<p>@acrazy: I’ve interviewed for a Penn ivy peer for +20 years. I can absolutely say that in some very unique situations, an interview can be beneficial for the truly borderline applicant. About 4 yrs ago, two guys from a nearby inner city HS applied. Everything about their file was strong – overcoming many obstacles, good test scores, etc. Our admissions committee leaned towards admitting but there was some hesitation. Both guys’ teacher rec letters were only OK. This isn’t uncommon from inner city schools or schools where the teachers aren’t accustomed to writing profound/anecdote laced rec letters for very competitive colleges. The rec letters were supportive but simply formulaic. This left the committee on the fence. However, after each kid met with alumni who wrote to confirm the kids’ strengths and real depth, the reports gave the committee confidence to get off the fence and offer admits to both guys. Here was an actual example of interviews that made a diffrence. But you can see how unique the circumstances were.</p>
<p>But what constitutes a borderline applicant, for us out here, is difficult to guage. I still say for the vast vast majority, the interview means very little and only reinforces other aspects of the application.</p>
<p>As a writer of interview reports, I am fully cognizant of the huge pool of applicants and that my 45 minutes at a coffee shop is a seriously unnatural window upon the applicant’s true potential. I know that I’m only serving as another pair of eyes/ears for the college while simultaneously serving as a vehicle for the student to tell more about themselves.</p>