My guy didn’t know my stats, my application or my essays. They go in knowing you wanna go to UMich and that’s about it. They answer a two page document at the end. UMich only takes the good comments. If there are any bad at all they don’t wanna know. This is the push you can give yourself. Don’t do the research - really not needed. Ask your person anything you wanna know. I actually felt like he was selling me on Michigan and little did he know he pushed me way, way, way over the edge. He graduated like forever ago and is still pumped to talk about it. How cool is that?
@jt1216 not good…awesome! Go BLUE!
@jt1216 . My interviewer seemed tot want to specifically know what I knew about the school, and see how much research I did about Mich. Idk if it’s just for me, but he made it seem more like an actual interview than a “relaxed experience”, even though he actually told me “it’s supposed to be relaxed”.
All I’m saying is to be prepared in the case that you get someone like me. Hopefully not!
@jt1216 ok so…how did it go?
@Seacoast It went well. Mine wasn’t as long as it was supposed to be, but my interviewer did ask all 5 of the questions she said she would, and then I had time to ask her 2-3 questions. At the end, she said that my enthusiasm for the school was “REALLY evident” and that she will include that in the response she conveys to the admissions department. So while I felt that maybe it was lacking something just because the interview was closer to 35 mins than the 60 they advertised it to be, I think it did the job conveying my interest.
all right then! good to hear, it was a relief don’t u think?
My daughter just had a short HAIL phone interview. The alum asked her a couple of questions about her strengths and interests, then answered a few of hers the best he could (he went there for grad school, not undergrad). He then told her not to contact him again and to direct all of her future questions to the admissions office. This remains her first-choice school, but it’s now only because I am an alum, and she went to a summer program in Ann Arbor and loved it. She said based on this interview alone, she would not be excited about the school. It’s disappointing, because I ended up going to Michigan because of a great interview with a gung-ho alum who sold me on the place. I still keep in touch with him, 30+ years later. I wonder if the university screens any of these interviewers to make sure they are as enthusiastic as they could be at selling the school (as another poster mentioned above). It would certainly be in their best interest.
@TheVeep I would call the school after your daughters decision is final. I would let them know…but I also have to say that if you visit a campus on a rainy day or have a poor guide they can totally sway you. I visited Babson and felt like it was a school for the preppy girls with daddy’s money. Huge turn off. I know that’s not the case and had to turn that image off in my mind when deciding where to go.
My interview was awesome and confirmed my thoughts about attending, these next few days are going to be brutal! Can’t wait! Go Blue!
@Seacoast, I agree with you. I am going to call the school – but like you said I am waiting until after the decision. As an alumni, I feel very disappointed in what happened and feel like they could have done better. My fingers are crossed for everyone who is waiting!!
@TheVeep To be fair, the HAIL office explicitly asks interviewers to not remain in contact with students after the interview, and asks interviewers to direct students to the admissions office, as you described. Obviously, I don’t know if your daughter’s interviewer came off as cold/unenthusiastic in some other way, but at least he’s innocent on that particular front. Perhaps he could have communicated the policy in a clearer way, though.
@nubswitstubs, thanks for the info. If that’s the rule, then it was communicated very clearly. My daughter was not aware of it, however, and it came off as sounding very cold and detached, like “I’m washing my hands of you now.” I can see why they might have this policy in place, obviously they don’t want the prospective students hounding the alumni – but there could also be a middle ground. I am an alum and would be happy to stay in contact with a student, especially if he/she was accepted and ended up enrolling.