Maret Parent "Interview"

[Anonymous]

If I understand the process correctly, there is now an optional, first come, first served interview you may arrange with the AD. When we applied last time, there was the required parent tour, but as far as I recall, no option to actually schedule an "interview."

Can someone confirm that this is right?

Is it truly a pre-requisite to obtaining admission?

[Anonymous]

When DC applied for high school 2 years ago s/he was interviewed and then we were briefly interviewed. It was mandatory. Sounds like the process has changed?

[Anonymous]

The interview may be just for upper grades, not for K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I understand the process correctly, there is now an optional, first come, first served interview you may arrange with the AD. When we applied last time, there was the required parent tour, but as far as I recall, no option to actually schedule an "interview."

Can someone confirm that this is right?

Is it truly a pre-requisite to obtaining admission?

The interview is indeed optional. It is NOT a pre-requisite to obtaining admission.

[Anonymous]

We applied to third grade last year, and there was no mention at all of a parent interview. We just had the small group presentation and tour, and that was it.

[Anonymous]

When all else fails, read the directions.

From Maret's website:

Parent/Guardian Interview (Optional)
Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 4th Grade
Interviews are offered to parents/guardians who have already toured the Lower School. During this appointment, parents/guardians will speak individually with an admission officer or faculty member. Interviews are not required; appointments are limited, and offered on first come first served basis between September and late January.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When all else fails, read the directions.

From Maret's website:

Interviews are not required; appointments are limited, and offered on first come first served basis between September and late January.

It just seems a very odd system - either you have interviews or you don't. Surely those families who have an interview will be better known to the admissions committee than those who don't, and will have some slight advantage.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you just answered your own question!

[Anonymous]

Unless the parent comes off as obnoxious, in which case, the interview would be a disadvantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When all else fails, read the directions.

From Maret's website:

Interviews are not required; appointments are limited, and offered on first come first served basis between September and late January.

It just seems a very odd system - either you have interviews or you don't. Surely those families who have an interview will be better known to the admissions committee than those who don't, and will have some slight advantage.

Unless you or DH has an off-putting demeanor, or DH isn't completely on board with the whole private school thing yet, in which case it might be best to skip the interview

[Anonymous]

Let's face it. You're desperate to get into a school like Maret. You may otherwise be a nice person. But in your desperation to try to stick out from the crowd, you will likely say something or do something that suggests that you are not nice, possibily even slightly insane.

Maret has the admissions game down to a science. If they want your family because of things that have nothing to do with your DC (whether it's your money, prestige, or power), you'll get in regardless. If you don't have any of the above, an interview will not tip the scales, no matter how charming you think you may be.

Skip the interview. We did. Got in. Said no. Now at STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's face it. You're desperate to get into a school like Maret. You may otherwise be a nice person. But in your desperation to try to stick out from the crowd, you will likely say something or do something that suggests that you are not nice, possibily even slightly insane.

Maret has the admissions game down to a science. If they want your family because of things that have nothing to do with your DC (whether it's your money, prestige, or power), you'll get in regardless. If you don't have any of the above, an interview will not tip the scales, no matter how charming you think you may be.

Skip the interview. We did. Got in. Said no. Now at STA.[/quote

How could you 'skip the interview' when there wasn't even an interview to begin with before this year?