Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

Lol.....misnomer doesn’t mean what you think it means.

As an interviewer, I almost always ended up asking one or both of these questions:

1. Is there anything you’d like Admissions to know about you that you couldn’t find a way to include in your application?

2. What have you done recently that you’re most proud of (or that made you happiest)? ((If I was already dealing with a kid who acted like a walking, talking resume, I’d choose the happy formulation. This is less a question about impressive accomplishments — which the interviewer won’t be evaluating anyway — than about values/what makes you tick.))

So urge your kids to think about what’s interesting, fun, distinctive, cool about them. It’s an elevator pitch and so many kids just sound generic. Goal is to stand out in a good/likeable way.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have any more tips for kids about to do an alumni interview? DD has a Northwestern one this weekend.

My DC found it was helpful to bring his resume. As a pp noted the interviewers do NOT have the students application, basically they know where the kid goes to high school. So the resume can give a good snapshot of the student and prompts some discussion. Be ready with thoughtful questions. Don't ask dumb questions that are on the website, or say you have no questions, so come up with 2-3.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

Please look up the word "misnomer," kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

Wrong. Almost all applicants get an alumni interview, and they mean nothing. I know friends who have done this and have said their recommendations have resulted in ZERO students being accepted. https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-harvard-interviewer-shares-the-questions-she-typically-asked-in-the-interview-2016-10#-1

My dh is an alumni interviewer. They definitely try to give every applicant an interview. Also, the interviewer has no information about the applicant’s grades, test scores. etc . . .

I think the above advice is good -- don't stress too much about it but prepare for it and try to do well. If you just think about the context, you will see why they cannot matter much -- you have hundreds in some isntances thousands of untrained interviewers doing pretty random stuff most of the time compared to a trained small group of admissions officers who have a much stronger base to make comparisons. Also, interviews are dependent on availability, can you imagine what would happen if they said, sorry we don't have anyone to interview you, so you are out (or so you are in)?

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have any more tips for kids about to do an alumni interview? DD has a Northwestern one this weekend.

Treat it as you would a job interview or friendly conversation with older relative or teacher -- be positive, and interested, make good eye contact, avoid "teen speak" (like, you know), have some questions prepared whose answers you couldn't learn from the website, think about what particular talents/interests/activities of yours you want the interviewer to remember about you and focus on those in your answers.

Anyone have any more tips for kids about to do an alumni interview? DD has a Northwestern one this weekend.

The important point is not that the interviews don't matter, but that the right perspective to take is that they generally only help you -- do your best but don't be overly anxious going in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

19:19 here. I interview for Harvard here in DC area. Perhaps you are in some remote area of the country and things work differently, but in the DC area there is no cut. And interviews certainly can matter, but typically they're not dispositive. As PP's have said, there are countless of examples of well-qualified students with glowing interview reports that don't get in.

Omg, he is IN op!! Congrats!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

Wrong. Almost all applicants get an alumni interview, and they mean nothing. I know friends who have done this and have said their recommendations have resulted in ZERO students being accepted. https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-harvard-interviewer-shares-the-questions-she-typically-asked-in-the-interview-2016-10#-1

Anonymous wrote:Harvard tries to offer an interview to every applicant and as pp’s stated it’s dependent on alum availability. Strength of applicant doesn’t determine timing or offer.

NP-I can't go into detail bc I am intimately involved in this process, but, the two biggest misnomers on the internet are "harvard interviews all applicants" and "interviews don't matter, only a bad one matters"

BOTH patently wrong. There is a "cut" for interviewees and interviews carry a good amount of weight. That's all I will say.

It's a good sign, but not good enough that the interview will make or break his application.

Best of luck!