No Interview - Harvard, Yale, Northwestern

[Anonymous]

To my knowledge, Harvard only gives interviews to a subset of applicants - after deciding to reject the majority without an interview. Basically if you make it past the first cut based on SATs, GPA, and ECs, then you'll get an interview as the final filter.

My understanding is that Harvard's interviewers are told to deliberately try to throw the interviewee off and see if they hold their composure under pressure. They have a stronger emphasis on social skills and leadership ability than more "bookish" peers like Princeton or MIT. So for them, the interview is actually a really important part of the application.

When I was in high school, I actually tanked my first Harvard interview but because my profile was otherwise extremely strong, Harvard gave me a second interview, which apparently I did better on since I was ultimately accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To my knowledge, Harvard only gives interviews to a subset of applicants - after deciding to reject the majority without an interview. Basically if you make it past the first cut based on SATs, GPA, and ECs, then you'll get an interview as the final filter.

My understanding is that Harvard's interviewers are told to deliberately try to throw the interviewee off and see if they hold their composure under pressure. They have a stronger emphasis on social skills and leadership ability than more "bookish" peers like Princeton or MIT. So for them, the interview is actually a really important part of the application.

When I was in high school, I actually tanked my first Harvard interview but because my profile was otherwise extremely strong, Harvard gave me a second interview, which apparently I did better on since I was ultimately accepted.

Your understanding is wrong. My friend’s son interviewed with Harvard recently and said it was easy and pleasant. In fact, when he scheduled it, the interviewer said he will be asking him questions about his ECs and interests and that’s exactly what he focused on. Open ended questions about things he’s doing and is interested in. What was your understanding based upon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What was your understanding based upon?

I have literally been through the process and was accepted to Harvard.

My interviewers asked similar questions to the point where it seemed almost scripted.

Also, when I was preparing for my interviews, I found a forum post from a disgruntled Harvard interviewer complaining about being given very specific instructions and being asked to stress test the interviewee.

Also, Harvard went out of their way to give me a second interview rather than just disregarding the first in favor of the rest of my profile. If interviews weren't very very important to them they would have just disregarded the interview in favor of the rest of my profile.

Maybe things have changed since I was an applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was your understanding based upon?

I have literally been through the process and was accepted to Harvard.

My interviewers asked similar questions to the point where it seemed almost scripted.

Also, when I was preparing for my interviews, I found a forum post from a disgruntled Harvard interviewer complaining about being given very specific instructions and being asked to stress test the interviewee.

Also, Harvard went out of their way to give me a second interview rather than just disregarding the first in favor of the rest of my profile. If interviews weren't very very important to them they would have just disregarded the interview in favor of the rest of my profile.

Maybe things have changed since I was an applicant.

They have. Interviews are not like this at all now.

[Anonymous]

DC interviewed at Harvard last year, and there was no stress test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC had a last minute zoom interview at Yale with a senior and was accepted.

A current student didn’t sway the decision.

Do some research on this practice at Yale. It’s pretty unique.

[Anonymous]

mine got a northwestern interview but got rejected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD and her friend applied to both schools RD and DD didn't get interview and has a slight better stat and both in DMV area, does that mean rejection?

Sorry to tell you, but odds are they are getting rejected regardless of interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC had a last minute zoom interview at Yale with a senior and was accepted.

The senior interviews are really important. They are really for the kids that the school wants to convince to come to New Haven because they know they will have offers elsewhere.

If your child gets a call for a Yale senior interview, that is a very very good sign.

+100

This was my kid’s experience too. Also saw some postings about this on Reddit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Yale interviewer. All interviews in this region have already been assigned, so if your child hasn’t been contacted, the AO doesn’t need more information to make a decision (ie the decision has already been made). That does not mean it’s a no (although statistically most will be no’s). From what we have heard, in many cases it’s that they want to confirm that the candidate that they see on paper actually resembles the actual person. Maybe they think the essay sounded too canned. Maybe a teacher rec didn’t match up. The interviewers do not see anything in the file other than a name and a school, so our impressions are relatively unbiased in terms of presentation. The questions we have to answer boil down to variations of “what does this person seem like?”

I know interviewers who get discouraged when they meet one great kid and they don’t get in because they are looking at that kid in isolation. I felt that way in the beginning, but now that I’ve been doing it for many years and do more and more each year, most of them meet that “great kid” standard but fewer and fewer stand out. Now think of an AO who has that problem x30000 relatively unhooked kids. Under this newer process, I’m actually seeing more kids on my list get in, because I must have confirmed something that the AO was wondering about - yes this kid matches the paper version that they saw.

Tell your kid to hang in there and no matter the outcome, they did nothing wrong. They will be fine wherever they go and where they get in is not who they are.

Thank you this was very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids go T20s. Not Harvard or Yale though. Neither did interviews. Both applied ED to their schools and got in.

I get the sense that if a school is a firm yes on an applicant they don't bother with interviews. I can't imagine colleges offering interviews to every applicant that passes their basic requirements. So no interviews for the firm acceptances. No interviews for the firm nos. Just the maybes.

[Anonymous]

I’d love to know how this turned out if the OP is still around. My senior is stressing about no Yale or Tufts interview yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To my knowledge, Harvard only gives interviews to a subset of applicants - after deciding to reject the majority without an interview. Basically if you make it past the first cut based on SATs, GPA, and ECs, then you'll get an interview as the final filter.

My understanding is that Harvard's interviewers are told to deliberately try to throw the interviewee off and see if they hold their composure under pressure. They have a stronger emphasis on social skills and leadership ability than more "bookish" peers like Princeton or MIT. So for them, the interview is actually a really important part of the application.

When I was in high school, I actually tanked my first Harvard interview but because my profile was otherwise extremely strong, Harvard gave me a second interview, which apparently I did better on since I was ultimately accepted.

None of this is true. Interview guidance is very generic. Signed, Harvard alumni interviewer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone have a Northwestern interview? All of the applicants I know got a note saying they didn’t have interviewers available and the students could submit additional information.

NU stopped doing alumni interviews. You could do an alumni information session but no imterviews this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a Yale interviewer. All interviews in this region have already been assigned, so if your child hasn’t been contacted, the AO doesn’t need more information to make a decision (ie the decision has already been made). That does not mean it’s a no (although statistically most will be no’s). From what we have heard, in many cases it’s that they want to confirm that the candidate that they see on paper actually resembles the actual person. Maybe they think the essay sounded too canned. Maybe a teacher rec didn’t match up. The interviewers do not see anything in the file other than a name and a school, so our impressions are relatively unbiased in terms of presentation. The questions we have to answer boil down to variations of “what does this person seem like?”

I know interviewers who get discouraged when they meet one great kid and they don’t get in because they are looking at that kid in isolation. I felt that way in the beginning, but now that I’ve been doing it for many years and do more and more each year, most of them meet that “great kid” standard but fewer and fewer stand out. Now think of an AO who has that problem x30000 relatively unhooked kids. Under this newer process, I’m actually seeing more kids on my list get in, because I must have confirmed something that the AO was wondering about - yes this kid matches the paper version that they saw.

Tell your kid to hang in there and no matter the outcome, they did nothing wrong. They will be fine wherever they go and where they get in is not who they are.

Thank you this was very helpful.

Harvard interviewer. This is all absolutely true. It is not easy for kids to stand out, especially in a competitive region like the DMV. But the Admissions Office has a far more comprehensive view of the student than we do. We may or may not confirm what's in the file, which we never see.