<p>The rule in my city is that the interview can’t take place in the <em>student’s</em> home, because parents too often intervene, and the student can’t be candid in front of them. The interviewer’s home or place of business is allowed, but we are encouraged to think about whether the space is consistent with the message we want to send. In other words, an interviewer who lives in a baronial mansion should choose Starbucks. I usually meet the students in my office or in my parents’ home in Hyde Park.</p>
<p>I hope that the OP’s child lets the university know ASAP about the interviewer’s unprofessional behavior. She’d be doing everyone a favor, and if she does it politely, it will definitely not hurt her chances. In fact, the university may bend over backwards to try to find her another interviewer and try to repair the negative impression he made.</p>
<p>I have one introvert (S1) and one extrovert (S2), who both had numerous interviews. My sense was that the way the interview went had as much to do with the quality of the interviewer, as with my sons’ personalities. </p>
<p>Someone who likes talking to teens should be able to annimate the kids, and bring out their best to really determine if there is a fit between that kid’s interests and talents, and the college. For the most part, admissions tends to attract out-going people-lovers, but sadly, not all interviewers are equally talented in this regard. Good interviewers quickly found something in common, and moved on from there. (I chatted with probably 1/2 of my Ss’ interviewers at least for 10 minutes, so I saw the full range.) There is a bit of the luck of the draw.</p>
<p>Given the other thread about roommates (summary: OP’s daughter rooms with a girl she is calling Elsie, who appears to have Asperger’s syndrome per the description, and doesn’t interact with OP’s D in any way) … would part of the interview process be to ensure the person has adequate social skills? (which doesn’t mean a kid can’t be shy, but it does mean he or she knows how to say hello, please, thank you, shake hands, and behave in an interview-appropriate way)</p>
<p>Yes. Again, I don’t interview for Harvard. One of my basic questions is how I would feel if I dropped my kid off for freshman year and met this kid as his/her roommate. If I’d go home really, really worried, I say that in my report.</p>
<p>" would part of the interview process be to ensure the person has adequate social skills? (which doesn’t mean a kid can’t be shy, but it does mean he or she knows how to say hello, please, thank you, shake hands, and behave in an interview-appropriate way)"</p>
<p>Definitely! One of the things that Harvard asks interviewers to consider is whether they would have enjoyed having the applicant as a college roommate.</p>
<p>I definitely wouldn’t have wanted as a roommate the guy who let snot drip out of his nose and down his face throughout the interview nor would I have enjoyed as a roommate the young woman who answered each question with one brief sentence and then just sat waiting for me to carry the load of the conversation.</p>
<p>While I disagreed with the politics of the staunch conservative nerdy guy whom I interviewed, I would have enjoyed him as a roommate because of his passion about politics and his way of thoughtfully articulating viewpoints that I usually didn’t encounter in my circle of friends.</p>
<p>"Someone who likes talking to teens should be able to annimate the kids, and bring out their best to really determine if there is a fit between that kid’s interests and talents, and the college. "</p>
<p>Someone who’s a fit for Harvard needs to be able to be assertive and to carry the ball for themselves in an interview. Harvard wants students who are able to confidently operate in the world including having the ability to talk to professors who are world renowned in their field and who aren’t especially gifted or interested in coaxing and nurturing passive students who lack confidence.</p>
<p>There are many other colleges – including fine ones – that view their mission as helping shy, passive, unselfconfident students blossom.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, while Harvard tries to interview all of its U.S. applicants, due to a shortage of interviewers, it’s not as successful interviewing its international applicants. Based on the Wikepedia description of Tadesse, sounds like she was the type of individual for whom an interview would have led to a rejection. </p>
<p>Of course Harvard makes mistakes. Everyone does. Based, though, on how Wikepedia described the murderer who was a Harvard student, I doubt that anyone with good sense (and that includes virtually everyone posting here) would have written a favorable interview report.</p>
<p>As for Ted Kaczynski – just because someone is admitted to Harvard doesn’t mean that they will lead a perfect life. Many people change after and during their college experiences. This includes people who have mental breakdowns. There also are people who are lifelong sociopaths, and get many opportunities --including at places like Harvard. That’s the way the world is…</p>
<p>Our D did interview with one of the Ivy schools last year and it was at his home. I sat in my car and waited the whole time. Our D was very disappointed after it’s done because the guy has one little kid running around the living room and wife tried to calm him down. Also the interview was cut short bacuse interviewer told our D that they have to go somewhere so he has to end the interview early. She enjoyed her Harvard interview very much. The lady who interviewed our D has been doing this for years and it was at a very cozy coffed shop. Our D had a very pleasant time talking to the lady. This is just our experiences from last year.</p>
<p>And would you think an applicant should report the " guy has one little kid running around the living room and wife tried to calm him down. Also the interview was cut short bacuse interviewer told our D that they have to go somewhere so he has to end the interview early." ?</p>
<p>DD interviews at different colleges can be summarized as follows:</p>
<p>Harvard: It was arranged very professionally by Harvard Alumni Group on a company campus over the weekend. It was a full day event with lots of children scheduled at the same time. The children and many parent of the children were there in the lobby and some parent waiting outside. The interview was conducted as much professionally as possible. Interviewer was old male but quite current with the Harvard and interview went fine as per DD. DD interview lasted for an hour.
Status - Rejected in RD.</p>
<p>Princeton: DD was scheduled wrongly in terms of communicating the time to her, so even though she was early, she was actually late and another student was scheduled after her so she got less time around 45 mins instead of 1 hr or so. But the interviewer was a young female and was able to relate her experiences with that of DD and it was more connecting interview and she invited DD for a summer internship at her work.
Status: Accepted in RD</p>
<p>MIT: DD was scheduled at a local coffee house near her school and interviewer was a female engineer from EECS, the dept., DD was considering. Interviewer was waiting before DD arrival and she was very resourceful about MIT and was able to address all the concerns DD had. The interview went for almost 2 hours and DD was very happy with the experience.
Status: Accepted in EA</p>
<p>Rice: DD was scheduled in a resturant inside a hotel. Interviewer was a young male who spent 2 years at MIT before transferring to Rice. Interview was suppose to be 40 mins but went to 1 hour delaying the person tremendously after her as he was a bit late to begin with. Interviewer was very resourcefull in EECS and was able to provide really good picture of possibilities at Rice. He also offered summer internship oppertunity at his company.
Status - Accepted RD with merit scholarship</p>
<p>I hope DD experience with different interviewer be helpfull to others.</p>
<p>Northstarmom - Neither of my sons applied to Harvard, so my comment was not directed at what to expect for a Harvard interview. I was just relating their interview experiences for a variety of schools and with a variety of interviewers. </p>
<p>Same kids - but different qualities of conversations depending on the style, maturity and experience of the interviewer. The experienced ones could get things started and then follow where the kid’s energy and interests led. As a result, the conversations went deeper, and my sons came out feeling good about themselves and the college. The less experienced ones had more like a disconnected broad Q&A format (generally more common with a student interviewer.) It’s just harder to make a strong connection in such an interview.</p>
<p>But I also agree that some kids are so passive and shy that even the most skilled interviewer will not be able to draw them out, and that has got to be a painful experience for both sides!</p>