Alumni/Volunteers
Alumni Interview Program FAQs
Overview
1. Why is Stanford offering an alumni interview?
2. Why are alumni interviews offered in only six cities?
3. What is the role of the alumni interviewer?
4. How will the alumni interview be used when making admission decisions?
5. Will a student’s application be affected if he/she does not have an interview?
Eligibility
6. Who is eligible to be an alumni interviewer?
9. I know a student who is applying to Stanford. Am I eligible to interview him/her?
Logistics
10. When will interviewing take place in the six pilot cities?
11. How many interviews do you expect each alumni interviewer to conduct?
12. How will applicants and alumni be matched?
OVAL – Outreach Volunteer Admission Link
13. What is OVAL?
15. I don’t live in an interview pilot city, should I still register for OVAL?
Contact
16. If I have additional questions, how can I contact the admission office?
1. Why is Stanford offering an alumni interview?
The Office of Undergraduate Admission has identified two compelling reasons for offering an alumni interview:
- An alumni interview offers a unique opportunity for candidates to learn about Stanford in a personal and meaningful way
- An alumni interview offers the Office of Undergraduate Admission an opportunity to learn more about candidates beyond the written application
2. Why are alumni interviews offered in only six cities?
Atlanta, Denver, London, New York City, Philadelphia and Portland are the first cohort of cities to offer an alumni interview as part of our expanded admission outreach initiative.
We selected the cities to represent a cross section of our applicant pool, alumni network and geographical area.
We limited the number of cities for purposes of evaluation, which will take place in the spring of 2009. If the program is successful, we expect to add more cities to the first cohort.
3. What is the role of the alumni interviewer?
Alumni will make initial contact with applicants and invite them to interview. After interviews are completed, alumni will submit a report, which will become part of the applicant’s file.
An alumni interview in no way supplants the role of the Office of Undergraduate Admission in making admission decisions.
4. How will the interview be used when making admission decisions?
The interview report is an additional piece of information in a candidate’s file, provides a supplementary perspective of the candidate and serves to corroborate data in the candidate’s file.
5. Will a student’s application be affected if he/she does not have an interview?
No. The alumni interview is not required even if an applicant lives in a pilot city. In addition, alumni resources are limited and while we will make every effort to offer an interview to applicants in the pilot cities, we may not be able to reach everyone.
Applicants who do not interview will not be adversely affected, and their applications will be considered complete without an interview.
6. Who is eligible to be an alumni interviewer?
Alumni interested in interviewing must live in the greater metro area of one of the six pilot cities, and they must register as an OVAL (Outreach Volunteer Alumni Link) volunteer through the Stanford Volunteer Clearinghouse.
Once registered, you’ll be in our OVAL database and will receive all communications relating to the interview program.
7. My son or daughter will be applying to Stanford in the next couple of years. Am I eligible to be an alumni interviewer?
No. If you have a child applying to college (Stanford or other) in the next two years, we ask that you suspend your OVAL volunteer activities until the application and decision process is complete.
8. My son or daughter will be applying to Stanford this year and he/she does not attend high school in an interview pilot city. Can he/she still have an alumni interview?
No. Alumni interview resources extend only to the six pilot cities. A student’s application is complete with or without an interview.
9. I know a student who is applying to Stanford. Am I eligible to interview him/her?
No. We request that if alumni are assigned a candidate they happen to know, they recuse themselves and request another candidate to interview. This policy safeguards the best interests of candidates and the University.
10. When will interviewing take place in the six pilot cities?
We will offer applicants an optional alumni interview for both Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision. Interviews for Restrictive Early Action will take place from approximately October 1 – November 20, 2008, and Regular Decision interviews from approximately January 1 – March 1, 2009.
11. How many interviews do you expect each alumni interviewer to conduct?
We estimate alumni will conduct 3 - 5 interviews over the course of the entire admission season (October – March).
12. How will applicants and alumni be matched?
For the pilot program the Office of Undergraduate Admission will identify students in the pilot cities and send their contact information to alumni. Alumni will call or email students and invite them to interview. Alumni regional chairs will check in to make sure interviews are being completed and reports filed. Interviews will be assigned based on geographical location and the number of available alumni.
13. What is OVAL?
Stanford’s OVAL – Outreach Volunteer Alumni Link – is a newly expanded initiative by the Office of Undergraduate Admission to engage alumni (and sometimes parent) volunteers in our efforts to reach and engage potential applicants. OVAL members will represent Stanford in a host of outreach activities including but not limited to the interview pilot program.
For more information see the OVAL Program Overview and FAQs.
14. I’m an OVAL volunteer and live in one of the six cities to offer an alumni interview. When can I expect to receive more details?
We expect to provide alumni interview volunteers with training and logistics details this summer. We appreciate your patience as we work through the development of this exciting new program.
15. I don’t live in an interview pilot city, should I still register for OVAL?
Yes! There are a host of other OVAL opportunities available to alumni such as representing Stanford at college fairs and regional information sessions, serving on panels, calling admitted and/or prospective students, attending/hosting admitted student receptions and attending/hosting sendoff events for admitted students who plan to enroll.
See the OVAL Program Overview and FAQs for a list of OVAL opportunities.
16. If I have additional questions, how can I contact the admission office?
Please email us at alumniadmission@stanford.edu
