<p>it is very clear at the brandeis' website that interviews are available.</p>
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Essays and transcripts don't always tell us the whole story. An interview gives you an opportunity to tell us about yourself face-to-face, unconstrained by the formality of the written page and the remoteness of school records.</p>
<p>Conducted on campus by current seniors and staff or off campus by staff and alumni, interview evaluations will become a part of your application and will be used in the decision making process.
<p>you asked previously how you could have demonstrated greater interest? reading the school's admission website probably would have been a good start. please don't take this as criticism -- sadly i think too many students learn about the "process" only after they have gone thru it. hopefully future applicants reading this and other threads will learn how to be more proactive.</p>
I never requested one, but I had no idea that it was necessary. I didn't even know that they had interviews. I applied using the Common Application and there was nothing on the supplement to suggest that Brandeis even had interviews... if I knew there were interviews, I would have requested one. I suppose that it is partially my fault, but they really should be more informative - the college admissions process shouldn't have to be a scavenger hunt. They sent me a bunch of brochures, but not even in one of them was there ever mentioned an interview. (or the option of requesting one)
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<p>Well, if I was even <em>slightly</em> interested in attending a particular university, I would have probably taken 5 minutes to browse the website.</p>
<p>Or perhaps I would have spent 5 minutes thinking to myself: "Gee, I'd like to go to this school... what are some things I can do to increase my chances... let's see... HOW ABOUT AN INTERVIEW!"</p>
<p>It seems you literally did the bare minimum required to get your application read, but nothing else. I don't think you need to show endless levels of enthusiasm, but you showed absolutely none.</p>
<p>I went their presentation at my school. (I was one of only six or seven people there - people at my school usually don't consider mediocre colleges like Brandeis. I think I might be the only one who applied there.) I talked to the Dean of Admissions, told him how much I wanted to go to Brandeis, asked questions, etc. (and he didn't mention any interview) I sent in a post card asking for more information about the college as well. I got a ton of brochures in the mail AND NONE OF THEM HAD ANY INFO ABOUT AN INTERVIEW. I assumed that they would send me any important information I needed to know - but, apparently not. I don't see why applying to colleges should have to be a ****ing scavenger hunt. I had enough trouble completing this application and ten others. I understand that colleges want people to show enthusiasm, but they need to understand the high school seniors are not only applying to their school.</p>
<p>But whatever - I've already been accepted at Macaulay Honors and Colgate - both programs are leagues ahead of Brandeis. I don't think I would have been happy going to such an average university anyway.</p>
<p>ok - you're upset - if calling brandeis mediocre makes you feel better, go right ahead. </p>
<p>** the rest of this post if for any future applicants reading this thread -- **</p>
<p>for brandeis or any other school you are interested in -- make sure you read their admissions web sites thoroughly. interviews are a good way to make your application more than a stack of papers -- ALWAYS check how to go about requesting one for any school you are considering -- many schools offer local interviews -- either by admissions officers who travel or by local alumni, so an interview doesn't necessarily mean a trip to the school (though that is certainly a good idea to help you really learn about a school). </p>
<p>and look into the interview process EARLY -- many schools get many more requests for interviews than they can accommodate and the sooner you request one the sooner you can get one. some schools won't schedule an interview until they've received your application. some will interview visiting students during junior year. some have specific dates when they open up requests for interviews. i know this year brandeis had an on-line scheduler for on-campus interviews -- dates opened over time, so you might have had to check back frequently to get an open slot. DO YOUR HOMEWORK and find out how the schools you are interested in handle interviews. </p>
<p>i also would urge prospective applicants, not just at brandeis, but anywhere -- do not underestimate a school's ability to sense who is and who isn't really interested in their school. which doesn't mean that those who are really interested don't also get rejected from selective schools -- but it definitely can be a factor at some schools -- and brandeis is one school known for wanting students who want to be there.</p>
<p>yes, the application process can be time consuming -- and for those applying to selective schools, you are usually also taking rigorous course loads at the same time. but it is YOUR responsibility to do what needs to be done. schools have more than enough applicants to choose from -- you are the one who wants to convince them to accept you. only you can decide if the time investment is worth it -- do you really want to be in a position next April to be wondering if you really did all you could have done?</p>
<p>As far as I can tell from published statistics, the following schools have very similar SAT profiles: Brandeis, Colgate, Barnard, Wesleyan, Wellesley, Macalester, Oberlin. Some are a bit higher or a bit lower on either end of the 50% range. I do not feel that my D will be sacrificing a fine education in any way by choosing Brandeis over two of the above, or over Duke and Northwestern where she has been accepted.</p>
<p>FF - I do regret that you felt attacked here. Seems like Brandeis alums are fiercely defensive of their school. I agree that not every college-bound kid (including my own) lives on a pc and surfs college websites. Some slack is due to those going through the process for the first time.</p>
<p>Kwibbles, my post was a reference to strong feelings about the school on both sides of the equation: those who'd like to get in -- and those who've already been there, done that.</p>
<p>But the thread's gotten off-topic. Wonder what Brandeis admissions stats were like this year?</p>
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Some slack is due to those going through the process for the first time.
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<p>i have tried not to attack fatfree in my posts but rather to focus on information that will be helpful for those who have yet to go thru this process. i think what fatfree is demonstrating is the sad side of what happens when students don't know enough about the process -- and its clearly resulting in a lot of frustration on his part now. (and his anger is in turn fueling some of the responses he is getting.)</p>
<p>last year the son of a very good friend was in a similar position to fatfree -- waitlisted at brandeis and the family just couldn't understand it given his stats. he never visited the school. he never requested an interview. he told friends and family he really wasn't interested in brandeis, until he spoke to a friend there who got him excited about the school -- he assumed his credentials (which included involvement in the Jewish community) would guarantee him a spot at brandeis. the family ranted about how unfair and unpredictable brandeis' admissions were. personally, i honestly felt that his lack of effort helped doom his application -- but i never told them that, because it simply wouldn't have helped them deal with the situation -- their anger at brandeis helped them prepare for their son's attendance at another school. BUT i will tell any prospective applicant who will listen -- DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE -- at Brandeis or at any other school!!!</p>
<p>the truth of the matter is that the schools aren't going to cut some slack to those who don't put in the time. everyone knows someone who dashed off their essay, didn't seem to care, and got into a great school, while someone else who slaved over their application was denied -- but that doesn't prove that effort isn't important. </p>
<p>the truth is that no applicant to a selective school these days can take anything for granted -- when its all over they can tell themselves that they just didn't have the time -- and if they truly feel that way, then they have no reason for regrets. but how sad if a little more effort might have made the difference? there is no way to know in hindsight -- so all i suggest is that future applicants make sure that a year from now, they don't leave themselves in the position of not having spent the time surfing a schools website and preparing their application in as full a manner as possible.</p>
<p>Fatfree, it sounds like you could have you used some guidance in your college search. Unfortunately, not all kids are lucky enough to have adults in their life who know the ins and outs of the college search. It would seem that you would have picked up about interviewing in your search process, but stranger things have happened. Kids are so busy senior year, without my help and assistance it is possible my son would not have known - where we come from most kids do not interview at colleges. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>I don't really feel like reposting my stats, so I'll just direct you guys to the stats I posted on the Dartmouth forum. Brandeis offered me the Justice Brandeis scholarship, so I'm definitely considering attending Brandeis. I'm visiting soon. :) </p>
<p>By the way, I'm a quarter Jewish ethnically, which isn't really represented in my stats on the Dartmouth post. Though I doubt Brandeis would know just looking at my application...</p>