How many of your parents actually come to interviews?

[danxdan]

---

Members do not see this ad.

My mom really wants to go with me but I feel that she shouldn't, even though they say you are allowed to bring people. What do you guys think?

 

[JMU07]

I'd say the vast majority of interviewers I see at SCO have parents with them. I brought my husband with me. They really don't care either way!

 

[Commando303]

I don't know why it would matter -- it's not as if your parents (or any guests you bring) will be with you in the actual interview; at most, the person might join you during the tour. Of course, you ought to confirm with the school you're visiting that guests are permitted (for instance, will the office be all right with accommodating them for an hour or so?).

 

[lkg2837]

Double check with the school if guests are allowed, and feel out their response. I know I definitely didn't want my parents with me, and I didn't see anyone with guests when I interviewed at SUNY, OSU, or Berkeley.

 

[lovelydisaster]

Your mom can probably come with you for the financial aid, tour of the school, questions/answers part of the interview day.. but as far as the interview itself goes, you might want to go solo on that one! 😉 As always, do what you feel is most comfortable. If having your mom there would make you really nervous, ask her (nicely) to sit out on this one, but you will definitely bring her on a tour, etc at a later date. Good luck!!

 

[QueenieCSS]

Unless you parent is planning on funding some of your education (in which case it probably makes a difference to them) I say to leave them at home for the interview day.

We are going to professional school and you should be able to do the interview day on your own. I used to work in an graduate business admissions office and I always thought it was a bit strange when people brought their parents along. I have also seen a few parents take over question asking on the interview day and I feel like you should be the one taking the lead on that. Not all parents do that but I have seen plenty of ones that do and then tend to overshadow the applicant.

That being said if you don't want to go far away from home on your own I don't see any issue with the coming to the city with you and either staying in the hotel or going to do something else while you interview.

But you don't have to agree with me - lots of people don't - every interview I went to had a decent amount of parents along with their children. I even had someone's mom ask me if I felt lonely without my mom. I told her I was a grown up and could handle the day on my own just fine.

 

[hurricaneuro]

I really don't think it matters. I was alone at OSU and NOVA because my parents are not local, but my dad came with me to SUNY cause he works in New York. It was nice to have him there while I waited 🙂

 

[Commando303]

Unless you parent is planning on funding some of your education (in which case it probably makes a difference to them) I say to leave them at home for the interview day.

We are going to professional school and you should be able to do the interview day on your own. I used to work in an graduate business admissions office and I always thought it was a bit strange when people brought their parents along. I have also seen a few parents take over question asking on the interview day and I feel like you should be the one taking the lead on that. Not all parents do that but I have seen plenty of ones that do and then tend to overshadow the applicant.

That being said if you don't want to go far away from home on your own I don't see any issue with the coming to the city with you and either staying in the hotel or going to do something else while you interview.

But you don't have to agree with me - lots of people don't - every interview I went to had a decent amount of parents along with their children. I even had someone's mom ask me if I felt lonely without my mom. I told her I was a grown up and could handle the day on my own just fine.

Do you mean you observed parents' sitting on an actual interviews with their children? If I were an interviewer and that happened, I think I'd be immediately turned off by the applicant; we're not talking about being audited to join the Mickey Mouse Club. No matter how close you are to your family, I feel it's ridiculous to walk in to a graduate-school interview (i.e., not to a supplement such as a tour or a discussion of financial planning, but to the actual interview) with anyone.

 

[yyk]

went alone for all three of mine, i sure felt more accomplished considering i planned the long trip and made it through 😀

but of course, i can see why you should bring her along if she were to take part in funding your education.

 

[JMU07]

Do you mean you observed parents' sitting on an actual interviews with their children? If I were an interviewer and that happened, I think I'd be immediately turned off by the applicant; we're not talking about being audited to join the Mickey Mouse Club. No matter how close you are to your family, I feel it's ridiculous to walk in to a graduate-school interview (i.e., not to a supplement such as a tour or a discussion of financial planning, but to the actual interview) with anyone.

I don't think any schools allow people to sit in on the actual interview. I would be really surprised if I was wrong about this.

 

[QueenieCSS]

Do you mean you observed parents' sitting on an actual interviews with their children?

Not at optometry school but when I was working at a business school I saw a parent TRY to sit in on the actual interview. The interviewer had to tell them they could wait outside. I was floored. It didn't really help their application...

But I was more referencing some of the questions I have heard parents ask on tours, information panels, lunch sessions, etc. I think that they probably mean well (as all parents do) but it really is not helpful when the parent is doing all of the talking and no one else gets a chance to ask questions. Including other applicants.

 

[NorthernStar13]

I understand that parents and spouses want to check out the school along with the applicant, however I feel as if it makes you look more dependent upon others. The interviews that I had only had one person tag along that was not an applicant, and the dad that came with seemed to shadow us everywhere. His daughter did not make any real connections with the other applicants because she had to tend to him all day long. By the end of the day we exchanged phone numbers and were talking about how fun it would be to attend the school, however the one girl did not join us in our excitement. Having a guest hinders your ability to make connections with the admissions staff, current students, and fellow applicants.

Once you get accepted into the program, then you should go to the school with your parent(s) or spouse to make a final decision. Do not get me wrong, I think it is absolutely crucial that you involve your loved ones in the decision process. However, I feel it is unnecessary to bring them along on the interview because it diverts attention to what the day it really trying to accomplish.

 

[zyg0te]

I understand that parents and spouses want to check out the school along with the applicant, however I feel as if it makes you look more dependent upon others. The interviews that I had only had one person tag along that was not an applicant, and the dad that came with seemed to shadow us everywhere. His daughter did not make any real connections with the other applicants because she had to tend to him all day long. By the end of the day we exchanged phone numbers and were talking about how fun it would be to attend the school, however the one girl did not join us in our excitement. Having a guest hinders your ability to make connections with the admissions staff, current students, and fellow applicants.

Once you get accepted into the program, then you should go to the school with your parent(s) or spouse to make a final decision. Do not get me wrong, I think it is absolutely crucial that you involve your loved ones in the decision process. However, I feel it is unnecessary to bring them along on the interview because it diverts attention to what the day it really trying to accomplish.

Although I kind of agree with most of the other points, I do not believe bringing someone along on the interview makes you look dependent. I really don't think adcom would care, especially if they specifically ask you if you'd like to bring along a guest.

The purpose of an interview is for you to get to know the school and the school to get to know you. You need to be the best judge of how bringing another person along will affect that. For me, I know I could bring someone along with me to the interview and still be confident enough to ask questions and interact with the other people.

 

[acetabulum7]

Be blessed to have parental support.