college app season is coming up! since i’ve had some experience with interviews, i thought i would throw together a post about college interviews to give all you seniors a hand and alleviate some stress
many colleges offer interviews
can be required or optional
can be conducted at the school with a student/admissions rep, or near your home with an alumni
a word of advice: if an interview is optional and you are contacted to have an interview, TAKE THE INTERVIEW–it can only help
most common type (95% of the time it will be this one)
one-on-one with a school representative
more of a Q&A about the school
not personal; can have multiple interviewees
most interviews run from 20-60 mins
however, leave ample time around your interview. all of my interviews went at least 20 mins over. but remember: length of the interview doesn’t mean anything
📑 i n i t i a l s e t - u p
first of all, if you can’t secure an interview or are not offered one, DON’T FREAK OUT. that just means the school doesn’t have enough resources to give you an interview
it will NOT count against you or your application at all
for interviews conducted on-campus, you will have to sign up for a time slot to have an interview or email the admissions office to set one up
for alumni interviews, they will contact you
respond within 24 hours if you can, and absolutely by 48 hours
respond using “Dear Mr./Ms. ______”, thank them for contacting you, tell them you look forward to the interview, schedule a time that works for both of you, and make sure you are clear on the interview location
you’ll get an email of confirmation back from them
then mark it in your calendar
research your interviewer !!! seriously, this is important
which schools they’ve gone to (undergrad & grad)
what profession they have now
anything of significance about their relationship with the school you are applying to. for example, during my Princeton interview, I brought up my interviewer’s senior thesis topic, and he said no one had brought that up to him in like 20+ years. we had a great 20 min conversation about that, plus it made me memorable
specifics! whether it be clubs, resources, traditions, classes, etc.
especially know classes, research, professors, and resources that relate to the major you intend to study
create a list of questions to ask
these should not be questions you can look up the answer to (shouldn’t be factually/statistically based)
run over your résumé or topics that could come up
research what previous interviewees have said about the format of the interview
use tumblr, college confidential, etc. BUT take everything said with a grain of salt
make sure to know the transportation route to your interview location
optional: create an elevator pitch
gals: a nice skirt and cardigan, dress with tights, nice jeans/slacks with a blouse, etc.
keep your hair out of your face!
stay away from noisy/clunky jewelry, or anything you might fidget with
guys: button-down shirt or polos with khakis or a nice pair of jeans, suit jacket and tie/bowtie, etc.
wear nice shoes (no sneakers) AND SOCKS
nonbinary/non-gender-conforming: do whatever you think is best for you! just remember to look professional and well put-together (although this rule applies to everyone)
summer/spring: lighter clothes. most likely you will be interviewing indoors, so don’t forget to bring an extra layer if necessary
fall/winter: add outerwear like tights, stockings, sweaters, etc. check the weather and bring an umbrella, hats and gloves, or snow boots if necessary
better to be overdressed than underdressed
avoid logos, graphics, and anything noisy (and please don’t wear apparel from the school–it seems “sweaty”)
use accessories sparingly
wear something classic but comfortable, that enhances your personality but doesn’t override it
a list of questions to ask the rep
phone/money/keys/bus card
***make sure you know the interviewer’s contact info and directions to the interview!
💬 d u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w
arrive 5-10 mins early to get comfortable with your surroundings
location will most likely be either a workplace (like a law/business office) or a casual setting (like a cafe)
the interviewer will meet you
make sure to shake their hand
if you are at a place like a cafe or coffee shop, you don’t need to offer to buy them anything !!! you can get yourself something if you want
they will most likely start with an open-ended question like “tell me a bit about yourself”
tell them your name, your school, some activities you do, etc.
try to tell them stuff that’s not on your application
ex: talk about upcoming internships/events/activities
from there a topic will latch on and they’ll start asking questions and transitioning
at the end, they will ask if you have any questions
sit up straight, use manners and make eye contact
ask questions–even in the middle of the interview
consider the interview a conversation
listen to and learn from your interviewer
interrupt your interviewer or get distracted
be quiet. speak. tell stories. talk!
make your answers generic
be nervous! it’s really, really hard to mess up an interview. everyone has nerves, but just remind yourself that this doesn’t really count for anything
whew! you got through it. CONGRATS !!!
within 24 hours, write them a thank you email
thank them for taking the time to interview you
make sure to mention specifics about how they were helpful! it makes you memorable
you may or may not get an email back, but that doesn’t mean anything
breathe a sigh of relief. compile notes. rest.
how much does this actually matter?
seriously, stop stressing
interviewers cannot make or break an application. having a superb interview will not boost your application by a huge amount, just like having a not-so-great interview will not doom you for all eternity
what the interview CAN do is…
help the interviewer advocate for you further
give you insight into the school
give you a chance to elaborate among things in your app
show the school you can conduct yourself gracefully in social/professional situations
give your application a boost if they are deciding between you and a similar candidate
and that’s all! i hope this post was helpful. please feel free to message me if you have any other questions or need more advice.
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