Alumni Interviews

[CayugaRed2005]

<p>

In fact, it may be a good sign.

</p>

<p>Don’t read the tea leaves. Having or not having an alumni contact session does not indicate anything whatsoever as to the status of your application.</p>

<p>

The reports often say nothing more than “met with applicant”.

</p>

<p>This is true, but in my experience the reports are often much more informational. The following are two actual write-ups submitted in my area last year: </p>

<p>

XXX was a joy to meet. She impressed me even before our meeting with excellent phone skills, and in our contact session she was extremely well-composed, articulate, and enthusiastic to share her interest of Cornell, as well as to ask questions about academics and the student experience. What most impressed me about XXX was her passion for animals, specifically birds and understanding bird behavior. While XXX
does not live on a farm, her family does own some property with animals (chickens, cows, goats), and she has had a great interest in birds from a young age. She wants to attend Cornell because she believes it will offer her the best education she can obtain, and she explicitly mentioned the Lab of Ornithology, Mann Library, and research opportunities in our discussion. She also was very interested in research/study abroad opportunities, and expressed a desire to travel to South America to study animal behavior. She is working to become certified for wildlife rehabilitation.

</p>

<p>

Before I provide details on our phone conversation, it is important to note that I tried calling XXX THREE times and ALSO e-mailed her before she finally returned my call at the 11th hour to schedule an interview. (I almost gave up…) Once we finally made contact, she did not take me up on my offer to meet in-person. Instead, she preferred a phone call. Anyway, I asked her to call me at 8:00 PM on 11/29. She was 25 minutes LATE for the call and didn’t seem too concerned. The actual call was like pulling teeth. She couldn’t seem to articulate her reasons for applying ED to Cornell, only that she had “visited 3 times and that Cornell has everything.” When I asked her more detail about her choices for her major, she offered very weak answers in my opinion, and lacked any “fire in her gut”, so to say. MOST NOTABLE, when I asked her is she had any questions for me about Cornell, SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!! Only a long, awkward pause. My experience has shown me that Cornell students are driven and would have jumped on this opportunity for an interview.

</p>

<p>Again, the contacts only affect your application on the margins, and not having one will not hurt you, but for your sake and for the sake of the alumni volunteer, please put your best foot forward.</p>

[miktau]

<p>wow im assuming the girl from the second interview did not get in (she didnt deserve it either).</p>

[misterbill]

<p>Yes, it would be very interesting to hear which got admitted.</p>

<p>A friend of mine is a Yale alumni and has done interviews for them in the past. He stopped after writing a rave review of one girl (he said she was the best candidate he had ever interviewed) who ended up not getting admitted.</p>

[ChandlerBing]

<p>It would be great to have a report like the first applicant’s!
But I’m looking at it this way: if I get an interview offer I’ll be happy, if I don’t, that’s life.</p>

[CayugaRed2005]

<p>

He stopped after writing a rave review of one girl (he said she was the best candidate he had ever interviewed) who ended up not getting admitted.

</p>

<p>That’s a silly reason not to keep on doing the contacts. Life is unfair. You do what you can.</p>

[ChandlerBing]

<p>Hey Cayuga, silly question, do you think you could take a peek at my chance thread? I’d like to see your opinion since you’re one of the most qualified Cornell CC’ers to do so.</p>

<p>And I agree, sometimes admissions officers do make strange decisions but you have to live with it.</p>

[bestwhit]

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@colinization

Also, I was under the impression you were from FL-I can’t imagine Cornell has much of an alumni network down there.

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<p>It definitely exists! I don’t know if it’s particularly big, but a few kids, including myself, who applied ED to Cornell were offered alumni interviews. Also my mom, a Cornell grad, is part of a Cornell Club of the Gold Coast (non-Miami South Florida area). So yeah. I don’t know how many are part of CAAAN, but there are Cornell alumni down here. Just my two cents :).</p>

[ChandlerBing]

<p>Cornell is ubiquitous!</p>

[CayugaRed2005]

<p>

Cornell is ubiquitous!

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<p>There are a quarter of a million Cornell alumni across the globe. There are certainly a lot of alums in South Florida if the hockey team can sell out the rink in Estero every year.</p>