<p>@kryan: 1) Interviewers are asked to give an overall impression in a write up – a narrative. There is no checklist we fill out. We are asked to give a numerical rating based on how we view the applicant in the context of the overall competitive pool. 1 (completely unrealistic) to 9 (“one in a hundred” type of applicant)</p>
<p>2) thank you notes: maybe one or two per dozen students. They are nice but ultimately meaningless.</p>
<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>I just received a request from a local alumni to schedule an off-campus interview. However, in October, I already had an on-campus interview, which went really really well. What do I make of this second request? And how should I prepare?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>[Interviews</a> for Freshman Applicants | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/interviews]Interviews”>Interviews for First-Year Applicants | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>If I’m not mistaken, on-campus interviews are conducted by Yale seniors, who are not required to write up a report and send it back to Admissions. I’m happy for you that it went well – but it’s basically a way for you to get to know the school, and has little bearing on whether you are admitted. </p>
<p>Your alumni interviewer is required to write up a report, which gets sent to Admissions. So, that interview takes on a little bit more weight (although there is much discussion about how much an interview actually counts towards being admitted).</p>
<p>My understanding is that reports are filed for on-campus interviews. There may be a different form than what alumni interviewers fill out, but I believe there is feedback. Alumni interviews after on-campus interviews are nice, but duplicative.</p>
<p>@Kryon - sorry for the delayed response. I have been interviewing off and on for 20 years or more. I have only seen 1, maybe 2 “9’s” during this whole time. Remember, most applicants to Yale are above average or exceptional. We have to look at them in the overall pool. If I gave a lot of unsubstantiated 8’s or 9’s, I am sure the adcoms would not take them very seriously.</p>
<p>Every once in a while I will get a thank you e-mail from an applicant. Since I have already written and sent off their report by then, it doesn’t really matter but it is nice to get.</p>
<p>@Tperry1982 and anyone else who may know: </p>
<p>Has anyone had any experience with continuing contact between interviewer/applicant after the interview occurs? I had a FANTASTIC interview and today (the day afterwards) I received an email thanking me and asking for writing samples (I had mentioned my passion for writing). Does anyone know if Yale interviewers usually maintain this much contact in order to be thorough, or should I take this as a good sign? I’m trying not to get too excited…</p>
<p>It’s a sign you made a connection w/the interviewer and that’s good. Whatever happens, keep him/her informed. Touch base with them next summer and when you get back for XMas break next year.</p>
<p>But, this has no predictive value on your eventual decision from Yale college, however. I “connect” with most of my interviewees. They still get rejected at a 95% clip…</p>
<p>My son’s interviewer told him lets get you into Yale… what does that mean. The interview was more than an hour long and was like a very engaging conversation. It was a superb experience for my son.</p>
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<p>Really nothing – likely, an unwise utterance by the alum, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Interview write ups have minimal to zero influence on the process. I’m glad your son enjoyed his time but resist reading into more. Still hope for the best but I’d say 99% of the +250 interviewees I met probably left our session feeling great. But they’re still admitted at a single digit admit rate.</p>
<p>If an interviewer is currently a college tenured professor, do you think his report would carry bigger weight?</p>
<p>Thanks, thats exactly what I told him. Harvard interviewer was also very positive - basically told my son after you get in, contact me and I will tell you all about the Harvard arts scene - where to get the best tickets etc…</p>
<p>I conduct interviews at the professional school level and never make such statements.</p>
<p>@emc: no
@meemomee: i agree with you. I never make those statements b/c there’s likely no linkage in my opinion to the eventual decision. Saying remarks unwisely injects positivity when none is warranted.</p>
<p>What is the point for interview if It has no influence ? Do you believe in som case that admission office may ask specific alumni to interview a specific student?</p>
<p>Mostly the alum write up confirms other aspects of the file. In a few cases, the objective view can tip someone whose file needs more info. </p>
<p>For those admitted, it’s good for Yale to have had a positive interaction w/the student in order to persuade the student to matriculate. </p>
<p>The Admissions office does not designate ANY specific alums for any student. It’s all assigned locally.</p>
<p>I believe a bad interview can sink your application. Bizarre behavior, unmitigated arrogance, and like are all things Yale wants to know about and avoid.</p>
<p>Yes, let me amend my post (834) to include what AA says. If you’re a jerk, I’ll certainly note it.</p>
<p>Hey everyone.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the posts and information!</p>
<p>My Yale interview is coming up, and my interviewer’s been communicating with me through text. She seems very friendly. I’m so nervous though! I’m a really shy person by nature; I’ve got interests and passions in music, art, subjects, ECs etc., but I’m worried this won’t translate because I’ll be so awkward!</p>
<p>I’m kind of wishing I’d said no now, but it’s too late…oh well. In any case, gonna have to go to these things for the rest of my life so I’ve got to get better at it sometime right?</p>
<p>Has anyone who’s shy/quiet/introverted/awkward got any tips or experiences? And interviewers, do you sort of “write off” the person if you don’t connect with them as a fun, bubbly, likeable person?</p>
<p>Thank you for anything you might add!
x</p>
<p>@saraha1996, my son is not shy, but he can be awkward in the way teenagers can be awkward when they don’t know someone. He was very nervous before each of his interviews, but came to realize that the interviewers he had were very good at making him feel comfortable and allowing him to naturally and with very little effort present himself in a positive light. He’s done now, but I don’t think he would be nervous if he had other interviews scheduled (he’s Yale-bound!).</p>
<p>Remember that the interviewers are not doing this to put a bump in the road for an applicant. I know some interviewers personally (not ones my son interviewed with), and they are all doing it because they love their schools and want to improve the likelihood of a good fit.</p>
<p>Not everyone appears to be “fun, bubbly, likeable” when you first meet them. My wife didn’t, and I have been in love with her for 20 years.</p>
<p>Like with anything in life, practice makes perfect. Our kid was probably similar to saraha1996 so an acquaintance of ours, who interviews for a school our kid was not applying to, did a mock interview. She gave him some feedback and put him at ease. He was accepted at Yale. Find someone you don’t know well to do a practice interview with you - teacher, counselor, friend of your parent’s, etc. It can definitely help calm your nerves which allows the real you to be revealed.</p>
<p>Are there any international applicants here? Did any of you have your interviews yet?
I am from India and, till date, I wasn’t contacted by Yale regarding an interview. Being an international student, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the campus and interact with the students there. Hence, I was really looking forward to an alumni interview to lean more about the college. Could I send Yale an email with the same request or would that sound too desperate?
Also, does Yale offer telephone and Skype interviews? Especially in the case of international students?</p>