<p>Is there any substantial difference between interviewing on campus, or off campus with an alumni? I live in Texas, but it's about a 6 hour drive to Houston for me. I've visited Rice already, so if I went, it'd just be for the interview. Is there any more of an 'advantage' in doing an interview on campus vs. off campus, or does it not really matter?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
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<p>It doesn’t matter, as anxiousmom says. Do whatever is most convenient.</p>
<p>I’m an alumnus interviewer, and we are given the same forms that on-campus interviewers are given. Depending on the jobs that we’re all doing, you may not even need to overdress for the occasion! I always tell the kids I interview to just come as they are and don’t worry about suits and the like :)</p>
<p>I have a slightly different perspective and opinion. IMO, if you can get an on-campus interview, especially with a member of the admissions staff (not a student volunteer) at any school, DO IT. I am an alum interviewer (for a different school) and I fill out the form and send it in. Dont know how much credence it is given by the admission staff, but surely it is not the same as a member of the admission staff saying they can personally recommend a student.</p>
<p>My ds#1 was interviewed by a member of the Rice admissions staff when we were on campus visiting Rice. There were, at that time, 2 people on the admissions staff for our region. Person #1 interviewed him, and it went very well. When person #2 came to our city and participated at a very large college admissions fair hosted by our kids school, she came asking for my ds by name, wanting to meet him and have a chance to chat with him. You can’t ask for anything better than that!</p>
<p>Similarly, if an admissions counselor comes to your school and you are interested in that school GO MEET HIM/HER. If they host a “meet and greet” info session in town, and it is a school you are very interested in, GO. And talk to the admission staff. Have good questions. Know something about the school. At both Tufts and Brown, when we went up for a campus visit, the admissions person, whom he’d met at our local event, stopped and greeted him. The Tufts person remembered his name, and did a “shout out” to him across the parlor as she walked in. Lots of heads turned!</p>
<p>Younger s had a similar experience. He got to meet the local rep (of the school he ultimately chose to attend) when she came to town, both at the school fair and at the College info session. When we went for a campus visit during one of the admitted students days (so a lot of people were there) she, too, greeted him by name. It is meaningful to them, and to the student.</p>
<p>Really, if you can get an on-campus interview DO IT. JMO, FWIW.</p>
<p>Older s didn’t end up applying to Tufts or Brown because he got into Rice ED. Don’t know if that recognition (which was positive) by the admissions staff would have made a difference. But it couldn’t hurt.</p>