Hello guys… so, I had this alumni interview a couple of days ago and I thought it went remotely well. I babbled a bit, but he seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying, we agreed on several life philosophies, etc. He even shared a few funny stories from his time at a university, and because we matched in major (my intended major), we talked about that as well. It probably wasn’t the most memorable interview for him (or for me), but still. At the end though, he reminded me of the fact that Yale is extremely competitive and that his report plays only a small part in a big admission process, so I shouldn’t be disheartened if I don’t end up there…
Okay, I admit, I’m kind of panicking, does that mean he hated me or is going to write unfavorable report? Or is it normal for interviewers to remind the applicants of this fact to spare them the disappointment in the end?
“At the end though, he reminded me of the fact that Yale is extremely competitive and that his report plays only a small part in a big admission process, so I shouldn’t be disheartened if I don’t end up there…”
No he was being polite and cognizant that even if he wrote a stunning report about the interview, it STILL might has little weight. I say more or less the same things when I conclude mine.
sure. I’ve met some whom I consider stellar and my write ups have said the same. But I’m no seer that can predict what will happen. Statistically, the kid doesn’t get admitted. That’s the fact.
Oh, some do – the majority do not. But that’s not news to anyone applying to Yale, I hope.
Thank you @T26E4 - I was just trying to clarify it for the OP not to unnecessarily panic about that statement. If s/he gets rejected, interview was probably not the cause.
Thanks guys. Of course, I understand that Yale is extremely competitive and my chances are anything but high, but my panic was mainly caused by the fact that I really liked the interview- and would hate to think that my interviewer did not. At this point, I can only guess and that is better than thinking that he hated it.
I literally just completed a Skype interview with an applicant. It went great. However, it is prudent that we remind applicants of the reality of the fact that no matter how great, there are 30,000 other candidates that are great in their own way. I only mention this to applicants with my caution that if they are Yale material, they will end up somewhere equally amazing. I think that was probably all that was going on. Good luck.
I am applying to Yale RD and I was wondering how the decide who gets an interview? Is it based off of my application and if I have a greater chance at getting in?
@keanne20 - it really depends on where you live and how many alumni are available and willing to do interviews. Some areas have lots of applicants, think the Washington DC area, but there are tons of alumni too. Our Alumni Schools Director prides himself on getting applicants matched with interviewer quickly and we tend to get them all done. There is no pre-selection for interviews that comes from a review of the application. It is really just a numbers game. A remember, you can be admitted to Yale without an interview. It happens all the time.