Q: I applied single choice early action to my dream school. I just got an email from an alumna requesting an interview. I'm super excited. This a good sign, right?
A: I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but it most likely just means that they received your application. Most of the Ivy league caliber universities such as Princeton, Cornell, Brown, Stanford, and Harvard attempt to have an alumni interview every applicant.
Don't buy the sticker for the back of the car just yet!
Some of these alumni interviews are informational, and some are evaluative. So an outstanding evaluative interview may indeed help you stand out from the pack. But we have also heard many, many stories from seasoned alumni interviewers who are shocked and confused to learn that the candidates they raved about were rejected in lieu of other, less dynamic applicants. That being said, if you are offered an alumni interview, make sure you accept. Blowing it off will certainly send a message to an admission office--and not a good one!