What information do interviewers get before the interview?
I just had my interview today, and I got the impression that they can see the basic stuff like your name, school, etc and then what majors you’re interested in. Nothing in depth.
I have a sister who does alumni interviews for Columbia and I was told she was able to see the entire application of the applicant
It depends on the school. Most schools only give the applicant’s name and basic information, but others provide the interviewer with more specific information about the student.
Most schools provide little information. The usual reasons given is that they want judgements to be independent of the other information. So they also usually discourage applicants from bringing resumes as well. Of course another reason may be a reluctance to share personal data with interviewers all over the country (or world) with no way to ensure that the material will be kept confidential.
Sorry, I think my sister actually does interviews for the MBA program, disregard what I said earlier
The interviewers would be able to see your name, the name of your high school and town, the college you applied (CC or SEAS), your intended major choices 1, 2, and 3. Anything else you want the school to know to supplement the application, the interview is a good time to do so. Give them the information to help them to advocate for you.
@liadoc I think you’ve misinterpreted your sister’s comments. The info contained in an app file is FERPA protected – there’s no way on earth volunteer alumni across the globe get to read the intimate and personal contents of students’ applications.