<p>I know many schools have alumini interview applicants.
Which schools use the alumni impressions to help decide who to admit? </p>
<p>I have recently learned, some schools also use alumni as state or regional school representatives.
Do these alumni have any influence over the admissions selection process? What is their role?</p>
<p>I’m sure different colleges use different systems. I’ve interviewed and recruited for my HYP alma mater since graduation. I know that my write ups are the smallest slice of the application that is considered. But I also know that I and other volunteers sometimes add texture and context that is otherwise missing from the rest of the file. My regional rep told me that last year, two applicants were on the fence due mostly to unhelpful teacher recs. They were positive but rather fomulaic – other items in the applications lined up well. The alums who interviewed these two students were extremely positive and provided lots of anecdotes for the admissions committee. These write ups were the items that nudged the committee into two offers of admission.</p>
<p>In general, the alumni writeups confirm what is in the rest of the file. Sometimes they point red flags that are otherwise missed. But it’s certainly a very subjective element in otherwise subjective process.</p>
<p>T2
Thanks for confirming that was my understanding.</p>
<p>I was surprised to learn that regional reps are alums as well not employees and don’t know exactly what their role is? Do you know?</p>
<p>Well, the title “regional rep” probably has different meanings depending on the college. My college’s “regional reps” are admissions officers and not volunteer alums. They are charged with doing the first read of all the apps from an assigned geographic area and overseeing the overall recruitment in the same. But then again, not every college can afford to have a national (or international) focus for recruitment. I can imagine a scenario where a smaller school w/o a large outreach program would rely on alums out in the field to serve as points of contact. e.g. you’re the only McAlester alum in Juneau AK. I’m sure you’d be the point of contact for anyone seeking info on the college. But they wouldn’t have any “official” role per se.</p>
<p>“e.g. you’re the only McAlester alum in Juneau AK. I’m sure you’d be the point of contact for anyone seeking info on the college. But they wouldn’t have any “official” role per se.”</p>
<p>Been there, done that - well not for McAlester and not in Juneau. But I did get to be the rep at the local college fair, and I did get to provide airport-to-airport transportation, food, and housing for a visiting admissions office rep when she came to town. I had a lot of fun with the “job”, and met a lot of great people during my “oh-yes-she’s-the-one-from-XXX-College” years.</p>