Re #13, others may correct me if I’m mistaken, but IIRC it works like this:
-the local alumni chapter gets a lists of applicants from their area from the admissions office;
-they divvy it up to individual alumni ;
-who do their (mostly informational) interviews as their schedules permit. Without further coordination with the admissions office.
The alumni are interviewing, the admissions office is evaluating. Admissions doesn’t necessarily wait for the alumni if it would hold them up. Their input is not given much weight in any event, generally speaking. Admissions probably doesn’t even know a particular candidate has an interview scheduled for a particular date. Not every candidate does an interview.
Not saying that is good, just answering re: how that can happen.