Ace the College Admissions Interview

Many colleges offer applicants the opportunity to interview as part of the application process.  Working as I do with students throughout every stage of the college admissions process, I’ve seen students become stressed over a lot of different things, but no one aspect of applying to college seems to bring as much acute consternation as the college interview. 

While it may seem like a daunting challenge to some, acing the college interview is actually quite simple with the right preparation. I encourage my students to make sure they are “plugged in” to what a college has to offer academically and socially, while also finding out the latest trends and news on campus. When they are ready, it’s time to do some intensive mock interviewing before the date of the real deal.

Most large state schools don’t have the time or patience to even offer college interviews. It’s mainly the selective, medium-sized, and small liberal arts schools that place a great deal of emphasis on interviews.

While some colleges are moving away from interviewing, others are moving in the opposite direction. For instance, now that Wake Forest is SAT- and ACT-optional, it strongly recommends that all of its applicants interview.

Sometimes college interviews are informational, meaning they are an informal exchange of ideas and information. Yet, in most cases, and certainly in the cases of many competitive colleges and universities, these interviews are evaluative (meaning that the college is very upfront about the fact that the interviews will be looked at as just another part of the overall application). In such cases, students must be ready to present themselves as an ideal candidate for admission.

No matter the type of interview you have with a college, it's an important occasion that could help your chances of admission - so why not prepare?

Two of the most important things to know before you go into an interview:

Why do you want to go to college? And of all the colleges on Earth, why this one?

Make sure you can flatter the interviewer with a personalized answer that is unique to that college or university.

Why are you a good match for this college?

Don't ever leave an interview before you can answer this question, whether it was asked explicitly or not.

While you never want to seem arrogant, pompous, or boastful, make sure that you practice talking positively about yourself in a confident, yet not over-the-top manner.

Manners matter a lot in a college interview. You don’t want to arrive fashionably late for this appointment. You also don’t want to use slang, make excuses, memorize a speech, exaggerate, or make the mistake of sharing too much personal information. Always email or write the interviewer afterward to thank him or her for meeting with you.

It’s essentially impossible to fail an interview, but don't ever turn down the opportunity to interview. Colleges could very well use this against you.