<p>I'm from one of those countries (Malaysia) listed in the Harvard website as having "not enough available volunteers/resources for an interview" and in which "applications will be processed and reviewed before interviews". </p>
<p>I didn't get an interview and I live in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city. A friend living in Sarawak (East Malaysia) got an interview last Monday. For my high school years I was homeschooled in a center (kind of like a mini private school) and I was expecting to get contacted for an interview because surely such a renown, prestigious school would require clarification about my homeschool academic life? I've been interviewed by Princeton, U Penn, Wesleyan and Tufts so far and one of the main questions they asked me was regarding my homeschool years. Is it common for interviewers to contact applicants not living in the same area the interview is held in? Because I would've made the trip to Sarawak if I needed to. </p>
<p>I'm worried now that I did not get an interview because they reviewed my application and didn't like what they saw. My friend from Sarawak got an interview which is strange because the Harvard website says rural places are less likely to have available interviewers, and I live in the capital city. I know the website says a lack of an interview will not "adversely affect your candidacy", but I still want to know if it will "subtly" affect my candidacy. </p>
<p>Anyone with knowledge/experience in this matter or who are going through the same thing please shed some light? I would appreciate it immensely, thank you! </p>
<p>PS: I just contacted Harvard admissions to ask if the period for interviewing has passed because the website did say to contact them if intl's had Qs about interviews.</p>
<p>Honestly though, it’s probably not a big deal. I assume that it’s too late to get an interview, but I guess it couldn’t hurt you to email them. As long as you really conveyed your schooling years via your app, don’t stress about not getting an interview. Plenty of people, in and out of the states, get in without interviewing, simply because it just ain’t offered in their area. </p>
<p>I am also in the same situation too. I also live in the capital city but until now, I haven’t received any invitation. I also contacted them but they haven’t mailed me back :(</p>
<p>I don’t know how interviews in other nations work, but I think its a little different in Malaysia. I know a couple of friends who applied to Harvard from Malaysia (this year and before), and they went through a full formal interview.
[No</a> Malaysian in Harvard for second consecutive year - Nation | The Star Online](<a href=“http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/7/nation/11049641&sec=nation]No”>http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/7/nation/11049641&sec=nation)
In this article, it is sort of clear that Harvard shortlists candidates from Malaysia…But then again I applied to Harvard EA and I didn’t get an interview and I still got deferred…I am not Malaysian, so maybe this interview with the selection panel is only for Malaysians?</p>
<p>applepie95, wow that’s the first I ever heard of such a thing. On the Harvard website it states explicitly that Malaysia is one of those countries where “limited interviewers are available” yet according to the article, there is a full panel… Furthermore, it goes on to say “the lack of an interview will not ADVERSELY affect your candidacy”. Maybe the trick word here is “adversely”. Hmm curioser and curioser… From the previous responses, I started thinking everything was okay and that it really isn’t a big deal, but now according to the article from the Star, if I didn’t get selected for an interview I’m pretty much a gone-case? Thanks for the information anyway :)</p>
<p>I would just say that don’t get your hopes high… it is now extremely unlikely that you get accepted, since Harvard offers interviews to only “strong” applicants from those areas… so maybe you where not strong enough? who knows</p>
<p>Though Harvard is not fully explicit, I think it’s an open secret that only shortlisted applicants (from countries like M’sia) will be interviewed. Without an interview you are pretty much a “gone-case”.
The caveat here is that there have been cases of Harvard offering interviews even as late in the game as mid-March.
The conclusion: don’t bother worrying.</p>