6 Tips to Help You Prep for Your College Interviews
You’ve submitted transcripts and test scores to the school of your choice, along with letters of recommendation, personal essays and more. You’ve emailed and made sure to demonstrate your interest in the school in every way possible.
Now, you have another hurdle: the admissions interview.
By the time you get to this point, it almost seems like there’s nothing left to ask about the school and nothing more to tell about yourself – but you’d be surprised. The interview is a chance for the school to see what you’re like in person, not just on paper.
The school wants to get a chance to judge your true level of interest, how well you’ve developed your interpersonal skills and your maturity level, so don’t fool yourself into believing that the interview is “optional,” (even if the school says it is). Whether your interview is about to take place on campus or over Zoom, it pays to be prepared.
What kind of questions can you expect?
Start your preparations by going through your application materials, including your personal essay. You learned a lot about the school (and probably yourself) in the process of putting all those materials together, and they can help refresh your memory before the actual interview.
Then, be ready for the following kinds of questions from your interviewer:
- “What makes you feel like this school is right for you?” Be ready to show what you know about campus life and the academic programs, and talk about what value you see yourself bringing to your class. (Remember: While you don’t want to sound like you have an inflated ego, you also don’t want to minimize your talents and ability to contribute to the school.)
- “Tell me about yourself: What makes you unique?” It’s hard to talk about yourself with a stranger, so practice answering this question with a friend or guidance counselor – but don’t make yourself crazy trying to come up with anything clever. Talk about your family, your cultural heritage and your special interests or favorite subjects.
- “What are your hobbies?” Sure, those may be in your admission papers, but elaborate on exactly why you do what you do. Does blogging help you express your passion for politics, the environment or a particular social issue? Does painting help you relax and see the world through different eyes? Be honest and genuine, so that your real personality shows through your answers.
- “What social or political topics interest you?” The school may want to know how well your ideologies fit into their social atmosphere, so be reasonably current on the major topics of concern in the news, whether that’s the environment, war in Ukraine or civil rights.
- “What questions do you have for me?” This sort of question can make your heart almost stop if you’re not ready for it. Have at least two well-considered questions ready to go, like:
- What kind of internship programs or career-placement services does the school offer?
- What are some of the qualities that make an ideal student at the school?
- Which academic programs does the school plan to develop the most in the next few years?
- What kind of support does the school offer international students?
Finally, don’t worry too much about trying to be eloquent or impressive with your responses. Ultimately, the school knows that you’re academically gifted or you wouldn’t have gotten this far, so you want the interviewer to walk away with the impression that you’re also genuine and likable – because that can help them picture you as part of their campus.