RD Applicants: Interview Advice - Page 2

primeminister · 01-06-2007, 11:27 PM

Yeah, I remember reading the website and it said that alumni interviewers are linked to SPECIFIC schools. The funny thing is, no one from my school ever received an interview until this year, when I applied. Do you think that Yale adds schools on their "list" after a few years of receiving applicants from a certain school? I'm guessing that that's what happened in my case.

AdmissionsAddict · 01-07-2007, 02:36 AM

Although it is obviously different elsewhere, in my area there is no linking of alumni interviewers to specific schools, so it's not the case everywhere.

While it's nice to say that every kid who applies should be offered an alumni interview, it's just not possible. Alumni interviewers are volunteers with busy careers and family lives. The number of applicants can easily overwhelm the interviewers. Yale absolutely understands this and does not hold not having an alumni interview against you.

Kamikazewave · 01-07-2007, 02:54 AM

Yeah, but I'm always thinking that interviews can only help.

I mean, first there's the people that will get in because of their apps no matter what.

Then there's the masses of closely competitive students, who all seem to feel the same. My interviewer told me that Yale was "composing" student bodies, so that meant that compared to the many other kids similar to me, only one of us, or how many spots are open to kids like me, will get in. I take this to mean that a great interview will help propel you above the other masses and get you in. True, a bad interview might get you into denied pile but most likely you'll have been denied or waitlisted anyways since there's too many kids with similar characteristics to yours.

Soryusen · 01-07-2007, 03:44 AM

What about when most of these competitive kids, like you (or the applicant), have great interviews?

Kamikazewave · 01-07-2007, 05:07 PM

That happens, but then the pool is smaller after they discard the bad interview kids and the non-interview kids who aren't strong enough, so you have a better chance anyways. At least that's my personal take. Adcoms might say it's wrong.

Soryusen · 01-07-2007, 06:31 PM

No, you're probably right. It's just that it seems to me like many, many applicants will have decent or better interviews, which is still a large pool.

AdmissionsAddict · 01-07-2007, 06:48 PM

Interviewers rank students on a scale of 1-9. A 5 is given to a person who is solid in the Yale pool and a 9 is given to a person who is 1 in 100 in the Yale pool. Because of the rankings distinguish between good, really good and exceptional, not all "good" interviews are created equal.

eventer31590 · 01-07-2007, 06:52 PM

so how is that fair to the kids who come from unlinked schools or kids that dont get an interview

Kamikazewave · 01-07-2007, 07:09 PM

They usually don't go to Yale that often I guess or apply less, so that Yale decides that they need their alumni instead to distinguish the differences among the same schools. Ex, they usually only accept one or two from the same school at most, and if there's 10 applicants they try to find which ones of the 10 are the best etc..

sryrstress · 01-07-2007, 08:55 PM

AdmissionsAddict-

I do understand that the number of interviewing alumni is limited, and not every applicant could be interviewed. What I think is unfair is that a kid from an unlinked school isn't even put into the possible interview pool. How do they determine how one gets selected for an interview? I guess I like transparency in processes (and it's seriously lacking in some college application and financial aid procedures). Being from a rural, small high school. I also feel (and know) my kid is coming from behind. He and his friends always feel they aren't as good as kids from better high schools.

AdmissionsAddict · 01-08-2007, 12:46 AM

Like I said, there is no such thing as a linked high school in my region; everyone who applies is offered an interview. I have no idea what the deal with linking is. I could hazard a guess that certain alumni interviewers are affiliated with a particular high school that they attended or that their child attended. In my region, certain alumni interviewers only want to interview at certain schools, but most people are willing to interview anyone. I agree with the frustration of not even being in the pool and think the way things are conducted in my region sounds better than in areas where this linking occurs.

jaymay1290 · 01-15-2007, 08:13 PM

do alumni interviewers see our entire application? essays, test scores, etc.?
or does Yale only send them name, phone number, intended major?

olivia567 · 01-15-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

not all "good" interviews are created equal.

No, but all men are.

Sorry, Constitution joke.

AdmissionsAddict · 01-15-2007, 08:31 PM

There was some debate about this on another interview thread, but the only information interviewers should (and do in the vast majority of cases) receive is name, hs, address, phone, email, whether you applied EA or RD, whether you interviewed on campus and what you put for your intended major.

MyChainDownLow · 01-16-2007, 04:42 PM

This might be too personal for you but out of all the people you have interviewed, what is the usual score on the 1-9 scale? How many 8-9's or 1-2's have you had, etc.? Thanks.