open file vs closed file

[dooley11]

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Someone posted this like 6 years ago:

Closed file - The interviewers have/have not read your file and will not look at it during the interview.

Open file - The interviewers have/have not read your file and will continuously thumb through the thing throughout the interview.

Moral - Depending on the school, you never know if they have actually read your file (which really sucks in some instances).

Is this all true??? I thought interviewers ALWAYS read your file before the interview.. How do you prepare each?

 

[hail2pitt]

Some are strictly closed (I just received an email from one of places I'm interviewing at that this is the case) and some are semi closed... the one interview I had a couple months ago, my interviewer had seen my personal statement and activities but didn't know my grades.

I'd say you prepare for both the same way. Some schools won't even tell you beforehand if the interview is closed/open (I guess you could find out from SDN though).

 

[herkulease]

the best thing to do is assume they read your file.

Think of Open file/closed file like being tests.

open book(open file) test, you might know some things but can reference things. closed book you have to go with what you read can't reference things or its completely blind

Each school obviously does it different. student interviewers may only be granted access to your personal statement or just basic info about you, while staff members get the full details like grades/scores etc.

Unless you stretched the truth on your file, IMO there really isn't anything you should do differently to prep for interview. You should know your file inside and out.