My daughter had her UPen interview last friday. It was the most informal interview and the lady was really nice. Interview is done just to understand the applicant better and also if you have any specific questions about the university. I do not think if you do not get a interview it is a bad sign.
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Mine was quite informal, too. Iām honestly surprised it went that way since the interview is āimportantā according to the CDS. I felt like my interviewer shared more about the uni that I did about myself LOL
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Yale has revealed that, as of the current admissions cycle, it now conducts a preliminary review to sort applicants into those who do and do not meet its baseline expectations (though it does claim all files are still read by the relevant rep). It did so because of the increase in applications, some of which is driven by students who mistakenly think that ātest optionalā means lowered overall standards for GPA, rigor, leadership, recommendations, etc.
I am not aware of Penn disclosing if it is engaging in a similar sorting, or indicating if it prioritizes any cohort of students for interviews. Although Penn rates the interview as āimportantā on the CDS, it also indicates that test scores are āvery important,ā yet it does admit students without one or the other (or both).
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This is the third admissions cycle they have done that
I was going by the podcast episode they dropped last week which made it sound like a new step as of this year.
āFor their thirtieth episode, Hannah and Mark revisit the application reading process detailed in episode 1. They share insights into the officeās new initial review process, which helps officers invest more time in the files that will get a full hearing in the admissions committee, and they detail the notes and ratings officers use when writing application workcards. Despite the significant increase in applications over the past three years, admissions officers still review files one at a time and make decisions via committee discussions.ā
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My child had a great interview. Very informative. Woman was very nice and connected. She did mention that she has mainly interviewed STEM kids this year whereas my child wants to major in English. She was an English major at UPenn so she gave great insite.
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I love that podcast and listened to every episode while awaiting ED decisions. I know Penn is not Yale, but listening to the podcast illuminated the holistic process. I wish Penn would create a similar series. This old episode is the only glimpse into their process that Iāve found.
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So, if you donāt get an interview you can kiss your chances goodbye? I know for a fact that a guy who Iām acquainted with from work and who interviews for Yale said heās not gotten any interviews recently. Heās available, too.
I think this is universal for all schools. They want to know - would I like being around this kid on campus and will they also like being there. My kid had an amazing interview with a Haavard alum last week and she basically said this to my daughter (that she thinks sheās a perfect fit and would do well there, etc.) They also bonded on a lot of things. NOW, IF ONLY, this woman had any sway in the situation. LOL. My kid does not check ANY of the āinstitutional prioritiesā so her chances are next to NONE. BUT, you gotta be in it to win it!
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I think it would be cool/nice if those initial read āpuntsā get their decisions early. Let them know right away. Rip the bandaid to ease it all.
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Thanks for sharing this. I was interested in how the former Penn admissions officer listed declining an interview as one of the top mistakes an applicant can make.
You see a lot of debate on different boards about interviews, and some students (and parents) will talk about declining the interview out of fear that itās some kind of interrogation or that the student is too shy to interview well. (Some people see only risk, where others see opportunity, I guess.) Here, the former AO mentions how affirming an interview can be and how it adds another adultās perspective to supplement the recommendations.
Obviously, admits happen without them, but itās interesting to see how not taking the opportunity if it is offered is seen as a red flag.
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Anyone got updated for mid year report in the portal list? I havenāt seen it.
My daughterās mid year report is not listed in the Penn checklist - but it is already in the portals for several other schools she applied to. Her school sent them out either yesterday or the day before.
There have been no interview calls yet! Do we read into it? Just worried as D23 is really keen on UPenn.
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One thing you (as a parent) should tell your student is not to worry about interview. We gave up on Cornell as we never heard anything from them since mid-november and moved on. DS didnāt even bother to log into their status page for past few weeks. Out of nowhere, he got interview emailā¦ So, its just some random event and doesnāt necessarily indicate anything of substance.
Thank you! Definitely helps calm negative thoughts.
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This. With so many applicants this cycle, the odds of getting an interview are long. If it happens, it happens. But no amount of handwringing is going to increase the odds. Students who donāt interview still get accepted.
Regardless of whether one interviews, Penn is a highly selective school that is a reach for everyone. I gently suggest people stop fixating on this part of the process and instead focus on finding things to love about the other colleges on your list.
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my daughter didnāt even prepare for her Haavard interview and she said it was awesome. she has her Penn one this afternoon. Hoping it helps but yeah, reaches for everyone.
D23 had her interview on Thursday. Lasted 90 minutes!
PENN is a big reach for her, so she is taking it as a learning experience, but she enjoyed it.
Good luck to all!
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Anyone had an interview from long island area?