<p>lboss, as a local interviewer, I can confirm that prescreening does not happen in our area. For me it is more than a policy of “no prescreening.” Our region is geographically, politically, and ideologically distant from Harvard. My goals, after explaining to the interviewee that the odds of getting into Harvard are very slim for everyone, are to convey a positive message about Harvard and to celebrate the interviewee. By the time each candidate leaves the interview, I want him to believe that although he might not get into Harvard, he is an amazing person; that I as an alum representative of Harvard recognize his value; and that Harvard is a wonderful place. I feel sincere when I do this–after 20+ years of interviewing several students a year, I cannot remember one student who wasn’t remarkable, including those who had lower scores or grades.</p>
<p>Alden0611, you need to look back through this thread. All the answers to your questions are there.</p>
<p>Thanks EastGrad. I reviewed the first 12 pages of the 75, and think i found the answer to my first question - it sounds like the admissions thinks by Feb 20, applicants should’ve been contacted for interviews, and interviews can be done as late as early March. I will PM you, if you don’t mind, for a more specific question.</p>
<p>The deadline for interviews and interview reports depends on the date that the subcommittee for your region will meet to discuss applicants. I was told just last evening that the date in my region for us to get interview reports in is February 25.</p>
<p>For international students, pre screening is actually done so as much that if you get an interview for Harvard, you’re actually almost getting in.
But i speak for internationals students, India specifically!</p>
which does seem to indicate an inkling of something positivie but to say: “if you get an interview for Harvard, you’re actually almost getting in” is rather overblown, IMHO.</p>
<p>lboss…my son has tippy top scores and is top 1% of his class, but he still has not been offered an interview. I just figured we don’t have a lot of Harvard alum around here.</p>
<p>I had a second interview a couple of weeks ago - both interviews were with alumni here in London. From my research - there are quite a few threads on college confidential from previous years - I concluded that, for one reason or another, admissions simply wanted to gather more information on me. It did make me wonder, however, whether Harvard interviews are more significant than I had previously thought…<br>
Good luck with yours!</p>
<p>This is what I can gather from asking a few Harvard alumni (including interviewers):</p>
<p>Every applicant of Harvard College is given an interview regardless of where he or she is located; this includes international applicants as well. Harvard seems to be the only school that does this and is done partially to encourage applicants to consider Harvard for grad school. Most schools do not have the resources that the Harvard Alumni network has, and do heavily prescreen its interview candidates.</p>
<p>As for 2 separate alumni interviews, this might be due to one or multiple questions the admissions office has in regards to a particularly interested application. If the first interviewer could not address those questions, the admissions office might extend a second interview. Good luck lemming101!</p>
<p>MommyDearest13, give it some more time. In more remote regions it takes more time for them to set-up an alumni interview. I’ve been told of a case where an applicant was interviewed the week before admissions letters went out and got accepted.</p>
<p>“Every applicant of Harvard College is given an interview regardless of where he or she is located; this includes international applicants as well. Harvard seems to be the only school that does this and is done partially to encourage applicants to consider Harvard for grad school. Most schools do not have the resources that the Harvard Alumni network has, and do heavily prescreen its interview candidates.”</p>
<p>I was under the impression that most Ivy+ schools attempt to interview all applicants, regardless of location, without prescreening?</p>
<p>@Megamayumi: H attempts to interview everyone. This invariably fails – esp in some foreign countries. The other Ivies attempt the same. All w/o pre screening. Anecdotally, there seems to be some pre-screening of some international Harvard applicants where resources are thin. But rew’s declaration of Indian interviews = accept are probably too optimistic (post 1126)</p>
<p>@hangook: Yes, both are viewed equally i.e. both have very little impact.</p>
<p>I had an interview with my admissions officer a week ago(I’m an international applicant from India). She was an altogether adorable lady, the sort of person who could NEVER. Reject someone. We had an hour long talk and broached all sorts of tangential issues like Shahrukh Khan, our travels abroad and her year abroad.</p>
<p>“She was an altogether adorable lady, the sort of person who could NEVER Reject someone”</p>
<p>Since the decision to accept or reject does not lay with her, it does you no good. BTW: all my interviewees leave my sessions feeling great – despite the eventual decisions. That’s part of my role too.</p>
<p>Yuss that’s what I’m trying to get at. I’d always imagined Admission officers as scythe wielding, cold blooded beings. But my interview allowed me to experience the ‘humanity’ inherent in the admissions process :D</p>
<p>Adit2195, don’t confuse alumni interviewers (powerless) with adcom officers (omnipotent). Like T26E4, my goal is for all interviewees to leave the session feeling great. That doesn’t mean I’m not a scythe-wielding, cold-blooded being. Just ask my kids when it’s time to practice the piano. :)</p>