :)</p>

<p>I'm sorry again... there's just so many posters on CC who start ridiculous threads like "I got 2400 on SAT I, but on SAT II I got 800 800 790... AM I DOOMED?????!?!?!?" I guess I just assumed you were one of those people who just need a thousand people telling them "don't worry, you're amazing." I'm sorry I didn't realize you had genuine concerns.</p>

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<p>wow.... this sounds soooooo cool.</p>

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<p>hey at least if you don't get in you got a book out of the deal right? :)</p>

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<p>That would be a good thing, if the book wasn't The Wealth of Nations.</p>

<p>BOOOOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIIIIIIIING.</p>

<p>j/k :p</p>

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<p>I've already submitted the request for the thread to be deleted...</p>

<p>But thanks anyway guys! </p>

<p>And pink001, I'm glad you understand. I'm not sure about the whole classmates thing though... (which is why I was wondering if this was a bad thing, meaning he felt sorry I probably wouldn't be accepted or some strange reason) </p>

<p>But I agree with you that I did come across as one of those people simply looking for encouragement. Like you, I am annoyed by those people as well, and didn't realize how much I seemed like one. And I don't argue that seeking encouragement wasn't part of why I began this thread. What can I say? All my feelings as a stressed college applicant awaiting decisions have to channel themselves out somehow...</p>

<p>If CC goes through with my request, then all of this may be deleted by tomorrow.</p>

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<p>Don't delete it!! Really, you do deserve encouragement. It's easy to get great SAT scores (okay, it's not actually easy, but since most CC posters seem to be on the upper end of SAT scores, I'll just say it is) and then whine about them in your posts. A great interview, on the other hand, requires a LOT more... you have to be personable, friendly, polite, capable of intellectual conversation (which is hard no matter how many 2400s you get), and on top of that, impress with your scores and ECs. To be honest, I've never ever posted a rude response to any of those people we're talking about, so I think it was all a little built up and I kinda unleashed it on you. Lol, I hope you forgive me. </p>

<p>Can't you, like, request that they ignore your request?</p>

<p>Anyway, @ ChrisWiz:</p>

<p>"although you are making a point, I do not think you are the right person to be posting it. Obviously this kid wants to get positive about his chances, so why not let him? You already got into Yale, so it might be easy for you to be so cynical. A little humility and empathy would go a long way."</p>

<p>Number one, I don't think anyone should have to censor their opinion just because they got into a certain school. </p>

<p>Number two, I JUST got into Yale like, last month. Do you really think that in this short period of time I've completely forgotten what it's like to be an over-anxious, stressed-beyond-belief senior obsessing over applications? I can assure you that it will take years of intensive therapy to eradicate all of those horrible memories. </p>

<p>Please do not assume that because I got accepted, I suddenly feel superior to everyone else or am unsympathetic to their concerns. In fact, if I didn't have "Yale 2013" as my location, you would have never been able to ascertain from that post whether or not I had been accepted, or was even applying. None of this has anything to do with my acceptance. I would have posted this exact same thing two months ago. </p>

<p>Number three, I don't see how you can say I'm being "cynical." There was nothing cynical about my post. Sarcastic, maybe. But not cynical. </p>

<p>Finally, you're right about the humility and empathy part. My apologies.</p>

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<p>Pink001</p>

<p>I would never expect you to censure your opinions, just use tact in the future. Of course being an accepted student makes a difference. Consider tone and perspective. If I had said what you said, it would have just been perceived as criticism. Besides, there was no need to post a response of that nature to such an obvious question. Of course it is obvious that getting a book is a good sign. This thread was dead before it started, there was no need to coment. </p>

<p>And you shouldn't get mad at this post's topic when you on another post asked if receiving a B- in a class would get your offer rescinded (btw, a B- isn't going to change Yale's mind.) Put things into perspective.</p>

<p>Oh well, everyone has a bad post. I know the anxiety of college has made me a little irritated. Im sry I even commented. There are better things to do than argue over trivial things.</p>

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<p>Well i'm not trying to burst anyone's bubble but it can just mean that the interviewer is an extremely nice person who loves Wealth of Nations and wants to spread that love. Some people can be very passionate about things they like. I can see myself doing the exact same thing should i become an alumni interviewer in the future.
Sure, you had a good interview and he/she likes you. But remember that interview is not the be all and end all of college admission.
My interviewer loves this particular book on the Cuban Missile Crisis and he spent ten minutes "selling" it to me. After that he mailed me a 1st edition copy of the book. Yes i did get in, but i suspect the interview has very little to do with it.</p>

<p>To defend pink001, that's my exact reaction when i first read this thread. There are way too many people seeking compliments on CC some of us ought to get a little cynical/sarcastic after a while. But the OP seems like a decent person who's genuinely worried about a development in his application. I can understand why your interviewer likes you :)</p>

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<p>Yeah I mean...to the OP -- I think pink was a little harsh for sure, but at the same time, I think you should consider how unlikely it is for an interviewer to care enough to send you a book if he/she was not pleased with the talk. Remember, it is as much your duty to be sensitive to those anxious about the process as it is that of others not to chomp down, chew, and spit out a well-meaning individual. </p>

<p>I think a little bit of both less than ideal ends colored this thread, and it's a small lesson to be learned I think. I think both parties have understood. Good enough.</p>

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<p>@ tton: I definitely think that's a good thing, you obviously made a great impression on your interviewer and you are probably already a strong applicant overall.</p>

<p>@ everyone: My interviewer said "I have absolutely no reason not to recommend you to Yale College". Is this... a good thing to say or sort of a "ehh, you were okay but really nothing special" sort of gesture.
The guy is a really uptight businessman type who conducted an extremely formal interview, though.
Opinions? Not fishing for compliments here, just wondering whether that actually foreshadows a good rec or whether it's a standard, noncommittal way to end an interview?</p>

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<p>my cornell one told our group that we were the best hes seen in three years. i think yours, and ours are both good signs, but you really never know. and remember, the interview has very little affect on admissions.</p>

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<p>Oh wow, you should pat yourself on the back. I'm guessing you made a very good impression.</p>

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<p>Get reading the book and write a thank you note!</p>