The importance of the college admissions interview and how to ace it

April 7, 4:12 PMLA College Bound ExaminerEllen Richards

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the LA College Bound Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

So you've been asked to interview at the college of your dreams? Great. Or is it? A college interview offers applicants an opportunity to personalize the application.  Meeting in person and wowing an admissions officer with a compelling personality will prove that the applicant will add a positive dynamic to the campus.  Proof of how a student will participate in class, interact with classmates and forge ahead with new ideas for on-campus organizations may qualify a student for admission much more than a test score or GPA. During the college interview the applicant learns more about the school in addition to putting a name to a face. An interview – in most cases – will “seal the deal”.  Of course, sometimes this can be for the better and others it is for the worse. 

College interviews vary as greatly as colleges do, and the particulars might find you interviewing with an admissions officer, a current student, or an alumnus. Sometimes schools have very informal interviews that resemble group information sessions with a question and answer session afterwards. Even individual interviews can be “informational” or “evaluative”.  The latter are the ones that count in the admissions process. 

No matter what, during an interview the applicant must serve as their own best advocate. If you do not adequately represent yourself, then who will? Following are a few tips to remember during an interview: 

Be yourself. The is the most important advice in the entire admissions process. Do not memorize a speech that you think people might "want to hear” - make yourself appealing and not robot-like. Remember to stay professional, but not stiff.  

Know the school. Study the information about the school. Make sure you know that the school has an MBA program before you ask the dean of admissions how about the competitiveness of the MBA program. This benefits you in two ways: you learn about the college and you can ask informed questions during the interview. 

Review your application materials. Make sure that if you wrote about learning how to ride a horse in your application essay, that you actually do know how to ride a horse in case the person you are interviewing with happens to be a big equestrian.  

Be prepared to answer and ask questions.  Be sure to prepare for questions that identify key topics or experiences that are important to you. Consider some of your favorite experiences, activities or plans. If you've identified your own "hit list," you'll easily recall them when asked. In addition, use your "hit list" to ask the interviewer questions about the campus, classes, and their experiences at the school. This makes the interview a learning experience for you, shows that you are interested in learning more about the school, and sets the tone for a conversation rather than a question and answer session. 

Set yourself up for success. Prepare yourself just as you would for a job interview: dress properly, do not use excessive slang or profanity, hold yourself with dignity and never be late!

Follow up. As the interview concludes, firmly shake interviewer’s hand and thank them for their time.  Mail a follow up thank you card and include an anecdote that will remind the interviewer about you.  This small gesture can set you apart.