Alumni/Volunteers
Alumni Interview Program FAQs
Overview
1. Why is Stanford offering an alumni interview?
2. Where are alumni interviews offered?
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?
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 area, 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. Where are alumni interviews offered?
Atlanta, Denver, London, Massachusetts, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, OR, and Raleigh/Durham are currently part of a pilot program to offer an alumni interview as part of our expanded admission outreach initiative.
We selected these areas to represent a cross section of our applicant pool, alumni network and geographical area.
We limited the number of pilot areas for purposes of evaluation, which will take place following the close of the admission cycle. If the program is successful, we expect to add more areas in the future.
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 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 area. In addition, alumni resources are limited and while we will make every effort to offer an interview to applicants in the pilot areas, 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 interview areas, 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 your child is a high school junior or senior (regardless of whether he/she plans to apply to Stanford), 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 area. Can he/she still have an alumni interview?
No. Alumni interview resources extend only to the areas. 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 require 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?
We will offer applicants in the selected area san 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, and Regular Decision interviews from approximately January 1 – February 20.
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 – February).
12. How will applicants and alumni be matched?
The Office of Undergraduate Admission and regional alumni leaders will identify students in the interview areas and send their contact information to alumni. Alumni will call or email students and invite them to interview. 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 an 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 areas 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. Registered OVAL members will receive updates via email.
15. I don’t live in an interview area, 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
