Interviews are often part of the admissions process for many colleges and universities. While they rarely are the deciding factor of a prospective student’s admission status, interviews are important for supplementing or further explaining your college application essay, as well as an opportunity to tease out further information about the college itself.
Prepare answers to common interview questions.
Interviews vary according to each school. Admissions counselor can give you some general information about what to expect before you arrive. At some schools, you will simply interview with an admissions officer or faculty member; other schools may have a group of two to three people asking questions. Regardless of how many people are there, most interviews consist of a similar set of questions.
The purpose of interviews is to better understand students’ personalities, academic experiences, and expectations. Preparation can help prospective students relieve any nervousness or anxiety they may feel. By practicing responses to some common questions, interviewees can increase their confidence by outlining how they wish to approach certain prompts. Be careful however to not memorize responses; you want to sound natural and conversational. Common questions include:
- “Why do you want to attend this institution?”
With this question, interviewers want to know how enthusiastic you are about their college. Have you done some general research about the school? Discuss what you like about the school as it will, quite literally, be your home for the next few years. This is also the time to show what you can bring to the table as an individual. How will you make the school better?
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“What words best describe you?”
Interviewers are trying to see how eloquent you are at describing yourself. Be self-assured and reflective but not arrogant. Rather than end your response with simply the words you decided upon, elaborate a little on how you reached your choices and the reasons behind them. Interviewers may also ask you to expound upon your strengths and weaknesses.
Interviewers may also ask you questions about the activities that you enjoy or other interests. They want to get to know you better and gauge where your priorities are. The purpose of these questions is to lead you into a discussion about the opportunities that the school offers and how you can use them to your advantage in achieving your goals. Successful answers show them that you have drive and a plan for what you might want to do. If you don’t have a specific major or academic track in mind, discuss how the college or university will allow to experiment and discover exactly what your knack is.
Practice with mock interviews.
Mock interviews with your friends or family will give you a good sense of the interview dynamic. The Princeton Review recommends scheduling interviews for the schools you prefer less before others. That way, those interviews can be used as practice for interviews at colleges or universities on the top of your preference list.
Dress up.
On the day of the interview, dress professionally. Business casual or business attire is your best bet if unsure of what to wear. Arrive early and allow time for you to find your way across campus. Becoming lost isn’t an especially good excuse for arriving late. Be polite and be yourself during the interview. Be sure and remember who interviewed you. Afterward, send a thank you note or email to them expressing enthusiasm and gratitude for the interview. Your admissions counselor can help you get in touch with these individuals if you are unsure how.
