Anonymous wrote:it works both ways. I am a potential revenue stream so I would expect some type of gratitude in return instead of some smug har har har posting. How un professional and this is probably a violation of privacy rights and a violation of corporate business communication rules.

If you are a student or the parent of a student, PLEASE do not go into any application process with this mindset. You may think you or your child is special. I am sorry to tell you that special people get rejected every cycle. It is a competitive process and if you go in there with an entitled attitude, it will end badly somewhere down the line.

Not the OP, but I also do interviews for my former college.

I am not sure about the OP’s specific example. At least the student attempted to be professional. However, I have experienced some of the same issues that the OP references. I speak at a couple of high schools around town and I tell candidates and their parents that they need to show the same level of decorum and professionalism as they would for a job interview. In essence, this is the candidate’s opportunity to attach a personality to the paper qualifications. While the interview is not a deal breaker, part of my interview evaluation discusses that person’s potential as a representative of the university. Think about it this way. There will be various opportunities in college (internships, etc.) where that candidate may be out in public as a representative of that university, and (at least at my school) we are asked to address the candidate’s potential to be a positive representative of the university. Do you really want the interviewer to form the impression that your student is unprofessional and impolite? I am not saying you have to be a boot licker, but professionalism is a must.

OP here. Thanks for the varying perspectives and the laughs. At the end of the day, I am far more receptive going into an interview with a candidate who wrote me this email:

Dear Mrs. XXX,

I have submitted my application for XXX U and was wondering if I would be able to have an interview with you. Your name was sent to me in a letter from the university saying you live in my area. I live very close to Blah Blah High School. Please email me back to let me know when you are available for an interview. If you would like to contact me by phone, my number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. I hope you have a happy holidays!

Thank you.

Polite Polly

than I am going into an interview with the pushier students. For the record, Polite Polly also has a far more extensive resume than Sally Student. Way more meaningful time consuming extracurriculars, part time job and top of her class.

I don't give the bratty students an unfair interview, but I am certainly more inclined to prefer the ones who are less pushy. I am human.

Anonymous wrote:Whoops, posted too soon. I meant to tell PP that s/he is not the only "potential revenue stream" out there. If you don't care enough to get to an interview, there will be plenty of others who will take your place. Entitled little shit.

Yup.

Anonymous wrote:it works both ways. I am a potential revenue stream so I would expect some type of gratitude in return instead of some smug har har har posting. How un professional and this is probably a violation of privacy rights and a violation of corporate business communication rules.

That's pretty funny. For selective schools, there's no dearth of applicants - if you can't be bothered to schedule an interview (or act like a snot while trying), your slot will be filled with some other "potential revenue stream. Other than the most exceptional students, applicants are fungible (look it up). I'm guessing from your post that you would not qualify as exceptional.

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are dealing with boomers, real time electronic communcation makes most of the social face to face BS irrelevent now adays

Just wait till you get into the working world, sweetheart. Face to face still matters.

The other aspects that you are missing about high school students is that their activities tend to have lots of built-in incentives not to skip a session. If you miss practice then you will not play in the game. If you don't play in the game and we lose, you let your team down. If you don't attend this club meeting and you are in X position, you will lose it or we can't plan X activity. The parents play into this too.

That's all well and good, but that doesn't mean that OP needs to buy into the bullshit. If I was in her position, and a prospective student sent me an e-mail suggesting one day to meet because she's simply too busy to do any other time, asking in a fairly rude manner whether she "had to meet with me in person," I don't think I'd react favorably. Even less so when she complained about the times I suggested. Maybe it's something you pick up on later, but it seems self-evident to me that the person asking for the meeting, who needs something from the other person, is required to show a little flexibility (and courtesy).

Anonymous wrote:PP - nowadays it's pretty common for high school seniors to do alumni interviews in connection with applying to the most selective colleges. The competition is very steep and most guidance offices will say to take every advantage offered to you. As for the attitude of the kids, I do think it is the job of us adults to make sure that kids learn the nuances of communication and social graces. Yes, kids nowadays are very busy; no, I don't think that gives them a pass or manners. They are oblivious, but we need to teach them not to be. At the same time, it's important not to judge these young people too harshly. In time many of them will learn to be more diplomatic and self-aware.

Unless you are dealing with boomers, real time electronic communcation makes most of the social face to face BS irrelevent now adays

PP - nowadays it's pretty common for high school seniors to do alumni interviews in connection with applying to the most selective colleges. The competition is very steep and most guidance offices will say to take every advantage offered to you. As for the attitude of the kids, I do think it is the job of us adults to make sure that kids learn the nuances of communication and social graces. Yes, kids nowadays are very busy; no, I don't think that gives them a pass or manners. They are oblivious, but we need to teach them not to be. At the same time, it's important not to judge these young people too harshly. In time many of them will learn to be more diplomatic and self-aware.

I taught at a top university. This letter is not bad for a 17 year old. I was always highly amused at how students would hang themselves in email. For example, a student would send email requesting an extension on a deadline. I may have been perfectly inclined to grant it without much detail as to why they needed an extension...until I read through the next ten paragraphs of blathering nonsense about their social crisis and completely ridiculous reasons for an extension.

The other aspects that you are missing about high school students is that their activities tend to have lots of built-in incentives not to skip a session. If you miss practice then you will not play in the game. If you don't play in the game and we lose, you let your team down. If you don't attend this club meeting and you are in X position, you will lose it or we can't plan X activity. The parents play into this too. We paid for X activity, you can't miss it. The high strung kids who are over scheduled to have enough extra curricular activities to help them get into mom and dad's school (which was pretty darn easy to get into when mom and dad applied 30 years ago but is very difficult now) do think that somehow the world will end and their future will be bleak if they miss one thing or make one mistake. They make a complete reversal on this attitude that they can't miss anything by the end of their first year in college. You can watch as the freshman frantically attend everything and then learn by the end of the year how to commit to things but blow everything off. I firmly believe that an underground class is taught on this.

why would you need to interview for a school? I never did and got into ivy leagues. I would agree that to a high school seniore this sounds like a waste of time.

Whoops, posted too soon. I meant to tell PP that s/he is not the only "potential revenue stream" out there. If you don't care enough to get to an interview, there will be plenty of others who will take your place. Entitled little shit.