Why do some private schools want to interview parents as part of application process and other privates don’t require?

[Anonymous]

Trying to understand why parents must also interview as part of school application process vs other schools require essays only or no interviews from parents? Trying to understand the logic.

[Anonymous]

I expect it usually depends on how many applicants there are. For example, Catholic schools like O’Connell are so much larger than the independent privates, they simply couldn’t interview everyone. We didn’t come across any non-Catholic schools that didn’t do interviews during our process last year, so if you e found smaller independent schools that don’t interview I couldn’t speculate about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I expect it usually depends on how many applicants there are. For example, Catholic schools like O’Connell are so much larger than the independent privates, they simply couldn’t interview everyone. We didn’t come across any non-Catholic schools that didn’t do interviews during our process last year, so if you e found smaller independent schools that don’t interview I couldn’t speculate about them.

But it also differs across similarly sized competitive schools. Potomac doesn't interview parents but Sidwell, GDS, and Maret (smaller) do.

[Anonymous]

But what kind of parents are they looking for as part of interview or just confirming the assessment of the child during child’s interview?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But what kind of parents are they looking for as part of interview or just confirming the assessment of the child during child’s interview?

You sound very naive unless you are being facetious. They want to know your pedigree and bank account and whether you will be a PIA.

[Anonymous]

I personally thought the Maret/Sidwell parent interviews were extremely wierd for a high school student. I mean, it felt very much like our family was being vetted — what did we choose to wear? What did we choose to say? Did we say Harvard or “school in the NE”? For lower school, I get that you don’t have much else to go on, but for upper school, admissions seemed to be less about our kid and more about us. Which was the wrong vibe for me. We ended up at a school without parent interviews and that set the tone for our engagement with the school. Our child deals with our child’s schooling issues first and foremost. We have not had to step in. If we do, we expect that the child would’ve tried first. It’s actually not our high school experience but our child’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trying to understand why parents must also interview as part of school application process vs other schools require essays only or no interviews from parents? Trying to understand the logic.

They should require it. I know parents that are openly racist and anti-semitic that are at top schools. Turns out their kids are as well. Families should be screened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally thought the Maret/Sidwell parent interviews were extremely wierd for a high school student. I mean, it felt very much like our family was being vetted — what did we choose to wear? What did we choose to say? Did we say Harvard or “school in the NE”? For lower school, I get that you don’t have much else to go on, but for upper school, admissions seemed to be less about our kid and more about us. Which was the wrong vibe for me. We ended up at a school without parent interviews and that set the tone for our engagement with the school. Our child deals with our child’s schooling issues first and foremost. We have not had to step in. If we do, we expect that the child would’ve tried first. It’s actually not our high school experience but our child’s.

I don't get it. They asked you these questions? I toured Maret recently. Was turned off by the whole vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But what kind of parents are they looking for as part of interview or just confirming the assessment of the child during child’s interview?

You sound very naive unless you are being facetious. They want to know your pedigree and bank account and whether you will be a PIA.

This....but maybe to add another angle....they are building a community and parents are part of that community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally thought the Maret/Sidwell parent interviews were extremely wierd for a high school student. I mean, it felt very much like our family was being vetted — what did we choose to wear? What did we choose to say? Did we say Harvard or “school in the NE”? For lower school, I get that you don’t have much else to go on, but for upper school, admissions seemed to be less about our kid and more about us. Which was the wrong vibe for me. We ended up at a school without parent interviews and that set the tone for our engagement with the school. Our child deals with our child’s schooling issues first and foremost. We have not had to step in. If we do, we expect that the child would’ve tried first. It’s actually not our high school experience but our child’s.

How can you say this when parents are interviewed separately from the child at Maret/Sidwell. We thought their questions (at both schools) were geared towards getting to know more about our child academically and socially and trying to understand what we, as parents, especially liked about our child. They also wanted to know what we valued for our kids in life and at school. These are all relevant questions.

GDS on the other hand, is a group interview with parent and child together and is more like the interviewer talking at us. I'm not sure what they possibly learned about us or our child. But we've been through this twice and it was the same last time - so clearly it works for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Trying to understand why parents must also interview as part of school application process vs other schools require essays only or no interviews from parents? Trying to understand the logic.

They should require it. I know parents that are openly racist and anti-semitic that are at top schools. Turns out their kids are as well. Families should be screened.

This is a good point - GDS was clear to point out that their community is accepting of everyone if "that's not your thing, then this isn't your place".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But what kind of parents are they looking for as part of interview or just confirming the assessment of the child during child’s interview?

You sound very naive unless you are being facetious. They want to know your pedigree and bank account and whether you will be a PIA.

This....but maybe to add another angle....they are building a community and parents are part of that community.

+1 its vetting for the crazies not for the deep pockets. I know they have their ways of figuring potential donors that does not requre interviewing. The interviewer learned very little about us if they were concerned with what we were wearing or any thing useless and superficial like that. The interview was all about our DC and our expectations for their education, and then how we see Sidwell helping fulfull those expectations. They are looking for normal, involved, yet well balanced community members to add, and no social climbers or curriculum jockeys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally thought the Maret/Sidwell parent interviews were extremely wierd for a high school student. I mean, it felt very much like our family was being vetted — what did we choose to wear? What did we choose to say? Did we say Harvard or “school in the NE”? For lower school, I get that you don’t have much else to go on, but for upper school, admissions seemed to be less about our kid and more about us. Which was the wrong vibe for me. We ended up at a school without parent interviews and that set the tone for our engagement with the school. Our child deals with our child’s schooling issues first and foremost. We have not had to step in. If we do, we expect that the child would’ve tried first. It’s actually not our high school experience but our child’s.

I don't get it. They asked you these questions? I toured Maret recently. Was turned off by the whole vibe.

NP. We were asked about our educational experiences while interviewing and my husband and I mentioned our colleges - we went to Amherst and Harvard. Why would anyone say “a school in the NE instead of the school? Just be yourself. It’s like dating - if you want to actually find a partner who you will get on with you act like yourself not a completely different person.

[Anonymous]

I think interviewing the family is important. I often find that when I don't like the parent, I typically don't like the kid. And even if the kid is amazing but the parents are completely insufferable, it makes sense for a school to pass.

[Anonymous]

My mom swears that the reason I was rejected at Brearley was because she and my dad bombed the interview! They were very turned off by the admissions person. Oh well.