If you're going to do something, do it well

That’s our motto.  And when it comes to our program of evaluative interviews, it’s central to our decisions on what we will offer.

As blog readers know, Fletcher interviews are optional.  You may be applying to other schools that don’t offer evaluative interviews at all, or perhaps to schools that require them for admitted students.  If you’re wondering how we decided on the structure for Fletcher’s interview program, it all comes down to:  We do what we can do well.  For now, that means interviews on campus (generally in our tiny interview room) by current students and staff only.

We’re often asked (most recently on our Facebook page) about telephone interviews and alumni interviews.  The reason we don’t offer them is that, for now at least, we fear we couldn’t do them as well as we would expect them to be done.  Alumni interview programs are fantastic, and we would love to draw on our fabulous far-flung alums to interview applicants who can’t get to campus.  But ensuring continuity and consistency in a program like that, not to mention making the connection between applicant and alum, is a big job.  It’s one that we have in mind for the future, but we haven’t been able to make it happen…yet.

Similarly, a telephone interview requires an interviewer and a telephone in a private space.  Should be simple!  But our spaces all have people in them, so it generally isn’t possible.  Over time, we have found a way to arrange a few telephone interviews each year.  If you are an Early Notification applicant, you can request a telephone interview after you have submitted your application.  Most of the phone interviews will take place on a Wednesday, when we have a private space available.  Contact us after you submit your application, and the Admissions Office staff will set up a time and explain the call-in process to you.

And, we do offer a very few off-site interviews.  If a staffer has spare time during travels, or if a student interviewer can arrange to conduct some interviews during the winter break, we’ll contact prospective applicants.  (Interested?  Make sure you have connected with us, so we’ll know who and where you are!  We email in advance the applicants in the cities where we’ll be.)

So, for now, optional evaluative on-campus interviews are what we generally offer.  And I think it’s something we do very well.  Applicants have good things to say about their experience, and current students benefit, too.  We tweak the process every year, while always sticking to our motto:  If you’re going to do something, do it well.