troubling policy? some applicants interviewed by adcoms others by graduating seniors

Parent Cafe
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<p>Some colleges do not offer interviews or specify that their interviews are informational only (as opposed to evaluative). Other schools encourage candidates to interview and state that the interview is an important component in the decision-making process - - beyond being merely an expression of the applicant's interest in that institution (and thus, at least implicitly evaluative).</p>

<p>I am discovering that many of the schools w/ eval interviews do "gaurantee" (the schools' word) an interview w/ a member of the admissions staff - - even if one travels to the campus. Instead, most applicants are interviewed by seniors, with only a few (luck of the draw?) meeting w/ admissions staff.</p>

<p>(One adcom explained that (1) there are just too many applicants (a combination of the college road-shows to drum up applicants and the ease of applying via the common app), (2) most students interview in the summer when adcoms are on vacation and (3) during the fall, adcoms are on the road - - but they don't conduct interviews on the road.)</p>

<p>I know that d (probab like most kids) is more "formal" w/ adults and I wonder how this might affect the interview. Also a number of friends have reported concerns re: senior interviewers (interviewer impatient w/ shy girl; interviewer flirted w/ female app; interviewer seemed weded to a check list; purportedly lesser candidate who was interviewed by adcom was admitted; friend's d who was interviewed by senior was rejected).</p>

<p>Beyond these issues, I wonder whether an obvious age diff might make applicants more comfortable discussing more private matter which they might be reluctant to discuss w/ a senior who looks like a peer. Also, I know that as an alumnae interview, I do not have access to an applicant's confidential info (grades, test scores, etc) and I am directed not to discuss such matters w/ the candidate. Adcoms face no such limits. </p>

<p>(One candiate I interviewed stated that, unable to make it to campus, she had been reluctant to accept an alum interview since her service work and publications related to the lesbian commuinty. She was certain that the admissions staff would strictly abide by the college's non-discrim policy, but not sure about an alum and thus, uncertain whether to discuss her all of her works and writings, which were quite impressive. I can't imagine how upset and uncomfortable she would have been if she'd made the trip to campus only to be interviewed by a graduating senior.)</p>

<p>I'm clearly not a fan, but maybe there are facts I'm overlooking. Anyone had first-hand experience w/ the seniors? Is it worth pressing to interview w/ admissions staff (at schs that offer limited staff interviews)? Or are senior interviews no big deal?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>Maybe it reflects the relative importance of the interview in the process.</p>

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<p>FYI, I interviewed at Dartmouth, Middlebury, GTown, BU and Colgate - ALL alum interviews. Got waitlisted at Colgate and BU, didn't get into the others. Got into seven schools that I did NOT interview with. Told my mom that for my sibs, don't bother to get an interview. NONE of my friends interviewed at ANY school and they got into Princeton, Claremont, Pomona, Dartmouth, Bucknell, Middlebury and Williams. Go figure.</p>

4

<p>
[quote]
I am discovering that many of the schools w/ eval interviews do "gaurantee" (the schools' word) an interview w/ a member of the admissions staff - - even if one travels to the campus. Instead, most applicants are interviewed by seniors, with only a few (luck of the draw?) meeting w/ admissions staff.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I do not think that any school is going to "guarantee" an interview with a member of the admissions staff for the plain and simple fact that there are too many students and not enough admissions personnel to do the interviewing. </p>

<p>Even in this type of situation, many of the seniors who would be conducting the interviews are most likely interns in the admissions office (who have undergone training on conducting interviews) and it would not be unusual for them to be part of that same admissions committee that would ultimately decide you student's fate (keep in mind that it is not unusual for admissions committees to have really recent college grads serving on them and it is not an unusual practice). </p>

<p>The other side of the coin is that these same students that are senior interviewers today are going to be alumni interviewers tomorrow. </p>

<p>I would not stress to much over this it is not something that is out of the ordinary. I think it would reflect upon a student more negatively to come up for an interview and decide not to take it because a senior is the interviewer.</p>

5

<p>It is a very common inequity; to be fair, some alum interviews are great, and some sernior admissions assistants are good too, but I agree it leaves you wth a feeling that you didn't get a fair shake if you interview with someone other than a senior staffer. but so much about college admissions is of varying fairness, this is not major by comparison.</p>

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<p>NYC - My kids were both interviewed by alums, but had heard of others being interviewed by graduating seniors and mentioned that they would have preferred that... felt they would have more current information. Interviews donot tend to hold much sway as they all tend to be positive, IMHO. Instead, they are best viewed as a vehicle for exchanging information. I would agree w/ my D that talking w/ a graduating senior seems like a very good idea!</p>

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<p>My S's first interview was with a senior, and it was, for him, a great way to start. He felt much more comfortable with someone near his own age, and it probably helped that she was the same age as his sister--and at her school. His interview for his ED school was with an alum--the admissions staff doesn't normally do interviews there. He felt very comfortable this time, too (said that the first one had made him more relaxed for this one.) Really enjoyed the conversation with the alum, who seemed very taken with S. We know that the standard line is that interviews don't make that much difference, but this alum did a full court press to get S in (with several follow-up phone calls for more info) and we think it really helped.</p>

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<p>I was shocked to learn that the school my son is going to --a top-15 LAC-- lost his "evaluative" interview and apparently never factored it in. He was given an enormously generous scholarship to this wonderful school. We learned this only because we called to get the interviewer's email address (he was an alum) to thank him. The school told us the folder indicated my son had declined the interview and that no eval was ever sent in. I am betting it was a filing error, what else could it be? Who knows --perhaps the interview would not have played to his favor? The outcome was fantastic, but we always assumed that if you declined an interview to a school like this, you would not be accepted, let alone get a very generous scholarship. This acceptance was not a "safety" for my son. It is a highly selective school and could have gone either way; the school one spot above on US News waitlisted him. At that school he interviewed with a senior.</p>

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<p>As sybbie mentioned, many senior interviewers are senior interns in the admissions office. This would be a position much like any other college student having a chance to intern at a job in other areas.</p>

<p>Frequently they are paid positions that involved applying & interviewing before earning the intern position. You would be trained and mentored and treated just like any other member of the the adm. staff. Duties would include reviewing files, sitting in on the adm. committee (if the office makes decisions in that fashion), representing the school at college nights, open house events, & interviewing prospects or conducting group sessions.
That's how many admissions offices begin to develop people who might be interested in full-time positions if available upon graduation. Or at the very least, be willing to be alum interviewers!</p>

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<p>If the interviews are just informational, why pretend they're evaluative? Of if it really don't factor in, why bother w/ interviewing at all (as noted in OP, some schools have chosen this route).</p>

<p>Or offer everyone the same interview (all alum interviews or all senior interviews). Whether you favor adcoms, alums or seniors, unless everyone gets the same, someone's going to feel shortchanged.</p>

<p>Garland-
My gut says adults (adcoms or alums) are more likely to do the full court press ("go to the mat for her" was the phrase one adcom used in reference to d). </p>

<p>Sybbie -
D would never walk out based upon her assigned interviewer, but we might decide to forgoe the interview entirely (According to d, one senior interviewer became visibly uncomfortable when, after reporting, "we all get along really well," she asked, whether he meant being on the same varsity team together or requesting each other as roommates and visiting at each others homes. I like to think a more mature adult, even if uncomfortable, would have handled the quest w/ more aplomb.)</p>

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<p>If your child is a legacy most schools will give an adcom interview if you request. Take advantage, I've noted very good results.</p>

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<p>My son only had ONE interview with an adcom (it was supposed to be his practice). It was with the Associate Dean of Engineering at the school that he has decided to matriculate it. It must have been a great interview because she gave him very nice merit aid scholarships!</p>

<p>S also had a phone interview with an ivy alum who seemed very flustered & was interviewing after the deadline. He wasn't even waitlisted or admitted, tho in fairness it was a reach. He didn't interview with the 6 other schools he applied to--never requested an interview & none were offered.</p>