Worth it to become an Alumni interviewer?

[Anonymous]

I graduated from a HYP school for undergrad and just wondering if its worth it to become an alumni interviewer to give a leg up for my kids.

I hear anecdotally that very few kids are accepted from the DMV region despite high recommendations from an alumni interview. Also would give me some insight on what kids do get accepted these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated from a HYP school for undergrad and just wondering if its worth it to become an alumni interviewer to give a leg up for my kids.

I hear anecdotally that very few kids are accepted from the DMV region despite high recommendations from an alumni interview. Also would give me some insight on what kids do get accepted these days.

I've done it in the past and find it interesting. You get to encounter smart, motivated kids from different backgrounds. I don't think it'll do much for your kids. In fact, you typically can't interview if you have a kid or close relative applying. I guess if you do a bunch of interviews you do get a bit better at articulating what makes someone stand out positively or negatively.

[Anonymous]

No bonus at all for your kids, just interesting to meet their competition.

[Anonymous]

If it really made a difference you can be sure every alum with a kid who might want to be admitted would do it. A friend not in this area who is an h graduate did alumni interviews for 15 years. Her child was denied at that school and admitted to a different Ivy.

[Anonymous]

I do alumni interviews at my alma mater, which has a very low acceptance rate (around 6%—there is absolutely zero chance that I would get into the school if I were applying today given my HS record). I always find out how kids I interviewed fared, and despite doing it for many years, I don’t think anyone I have ever interviewed has been admitted. A few were waitlisted. The majority had academically strong records from the top privates. I just think at the super competitive schools, it’s a crapshoot — being extremely qualified is necessary but not sufficient.

[Anonymous]

What everyone else has already said. My spouse did it for many years, and had to stop when our oldest was a HS junior. He was impressed with most of the kids he interviewed, very few of whom got in, and also said they would not get in if applying today.

FYI, our oldewt child got what we consider a courtesy WL at the school (did not get in), and the other 2 did not bother to apply.

[Anonymous]

There is a thread posted on DCUM stating that Joe Biden’s granddaughter will be attending U Penn this fall. This is one reason why so many qualified students are shut out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a thread posted on DCUM stating that Joe Biden’s granddaughter will be attending U Penn this fall. This is one reason why so many qualified students are shut out.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it really made a difference you can be sure every alum with a kid who might want to be admitted would do it. A friend not in this area who is an h graduate did alumni interviews for 15 years. Her child was denied at that school and admitted to a different Ivy.

+1. You have to give seven figures for Harvard to wake up and look at your kid’s application.

[Anonymous]

its different/interesting/sometimes inspiring because you meet high achievers from a different generation. its not a huge time commitment. it wont help your kids except it does provide a slightly different perspective or understanding of the process that is probably closer to the perspective of a typical admissions officer than what a high school student might on their own assume a college admissions officer is looking for. take a look at schools admissions rate. you will meet kids roughly consistent with that rate. if only 5-10% get in, you may only have 1-2 admits plus some waitlists every 20 interviews.