HYP Interview - only 30 min

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side question -- when a student writes a thank you note, do the interviewers ever respond back to acknowledge? Something as simple as "it was nice to meet you, and good luck."

Is this still a thing? What do you say in your Thank You note?

I'm an alumni interviewer. First of all, I am fairly sure that they almost always mean nothing except to screen for weirdos.

That being said, I expect a thank you e-mail. We set up the interview over the e-mail so they just have to reply - very easy. All I expect is "It was nice to meet you. I enjoyed discussing myself and your school. I remain very interested." Short and sweet is great. I usually hold off writing my review for 24 hours or so to see if I get a note or not. I would say I only get from about 50% which is truly sad. Especially for ED. I usually do not reply to the thank you - I probably should but I don't want to lead them on. Occasionally they will ask a question in the follow-up so I respond to that. Don't read into whether the interviewer responds to the thank you - it means nothing.

How petty. Seniors are in the thick of the process and this would be a simple thing to overlook. Emailing right after would look neurotic and waiting a day might mean it slips because THIS YEAR IS CRAZY.

I interview and honestly don’t expect any follow up — for them it’s so fraught

It’s common courtesy and standard practice to send a quick thank you after an interview of any kind. Literally two sentences via email.

This is not rocket science - it’s a tiny demonstration of basic courtesy. Just remind your kids to send the email later that day or the next morning. Nothing about that seems “desperate.” (Seriously, do you think that being polite is “desperate?” 🙄

Would you penalize first gen kids whose parents work in blue collar jobs because they didn’t know the interview thank you was a thing?

[Anonymous]

30 or 45 minutes is fine. These interviewers can be busy people who don’t have all day to talk, and that has nothing to do with you.

[Anonymous]

I will remind my dc moving forward to write a thank you. I am assuming (and hope)that she said thank you after the interview. If she didn't then I am a parenting failure

[Anonymous]

Should DC be concerned if applied to Y and hasn't received an interview request?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to remind DC to send a thank you email. I meant to remind her and I forgot. DC probably didn't send one (first interview, how would she know?) How bad a mistake is this?

That appears to depend on how egotistical your kid’s interviewer was

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago…DC’s interview at H was 30 minutes. Was admitted and interview made a difference. Same at another HYPSM — admitted but interview does not really count for it. Meanwhile another kid I know had a 90 minute interview for H and was rejected. Good luck!

How do you know it made a difference?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it doesn't matter. it's a screening step for crazies. 99% of kids it doesn't matter

Did Yale interview the crazy girl that faked being from North Dakota? How did they miss her crazy?

They did!

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side question -- when a student writes a thank you note, do the interviewers ever respond back to acknowledge? Something as simple as "it was nice to meet you, and good luck."

Is this still a thing? What do you say in your Thank You note?

I'm an alumni interviewer. First of all, I am fairly sure that they almost always mean nothing except to screen for weirdos.

That being said, I expect a thank you e-mail. We set up the interview over the e-mail so they just have to reply - very easy. All I expect is "It was nice to meet you. I enjoyed discussing myself and your school. I remain very interested." Short and sweet is great. I usually hold off writing my review for 24 hours or so to see if I get a note or not. I would say I only get from about 50% which is truly sad. Especially for ED. I usually do not reply to the thank you - I probably should but I don't want to lead them on. Occasionally they will ask a question in the follow-up so I respond to that. Don't read into whether the interviewer responds to the thank you - it means nothing.

Same size of one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Should DC be concerned if applied to Y and hasn't received an interview request?

Interview at Y means that they are on the fence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should DC be concerned if applied to Y and hasn't received an interview request?

Interview at Y means that they are on the fence.

Not necessarily true. My DC applied to Yale regular decision, was invited to interview within a week of the app deadline and received a likely letter at the beginning of February. I don't think my kid's interview moved them from "on the fence" to "likely letter".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should DC be concerned if applied to Y and hasn't received an interview request?

Interview at Y means that they are on the fence.

Not always. My friend's kid was accepted to Yale (RD) without an interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago…DC’s interview at H was 30 minutes. Was admitted and interview made a difference. Same at another HYPSM — admitted but interview does not really count for it. Meanwhile another kid I know had a 90 minute interview for H and was rejected. Good luck!

How do you know it made a difference?

I interview for a HYPS school and in our interview guidance it explicitly says to not have an interview longer than 90 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago…DC’s interview at H was 30 minutes. Was admitted and interview made a difference. Same at another HYPSM — admitted but interview does not really count for it. Meanwhile another kid I know had a 90 minute interview for H and was rejected. Good luck!

How do you know it made a difference?

I interview for a HYPS school and in our interview guidance it explicitly says to not have an interview longer than 90 minutes.

Sorry I meant not longer than 60 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should DC be concerned if applied to Y and hasn't received an interview request?

Interview at Y means that they are on the fence.

Not always. My friend's kid was accepted to Yale (RD) without an interview.

Not sure you understand what “on the fence” means

[Anonymous]

Yale interviewer here. Yes, I only have regular zoom and so it cuts off at 40 minutes so I try to wrap up at around 30 minutes. I’m writing the report right away while the details are fresh, and it’s probably submitted about half an hour after the interview ends. While I am pleased to see a thank you note, the presence of one or lack thereof plays no role in my write up, because it’s already done. I would never think to mention that in my write up even if I’m delayed in doing the report.

It’s still good practice to teach your kids to do it, because someday it might matter and it sends the code that you know social and business customs. But it’s not getting you in to, or keeping you out of, Yale.

For the person who didn’t get an interview yet, they come to us in batches so I’m sure they aren’t all pushed out yet. For the EA round, the window is short, so please check your email/texts daily and get in touch quickly if you do get one. But you could also be in an area with too many applicants and not a lot of interviewers, so they just don’t get to it.