<p>) did you conduct interviews while at the same time chairing the committee, or are the two jobs distinct?"</p>
<p>When I chaired the committee, I ended up doing most of the interviews even though I was not in good health (nothing contagious). My area has few Harvard alum, and most aren't willing to volunteer to interview. I think that most chairs end up also interviewing.</p>
<p>2) if 1 is yes, as the chair of the local committee, did your report carry more weight than a regular volunteer?</p>
<p>As a result of chairing the committee, I know the adcom, and the adcom knows that I keep up with the schools in our city. I also document my conclusions very well -- using quotes from the student, info about the schools, etc. I also have been interviewing for Harvard for years. If my reports got more weight (and I don't know that they did), it would be for those reasons, not because of my being chairman.</p>
<p>3) is it too kiss ass to offer the interviewer a drink or is that just considered common courtesy?</p>
<p>The interview was at my house or at a coffee shop. I was the one offering drinks. If for some reason the interview is at your house, it would be courteous, not kiss butt, to do so just as it would be to do for any guest.
4) when you did interview, did you compare the applicants and make decisions on how to recommend them relative to each other, or did you try to remain as objective as possible and consider candidates independtly?</p>
<p>I considered candidates independently. Some committees, however, in big cities meet after all of the applicants have been interviewed. Then the committees rank the applicants. Harvard allows committees freedomin choosing which system works for them.</p>
<p>5) do interviewers bare similar interests in applicants as the adcoms do?....as in, would they care as much if you're an athletic recruit or if you're parents donate money or about your scores/grades?</p>
<p>Whether applicants' parents are donors is of no interest to alum interviewers. Harvard asks alum interviewers to rate students on several categories including intellectual curiosity and, I think character. I don't feel like going to another room to look up the form, but Jay Mathews of The Washington Post has listed the characteristics in his column, which has been cited on CC. </p>
<p>The interview's main purpose is to learn things about the applicant that the adcoms can't learn from the application. Inteviews also help differentiate students who look good on paper because they have been well packed by high priced consultants and tutors and students who really are intellectually curious, interested in others, etc. </p>
<p>6)finally, how much weight does the interview report actually carry in admissions?...i mean, if the adcoms are already looking at our applications before the interviewers' reports are sent, how much influence could they have?</p>
<p>My impression is that the interview can be a deciding factor in whether a student is admitted or rejected. Harvard has the luxury of getting an abundance of highly qualified applicants with outstanding grades, class rank, scores, ECs. Harvard also has a high yield. </p>
<p>As a result, the interview is far more important for Harvard applicants than it is for the many schools whose main problem is convincing students to accept their admission offers.</p>
<p>I know my reports get read because I have had the regional adcom call and e-mail me questions. I also know that in some cases in which students are on the bubble, second interviews are recommended. The adcoms don't come out and say that students are on the bubble, but it's common sense that adcoms wouldn't be asking an overworked committee for a second interview unless admissions were at stake.</p>
<p>One myth that I'd like to bust: Interviewers don't take off points if students seem nervous. It's normal to be nervous in an interview. That's a normal stress reaction, and used well, makes one seem interested and energetic.</p>
<p>Now if a student's nervousness means they sit frozen in fear and utter only monosyllables, that would indicate that the student probably lacks the ability to emotionally handle a competitive environment like Harvard's. </p>
<p>Other kisses of death would be being rude to the interviewer (yes , that happens) or blowing off the interview as occasionally some students do do. Perhaps they blow off the interview for lack of interest in Harvard. Maybe they applied only because of parental pressure.</p>