<p>So I had an interview last week, and the interviewer was relentless in his questioning. Not only that, some of his questions seemed unnecessary, such as his question, "What do you think of the wealthiest of the wealthy?" I definitely did not feel comfortable at all. It was more like an interrogation than an interview. He pretty much forced me into saying that I wish I could have gone abroad, or done other amazing, expensive experiences, if not for my extreme financial hardship. Yet he said he was impressed by my interview. I think he was lying. Should I do something about this or just let it go?</p>
<p>I definitely would think about talking to them. Schools like Harvard need to maintain their reputations and they would take your complaint very seriously, especially if you are a strong candidate. There is no harm in talking to them and explaining your reservation. But make sure you do YOUR homework and have substantial evidence etc.
Luck!</p>
<p>What do you have to complain about? “He didn’t actually insult me, but he didn’t make me feel comfortable. And his questions weren’t inappropriate, but they were weird.” Seriously? I really don’t think anyone’s gonna care, but if it will make you feel better, sure. Complain all you want.</p>
<p>No, I don’t think that you should. Completely agree with Ghostt.</p>
<p>As an interviewer myself for an HYP college and someone who has run interviews for my city, I think it’s fine to write the admissions office a short note about your experience.</p>
<p>Anyone can volunteer to do these interviews. The good news is they don’t count for much. The adcom can recognize an interviewer who is inappropriate by their write up.</p>
<p>Over the years I’ve encountered some real nut jobs. I’ve had senile alum, those who have no clue what’s happened at the college since they left 40 years ago and just plain crazy ones. </p>
<p>So write if it makes you feel better so the regional head can have a word with him or maybe not assign him next year.</p>
<p>My D had a similar experience with an Ivy interviewer: Relentlessly questioning her about current events, only about half of which she knew much about, and chastising her with “You know, you are going to have to have an opinion about these things if you get into Yale.” As soon as she left, she called me on her cell phone sobbing. She did get in.</p>
<p>Mostly in interviews it’s not the answer but how you perform under some stress. I find the questions fine. There is no right answer–just a good answer showing some thought and logic under stress. Complain and you look like a fool who would have no business at a high pressure school. Wait until you get to job interviews for highend jobs.</p>
<p>Just try your best to learn from the experience.</p>
<p>I agree with the others who say to let it go. It may have been a tough interview, but what, really, do you have to compare it with? If you write a letter of complaint, it has to be thoroughly convincing, or there may be a negative backlash that reflects poorly on you.</p>
<p>There are bad interviewers and inappropriate questions - years ago, during job interviews, women routinely were asked about their plans for marriage and children, for example - but this doesn’t sound like it. You weren’t insulted, discriminated against, or sexually harassed. If you are sensitive to questions about your finances, and the disparity of wealth at these schools, I would suggest that you reconsider whether an elite school is the place for you. If you do get to enroll at one, that disparity will become a thousand times more apparent.</p>
<p>If you must complain, wait until after the decisions come out.</p>
<p>
I agree.</p>
<p>OP, don’t worry about it. I don’t think it will make you feel better to complain, so just let it roll off your back.</p>
<p>Recently I sat on a panel evaluating small business plans created by 11th and 12th graders for a high school business mentoring program. As happens too often, in a panel of four there was one guy who was unnecessarily and unproductively critical of several of the teams/plans during their presentations. The other three of us rolled our eyes furtively and cringed. HELLO! An evalutator first must understand their role, and in your case, your interviewer didn’t get the memo :)</p>
<p>Harvard as a reputation for horrible interviewers. I can’t name one friend of mine who enjoyed theirs.</p>
<p>
If you wait until decisions come out then you’ll be helping future students but doing nothing for yourself. Most alumni interviews don’t carry much weight, but if the interviewer reports something quite negative it may count as a red flag. The problem with waiting until after decisions are out is that if this happens to you, then you’re report will be seen as “sour grapes” and discounted.</p>
<p>If you are going to complain (now or later) then you want to keep it objective. You say “he made me feel uncomfortable”, he’ll say if asked “candidate was very nervous and seemed to take offense quickly at the most innocent comments”. It’s a draw. Instead write down now (while they are fresh in your mind) specific things the interviewer asked or said and then say in your letter you’d like to share these pretty-much-verbatim quotes with Harvard. Let them draw their own conclusions about how it made you feel.</p>