Page 10 - College Guide 2017 Digital Edition

INTERVIEWS continued from page C5
interviews are really valuable in that way,” says Mary Maier, director of admission
at Haverford College, where she’s also an alumna. “What they want is a personal connection. It helps them imagine them- selves on the campus.”
Interviews are weighted differently in the admissions process from school to school. “Students always worry that we don’t value an alumni interview as much as we do an on-campus interview,” says Maier. “But they’re just as valuable to us. For many students, it just wouldn’t be possible to interview if they didn’t do an alumni interview.”
Following the interview, a volunteer alum is asked to submit an evaluation, which can range from a written essay
to bullet points with a summary of the conversation. Swarthmore asks for both a numeric rating and a written evaluation.
“We’re less concerned with the rating than the written evaluation,” says Bock.
Others, like Haverford, ask for only written answers. “Each student has differ- ent strengths and interests and is going to be able to express those differently in an application,” says Maier. “For some, the most important thing might be
the alumni interview.”
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
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