acceptance calls = soft interviews? Forum

[pacifica]

Paranoid question, but I've read from a few posters on here that when some schools call you with an acceptance, before they tell you the good news, there's a bit of a soft interview that takes place first. Is that true? And if so, what's the consequence of just letting calls like that go to voicemail?

[ctmx]

I would like to know this as well

[WhiteyCakes]

Letting a call go to voicemail will never hurt you as long as your voicemail greeting is appropriate

[PDaddy]

Paranoid question, but I've read from a few posters on here that when some schools call you with an acceptance, before they tell you the good news, there's a bit of a soft interview that takes place first. Is that true? And if so, what's the consequence of just letting calls like that go to voicemail?

I can answer that one. With some schools your admission is a lock, and they just ask questions so they will know you better at orientation.

Other schools, on the other hand, may be really intent on "interviewing" you before offering the seat; there's nothing you can do about it. If the call goes to voice mail, they will instruct you to call them back and/or call again. They are either looking for specific responses - or satisfactory ones - to certain questions, and the adcom has already agreed not to offer at that particular moment if you don't answer correctly. That doesn't mean that you won't still get the seat, but it means they could frame the call as just a way of clearing up issues. They are very good at doing this. it happens when students have really complicated issues like character-fitness problems the adcom might want to delve into a bit deeper.

Sometimes the decision has been left up to the caller as to whether to offer the seat because it was a close vote. Most of the time the caller already liked you; so you're pretty much in before he/she dials your number.

There have been students who have blown the calls, so be careful.

[NCGuy]

Judging from my experiences, I'd imagine not...........

My first acceptance call came while I was stuck in traffic in New York City. My second came early in the morning while I was sleeping uncomfortably on a friend's couch.

I can't imagine that I was exactly pleasant in either situation.

[ctmx]

Paranoid question, but I've read from a few posters on here that when some schools call you with an acceptance, before they tell you the good news, there's a bit of a soft interview that takes place first. Is that true? And if so, what's the consequence of just letting calls like that go to voicemail?

I can answer that one. With some schools your admission is a lock, and they just ask questions so they will know you better at orientation.

Other schools, on the other hand, may be really intent on "interviewing" you before offering the seat; there's nothing you can do about it. If the call goes to voice mail, they will instruct you to call them back and/or call again. They are either looking for specific responses - or satisfactory ones - to certain questions, and the adcom has already agreed not to offer at that particular moment if you don't answer correctly. That doesn't mean that you won't still get the seat, but it means they could frame the call as just a way of clearing up issues. They are very good at doing this. it happens when students have really complicated issues like character-fitness problems the adcom might want to delve into a bit deeper.

Sometimes the decision has been left up to the caller as to whether to offer the seat because it was a close vote. Most of the time the caller already liked you; so you're pretty much in before he/she dials your number.

There have been students who have blown the calls, so be careful.

so the majority of the "real interviewing" before offering you a seat is for people with C&F issues/gaps on their resume?

[cahwc12]

Letting a call go to voicemail will never hurt you as long as your voicemail greeting is appropriate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sK1G3fwWAk&t=2m43s

[helix23]

Better change mine...

http://youtu.be/kq4RQsiBy2c

[NCGuy]

Removed post...