<p>I originally requested an interview online around the 8th of December, and I got the confirmation for my request on the 10th of December. However, I was never contacted again about the interview, and on the 3rd of January, I emailed "<a href="mailto:asc-questions@phoenix.uchicago.edu">asc-questions@phoenix.uchicago.edu</a>" about the issue, but I have recieved no response. I will try emailing them again (even though the January 21st date has past), but how can I make sure that I won't be penalized for not having an interview?</p>
<p>You won't be, simply because most students don't have interviews with the school, and they don't get penalized. </p>
<p>My quasi-theory is that alumni interviews exist more for the alumni than the interviewee-- the alumni feels proud in helping out his school, meets the generation that wants to attend and the students in it, and when the school comes calling and asks for money, the wallet opens more quickly. Instead of "School X? I haven't thought about them in ages, why should I give them money? It's School X? Oh, I interview for them!"</p>
<p>I think if you go into past results threads you will see that interviews are a nearly independent variable to admission.</p>
<p>I didn't get one either (I requested Nov. 3), emailed the same address, and didn't get a reply</p>
<p>If they're so lax about the whole thing I don't see that there's any plausible way they could penalize us</p>
<p>Yay! I just got an email about my interview today.
Maybe U of C admissions was reading this thread!</p>
<p>I requested an interview the day the option became available, got my confirmation email a week later and then never got an interview. </p>
<p>Don't worry; my lack of an interview had no bearing on my admission (I got in EA). So if you don't get one, don't fret.</p>