Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always assumed that for play dates that serve as the interviews for younger kids they’re mostly screening for the basics. Does the kid hit/shove/bite/snatch things from others/scream in class? Can they follow basic directions and school-type routines? If the answers are no and yes, it’s hard to believe that they’re going to successfully judge much beyond that.

This. And if the kid is really cute and seems to be kind, smart and shows that they are interested in learning they are pretty much in. I had the AD nodding her head at me while trying not to smile when I picked up my child after his K play date/visit. Yes, he got in, he also tests well and had great teacher recommendations from PK. I likely seemed a little crazy, in hindsight, but they still accepted him. Haha

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bad topics—

-Complaining about your other private school
-Talking about your super advanced child without letting school evaluate and decide
-Admitting you didn’t pay tuition that was contracted
-Asking about % Ivy League Admittances. Admitting it’s the only thing you care about
-Complaining about annual fund and parent service at another school
-Describing how you’re litigating against a school
-Arguing with spouse and kid about a school

Thanks! That is helpful

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any correlation between great interviews/student visits and acceptance? Or do I assume that interviewers are trained to be professional and congenial and not put any weight on that?

Thanks if you have BTDT and can weigh in!

Yes and any tips (apart from not acting crazy)? Any topics to avoid at all costs? What topics are safest?

This is for HS, right?

I'd say your kid's basic personality and social skills are already pretty well formed, but maybe if you want to help them send them for a practice interview. You know that's a thing, right?

Basics:

** let the Interviewer from the school set the tone, but be gracious and enthusiastic in their response. You know, the usual: reflect back, " that's a great question" , be humble, earnest and clearly bright but self deprecating

* show appreciation for others, including other's point of view especially the interviewers while also showing that you are of your own mind- at least a developing one

* have perfectly executed manners and make sure they seem natural

Thanks - this is great !

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any correlation between great interviews/student visits and acceptance? Or do I assume that interviewers are trained to be professional and congenial and not put any weight on that?

Thanks if you have BTDT and can weigh in!

Yes and any tips (apart from not acting crazy)? Any topics to avoid at all costs? What topics are safest?

This is for HS, right?

I'd say your kid's basic personality and social skills are already pretty well formed, but maybe if you want to help them send them for a practice interview. You know that's a thing, right?

Basics:

** let the Interviewer from the school set the tone, but be gracious and enthusiastic in their response. You know, the usual: reflect back, " that's a great question" , be humble, earnest and clearly bright but self deprecating

* show appreciation for others, including other's point of view especially the interviewers while also showing that you are of your own mind- at least a developing one

* have perfectly executed manners and make sure they seem natural

Anonymous wrote:Bad topics—

-Complaining about your other private school
-Talking about your super advanced child without letting school evaluate and decide
-Admitting you didn’t pay tuition that was contracted
-Asking about % Ivy League Admittances. Admitting it’s the only thing you care about
-Complaining about annual fund and parent service at another school
-Describing how you’re litigating against a school
-Arguing with spouse and kid about a school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any correlation between great interviews/student visits and acceptance? Or do I assume that interviewers are trained to be professional and congenial and not put any weight on that?

Thanks if you have BTDT and can weigh in!

Yes and any tips (apart from not acting crazy)? Any topics to avoid at all costs? What topics are safest?

Anonymous wrote:The interviews are a way to keep alumni engaged with the school [read: make donations]. They have very little, if anything, to do with admissions.

My husband does them for his Ivy

Anonymous wrote:Any correlation between great interviews/student visits and acceptance? Or do I assume that interviewers are trained to be professional and congenial and not put any weight on that?

Thanks if you have BTDT and can weigh in!

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always assumed that for play dates that serve as the interviews for younger kids they’re mostly screening for the basics. Does the kid hit/shove/bite/snatch things from others/scream in class? Can they follow basic directions and school-type routines? If the answers are no and yes, it’s hard to believe that they’re going to successfully judge much beyond that.

Anonymous wrote:I honestly cannot tell you what makes a bad interview vs. a good interview. We could hear all of our kid's interviews last year b/c they were on zoom. I thought that the first two interviews were absolute and complete disasters and that he hit it out of the park on the last one. (For example, asked what book DS liked to read and he said "audiobooks" even though he had a tome sitting next to him that he had been devouring.) He got into the first two schools and not the last one, and the last one was the least competitive of the three. I have no clue what makes a "good" interview. My DS was polite, asked 2-3 prepared questions, and responded like a deer in headlights to the questions. I think that the interviewers can see beyond what we see.