elbie wrote:
If I have already visited campus, will it matter if I interview off campus? I think it is not supposed to matter, but the tone of the email is making me reconsider. Thoughts?
Hi elbie,
Please believe me when I tell you that it does NOT matter if you interview on campus or off, especially if you have already visited. Booth encourages on campus interviews for those who have not visited the school so that they can get a chance to do so while they are there to interview.
This isn't a trick and there isn't a right or wrong answer. You will hear the advantages and disadvantages of both on campus and off campus interviews depending on who you ask. There is no one size fits all answer. People have had great alumni interviews and terrible adcom interviews and vice versa. There is no way to predict it. You could go on campus and get interviewed by a 2nd year student to whom you don't connect at all. Then you'll come back to GC and read all these stories of alumni interviews that were more like a 90 minute gabfest with a friend. Or you could interview with an alum who makes you feel like you're in front of a firing squad and wish you'd done a simple 30 minute interview with an adcom.
I know that this process is nerve wracking and you want to ensure the best outcome possible. However, in this case there is not a right or wrong answer. My roommate and I both visited campus prior to our invites and chose to interview off campus. I have other friends who came back twice and others who didn't come to campus until admit weekend. We are all Boothies now. There is no secret advantage to coming back on campus for an interview. Save the trip for Admit Weekend