By Admissions Narrative · · MIT Alumni Admissions Interviewer
Key Takeaways
Almost always accept an optional interview — declining signals low interest and foregoes a positive opportunity
Alumni interviews take 30–60 minutes and are low-stakes relative to the potential upside
The main legitimate reason to decline: genuine geographic or scheduling impossibility
A great interview can help in close decisions; a mediocre one is usually neutral
Optional interviews are more valuable at schools that consider demonstrated interest
Almost always accept an optional college alumni interview. Accepting signals interest and professionalism and gives you a low-stakes opportunity to add a positive, human dimension to your application. The only legitimate reason to decline is genuine geographic or scheduling impossibility. A notably strong interview can help in close decisions; a mediocre but professional interview is typically neutral.
Optional interviews are almost always worth accepting. Here is the framework for thinking about it.
The Case for Accepting
An optional interview is an opportunity cost calculation. The downside of a mediocre interview at most schools is minimal — a slightly less positive impression than a strong interview. The upside of a genuinely strong interview — at a school that weighs demonstrated interest, or where your application is borderline — can be meaningful. The cost is 30–60 minutes of your time. For most students, this is a clear accept.
When to Decline
Genuine geographic impossibility — the nearest interviewer is 200 miles away and you have no reasonable way to meet them — is a legitimate reason to decline or request a virtual interview. Schedule conflicts during application crunch season are more of a reason to negotiate timing than to decline entirely. Simply feeling anxious about interviews is not a good reason to decline — the interview is a low-stakes conversation, and anxiety management is worth a small investment of effort.
Video Interviews
Many schools now offer video interviews as an alternative to in-person alumni interviews. These are equally valid from a demonstrated interest perspective and equally beneficial. Accept and prepare for them the same way you would an in-person meeting.
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Does declining an optional interview hurt your application?
Declining an optional interview is not directly penalizing in most cases, but it foregoes an opportunity to add a positive human dimension. At schools that track demonstrated interest, accepting and doing well creates a positive record; declining creates neither positive nor negative.