Interview Horror Stories
In the spirit of Halloween, how about a couple of H/W Interview horror stories?
Interview horror stories for applicant are any interviews which devolve into bad karma, and thus a ding, over 1. dynamic that could have been avoided (those are most painful), or 2. b.c. interviewer as a-hole, which happens about 10 percent of time w. adcom and 15 percent of time w. alums. I’m talking just unfair and stupid, not colorful in way you dont like. E.g. alum was having bad day at work, only interviewed you for 20 min, was rushed, distracted, did not listen to answers. Interview takes place at crowed Starbucks, always a bad idea,and interviewer spent 30 minutes ogling folks at next table, while you are spieling out intimate details of your life. Interviewer spends time ogling you also happens, and if really overt and distracting, should be reported. Interviews arranged at dinners, at alums house, etc. –all of which happen–are fertile grounds for instability and problems, but not bad per se. Many famous alums do interviews at their trophy houses just to show off, but are otherwise straight shooters, if that is the case, just enjoy the view. IMPT ADVICE AMID SEMI JOKEY QUESTION: IF YOU HAVE UNFAIR, ODD, DISTRACTED INTERVIEW [VS. JUST BAD ONE] AND CAN DOCUMENT IT, REQUEST A NEW INTERVIEW AND WRITE UP WHAT HAPPENED. ASAP. W.IN NEXT 2 DAYS, AS SOON AS YOU CALM DOWN. ESP. AT WHARTON, WHERE JERKY 2ND YEARS AND NUTTY ALUMS OFTEN DO ACT UNFAIRLY. WHARTON ADCOM ACTUALLY IS WILLING TO LISTEN TO BAD INTERVIEW STORIES AND ARRANGE 2ND INTERVIEWS AS DOWN AND DIRTY QUALITY CONTROL FOR THEIR “CHEAPO” ADMISSIONS STAFF OF STUDENTS AND ALUMS. [WHARTON ALSO DOES MORE INTERVIEWS PERIOD, SO MORE HORROR STORIES].
More conventional horror stories include getting mugged on way to interivew, auto accident, etc. etc. If that happens, you may have a silly and heroic urge to soldier thru and try to make the interview. I’ve seen this happen w. mixed results. DO NOT DO THAT. CANCEL AND COME BACK ANOTHER DAY. ADCOM WILL FULLY CO-OPERATE, EVEN IF YOU ARE REPORTING MINOR ACCIDENT ETC. ALWAYS ARRANGE TO HAVE EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER OF ALUM INTERVIEWER FOR JUST SUCH AN OCCURENCE. AND GIVE ALUM YOURS. AND ALWAYS HAVE ADCOM HQ PHONE NUMBER AS WELL.
