<p>Color me appalled. Along with several other posters on this thread.</p>
<p>At the interviewer, not the interviewee. </p>
<p>I see virtually no difference between what the student <em>actually</em> said in his (her?) emails and what the OP claims s/he <em>should have</em> said.</p>
<p>I think the interviewer communicated information to the interviewee which was entirely inaccurate, and recognized none of the interviewee’s polite attempts to find mutually agreeable time and place. </p>
<p>And then, THEN, I read that the interviewer waits to see if the interviewees have sent thank-you notes before submitting write-ups to the “prestigious” school; dissing those who have not done so. </p>
<p>IMO, this interviewer has a misplaced chip on the shoulder.</p>
<p>I, too, interview for a prestigious school. I don’t claim that all of “my” candidates, whom I have supported, get accepted. That’s not my role. I think the OP is confused about hers.</p>
<p>To the OP: how many kids have you interviewed in your entire interviewing career? My e-mails sound almost EXACTLY like that, since I also do track and have other extracurricular activities. The only difference is that so far all of my interviewers gave me a specific location to go to first. Reading some of the other posts in this thread, it seems that their e-mails sound about the same too.</p>
<p>I, too, am an alum interviewer for a very selective university and have been for approx. ten years. </p>
<p>I read the OP and was trying to figure out what the problem was she had with this student. I saw NONE. </p>
<p>The interviewer offered any time and any place which put it in the student’s hands to suggest a time and place which he did. Then the student finds out that the time and place are not good. It may have been better for the interviewer to name the possible times and places if she had any constraints on her end (which she did). Also, I thought the student was reasonably polite. Salutations are more proper but the fact is that many do not use them in emails as they do in other written correspondence. I would not have thought too much of that. </p>
<p>Frankly, I phone the students who I am assigned and discuss times that work for their schedule and mutually work for me. I also tell them where I want to meet (I now meet at my home but some years met at a cafe but I chose). </p>
<p>As far as thank you notes, I have NEVER received a thank you note YET! Frankly, that is pretty poor and surprises me as both my own college kids wrote follow up thank you notes to each person who interviewed them. That said, I would NOT have in any way taken the lack of a note to influence my write up of the report (besides the fact that the note could come after the report is written). If I had, I’d have had to knock every candidate I had interviewed! </p>
<p>I can’t imagine frowning at all upon the student in that email exchange. It all seemed fine to me, given that the initial email from the interviewer was not accurate as to her parameters. I also think the time taken up by this exchange could have been much more efficient if done by phone. </p>
<p>I’d be worried if an interviewer looked negatively upon what seems to not be anything wrong on the student’s part. I feel the OP read too much into what really is not there. </p>
<p>I hope all the responses by several alum interviewers on this thread who also interview for elite colleges allays some prospective students’ fears upon reading how one interviewer took this exchange. Most of us didn’t see it in the same light. As well, I think the situation presented itself since the initial contact was inaccurate and brought on confusion.</p>
<p>Each interviewer who has contacted my son has offered a couple of dates/times upfront, in the initial email. These have generally been on the weekends, which work out well for all concerned.</p>
<p>Just looked at DS’s correspondence with one of his interviewers. (He prints this stuff out to share.) A last name was used once, by one of them. After that, their correspondence was on a first-name basis as they settled on a location and time. By the end, neither one was signing names or using greetings. Both were always quite polite and cordial. A bit informal for my tastes, but it’s who he is. On the other hand, in the four interviews he’s had (two on-campus, two locally), and the one scheduled for next week, every interviewer was under 30 – so the informality might not be viewed negatively.</p>
<p>Interviewers should remember that students can’t always access their phones during class, school activities, etc. I know my student prefers email contact so he can think through what he wants to say before returning a call/email and so he check with us to make sure his arrangements work for the rest of the family. (Of course, for an interview, we’ll make things work from our end. It’s still thoughtful on his part not to assume we’ll drop everything.) </p>
<p>Starbucks must see a big surge in sales this time of year – every local interview has been at one!</p>
<p>Northstarmom and other alum interviewers – would you be affronted if an applicant googled you in advance of an interview? We had this discussion at dinner the other night.</p>
<p>Shame on you.
annelise, you sound arrogant and out of touch with technology and email speak.
It is this sort of complete lack of professionalism that has schools like yours lose cross-admit battles.
I sincerely hope that all Brown interviewers are not like you.</p>
<p>bearpooh…this is just an INDIVIDUAL interviewer and not a reflection of how all interviewers react for any particular institution. I imagine there are others out there from all schools who form impressions in unfair ways. </p>
<p>Just so you know, I have a child at Brown. Her alum interviewer was fabulous and my D enjoyed the meeting very much. Some time after my D began at Brown, I came to meet her interviewer on CC in fact and she had joined here and started to see some similarities and we realized the connection we had unknowingly.</p>
<p>“Northstarmom and other alum interviewers – would you be affronted if an applicant googled you in advance of an interview? We had this discussion at dinner the other night.”</p>
<p>I assume that sophisticated, thoughtful students will Google me before their interview. To me, it makes sense to find out all one can about one’s interviewer. One should do the same when interviewing for jobs.</p>
<p>I also assume that the student will ask students whom I may have interviewed about me and my interview style. I think of this as common sense if one is serious about wanting to get into a college.</p>
<p>Clearly, I don’t think this kind of behavior is snoopy or over the top.</p>
<p>One of my former mentees - a 30something adult whom I’ve known since she was a h.s. senior – called me recently to find out what I knew about a Harvard fellowship that she had applied for. Before being interviewed, she was contacting everyone she knew who may have had helpful info.</p>
<p>She learned this when I did the same for a prestigious fellowship that I got about a dozen years ago.</p>
<p>I am delighted to say that she got the fellowship!</p>
<p>Yes, getting as much info as possible – including about interviewers – is what people do who who are assertive about opportunities.</p>
<p>This also means that students should read college’s web sites before their interviews.</p>
<p>You made me jump over to google to figure out PWNT. In the assumption that 95% of the readers of this BB don’t know the meaning, here it is –</p>
<ol>
<li>pwnt<br></li>
</ol>
<p>Severely schooled. </p>
<p>Past tense of “pwn”. (I disagree with the pronunciation, it should be “own’t”. The P (being next to the O on a keyboard) is an intentional typo. </p>
<p>I am positive “pwnt” is pretty common nowadays, as games such as CS and WoW have pervaded through society and whatnot. Willing to bet that at alpha = .01, null hypothesis will be rejected.</p>
<p>KnightMair, it depends on how old you are. Since many of us who frequent these forums are parents, and not everyone plays on-line games like CS (don’t know what that one is) or WoW (finally know what that one is), it’s not unusual that we don’t know what some of these “common” abbreviations are. I, for one, thank DunninLA for that definition! I had a vague idea from the context, but now I know!</p>
<p>So for some more information regarding “pwnt”:</p>
<p>Derivatives from “own” include “pwn” (often preceded by “teh”), “pwnage”, “pwnz0rs”, etc. Each of the preceding can have the leading “p” replaced by an “o”. Furthermore, each of the preceding can be expressed in leetspeak though that’s not always the fastest form of communication in-game. </p>
<p>i r t3h PWNZZZZZZZZ0RS!</p>
<p>And in that blaze of glory I’m unsubscribing from this thread. Thanks to everyone for their input regarding college admissions interviews.</p>
<p>Yes, and the internet can allow us to read rudeness, disrespect, etc. when none is intended.</p>
<p>However, I think the student should have indicated that the interview was a greater priority. “I guess I could” is not the language that communicates enthusiasm. That said, this kind of politeness must be taught, and it really is external, and perhaps not as important as we sometimes feel it is.</p>
<p>However, those who are taught how to have the appropriate pubic face at all times are at an advantage.</p>
<p>Is it okay to send a thank-you e-mail? In some cases, I’ve gotten a home or business address from an interviewer, but other times I only have an e-mail. Plus, if you are being interviewed by someone that it is pretty evident does not have a business card (like a stay-at-home mom or retired person), it is kind of awkward to ask for their address at the interview. Thoughts?</p>
<p>DS has always sent interview thank-you notes via email. Not a problem. Interviewers may not want to give out home addresses, etc. so if that’s how you corresponded with the interviewer in setting things up, I see no problem in emailing a thank-you.</p>
<p>Just be sure you use the interviewer’s name, honorific, and write with a touch of formality. ;)</p>
<p>I don’t see what’s so wrong with the applicant’s response… Rather, I think it was the interviewer that was off-base. I hope I don’t get him/her for my Brown interview</p>