<p>Hi. Well I had my interview for Harvard a while ago and it didn't go well at all. I went to the interviewer's house and I introduced myself and we went into his study. The first thing he asked was my SAT score. And unfortunately my verbal wasn't up to par. He basically spent the rest of the interview talking about how I most likely wouldn't get into Harvard based on my SAT score and even if I did I shouldn't go because I wouldn't be able to make the grade in my english and history classes because of my verbal score. He did ask me a little about what I wanted to do and when he found out I wanted to go into medicine he told me that even though my math score was high it wasn't good enough and that it would be better if I went to UVA instead because it would be easier for me to get into med school. If I wanted to go to an easy school I would have applied to a community college. I tried to tell him that I could handle it and that my SAT score doesn't truely show my aptitude in these subjects including verbal. I'm actually very strong in English despite my score and even stronger in math and science. But he kept cutting me off before I could tell him about myself and not my academics. I also told him that I had a little experience at Harvard from summer school but he burshed that off and said it was nothing like being a real student. Well to make a long story short I felt like I didn't get to accomplish what I was supposed to at the interview. I'm pretty sure that the college wants to know who I am as a person and not as a test score from my interview and I don't feel that I was able to do that at mine. </p>
<p>Okay so here is what I wanted to ask you. My parents keep pushing me to write to Harvard and ask for another interview with someone else and also complain about my interviewer. I'm not sure this is a good idea. The school might think I'm just another Harvard hopeful trying to get some attention and get a leg up above other students but thats not the case at all. I'm not sure what to do. I really want to go to Harvard and not just becuase its an ivy league school. I don't want to ruin my chances but I also don't want someone who doesn't know me ruining my chances either. Could you please give me some advice about what to do? Thanks so much.</p>
<p>I'm just another applicant, but--just so you know--the interviewer has to ask you for test scores. It's the only part of the interview that's always the same.</p>
<p>if you're gonna address a thread to a specific user, i advise you to maybe PM the user...I'm sure NorthstarMom would have eventually found this thread even if you didn't address her in your thread...</p>
<p>Based on what you have described, I think that you should tactfully e-mail Harvard and see if you can get another interview due to the fact that the inteviewer focused only on your scores, told you couldn't get to Harvard based on your score, and suggested that you go to U Va.</p>
<p>Harvard specifically asks interviewers not to comment on students' chances. While interviewers are supposed to get info about test scores, class rank, gpa, that is not supposed to be the focus of the interview. I think that Harvard only asks interviewers to get that info so that interviewers have the info necessary to rate applicants on the part of the rating that has to do with intellectual ability. </p>
<p>As long as you tactfully let Harvard know about what happened with your interview, doing so should help you, not hurt you. The adcoms are not going to be vindictive toward a student if it seems that the student was treated inappropriately by the interviewer.</p>
<p>Remember, however, that odds are that you won't get into Harvard (because most applicants don't get into Harvard). If you complain and don't get in, do NOT assume that your complaining was the cause. Know that at least you did what you could to stay in the game.</p>
<p>I'm glad that you posted your question because learning about your situation may be of assistance to others wondering about the appropriateness of their own interviews.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, what I don't understand is why do Harvard interviewers need our SAT scores, etc. when we've already reported everything on our application??!!! It really perplexes me.</p>
<p>baggins, what was your verbal score? just wondering(can you pm it if you mind?)I'd like to know if my writing score is too...low from your interviewer's perspective.</p>
<p>Because the interviewer doesn't have the application. Even if you've reported something to Harvard, that doesn't mean we have it. We generally don't have any info besides where you go to high school.</p>
<p>OP,
In checking your back posts, I notice that you have a 600 v, 710 M, are tied in rank 1/97, were rejected from Stanford, and are applyng to Harvard, Yale, Penn with Virginia as your "safety."</p>
<p>I am concerned that at least 3 of your 4 applications that are out are distant longshots. </p>
<p>I do not know how Virginia selects people who are in-state, so if you are in-state, I don't know your odds there. If you are applying OOS, you definitely can not consider Virginia a safety.</p>
<p>I hope that your guidance counselor is giving you good advice and that if you have not yet heard from Virginia, you are checking the U Virginia info here on CC to make sure that you have an excellent chance of admission. If not, make sure that you apply to a definite safety.</p>
<p>I'm in-state for Virginia, and with a 1310, you definitely CANNOT consider UVA a safety. UVA is the best public university in our state and all of the best Virginian students (and out-of-staters) apply. I'm sorry your interviewer focused only on your SAT score. I had two interviews with Yale (which is of similar academic caliber to Harvard), and my interviewers did not focus on my grades, SAT scores, etc. AT ALL. I basically had informal intellectual discussions, which was nice. If I were you, I would try to get another interview...you might get someone that completely clicks with you! Good luck :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice northstarmom. I know my SAT scores are low but I'm just trying Harvard because I've spent time there and I really like the school and not just because its an ivy. Plus like I said my SAT scores don't exactly represent how well I am in these subjects.</p>
<p>I also know that the rest of my schools are long shots except UVA (which I'm almost guarenteed a spot) but I know that I can do well in them if I get in. The reason I say I'm guarenteed a spot at UVA is because they have a quota to meet from the area I live in (they don't like to publicize it though). Kids at my school have been admitted there with lower stats than me and my sis who's application was almost the same as mine with fewer ECs and lower SAT 2 scores got into the Echol's Scholar's program. I'm not too worried about UVA. </p>
<p>But I didn't come here to talk about chances. I just wanted to ask about the interview. I thought that interviewers weren't supposed to ask about test scores and academics. My Penn interviewer didn't even touch on those things. And by the end after we had talked he was very positive and wished me luck with admissions he even suggested places I should visit at Penn. Also I've talked to my Yale interviewer and he pretty much told me that he wasn't going to ask about academics. It would just be a casual interview to get to know me. I think I will try for another interview. Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>What are you trying to accomplish with a second interview? If something truly outlandish happened at your first interview, write admissions. Otherwise, I think you are wasting your time with this interview thing.</p>
<p>I think you had a terrible interviewer....
I don't have a too well SAT score (1440), but she still complimented me. We talked like 5 minutes about the score and had a conversation of 2 and an half hour about me and Harvard. I think an interview should be that way.</p>
<p>hanna, I still don't understand. Do the interviewers use the SAT scores/Class Rank to help them write the report??!! <em>Why</em> would they need the information if their mission was to get to know the applicants beyond the piece of paper and a string of numbers?</p>
<p>I spoke for a full hour with my interviewer. She was a very friendly European woman and we talked about Harvard, my school, my summers, her job, her experiences as a grad student there, her home country, her family, and my family. During my interview, we barely mentioned my SAT scores (1460 M+V). She then proceeded to invite me to a Harvard reception in her area. </p>
<p>Anyways, what I'm trying to say is: there are many good interviewers out there and maybe it wouldn't be out of the question to ask for another one.</p>
<p>I don't know all the theory behind how the interviews are set up. Here's my best guess.</p>
<p>One reason is that it's harder than you might think to lie point blank to the interviewer's face. People who've sent in false information may give conflicting info to the interviewer. It does happen.</p>
<p>Another is that it's part of getting a complete picture. You're a lot more than your scores, but they're a meaningful aspect of you as a potential Harvard student. The conversation about scores doesn't take up more than 60 seconds of the interview, and that's about how big a role they should play, in my book.</p>