The Road to a Top College: 6 Interview Tips

If you’re stressing about a college interview, take heart: Experts say these conversations are an opportunity, not another stressor in the college application process. Think of it as a chance for both parties to get to know each other better and gauge whether there might be a possible fit.

“While an interview generally isn’t the make or break of an application, it certainly plays a role in reinforcing the candidate’s interests, experience and passions while also showcasing their knowledge of the school,” said Ian Mullane, senior mentor at Command Education. , a college admissions consulting company based in New York City.

The main types of college admissions interviews are graduate interviews and admissions officer interviews. Regardless of the interview format, Mullane emphasized that such meetings provide an opportunity to add additional insight into your candidacy beyond the personal statement, essays and resume you submitted.

In most cases, most interviews these days happen after you apply, said Cindy Chanin, founder and principal of Rainbow Education Consulting & Tutoring in Los Angeles, California. “Usually, you don’t ask for an interview — the school will contact you if they want to interview you,” she said. “Sometimes students think that if they don’t get an interview, they won’t get in.” That is not true at all.”

First, a brief primer on what to expect.

“The most common college interview will be an alumni interview, where the student will answer questions from an alumni volunteer who will later submit a report back to the school,” Mullane said. “The goal is for the report to complement your application and overall profile.”

The other type of interviews are those with admissions officers. These are less common, Mullane said.

Last but not least, informational interviews can take place at college information sessions held at your school or elsewhere. These are not something you will be graded on, but rather an opportunity for you to gain more intelligence about the institution and get a sense of what the school has to offer academically and extracurricularly. Here are some tips for each:

1. Try it until you explode

“While the college interview may be categorized as optional, we always advise our students to take advantage of this valuable opportunity,” said Laurie Kopp Weingarten, CEP, president and co-founder of One-Stop College Counseling, which specializes in the highest job. -student performer, based in Marlboro, NJ. “Engaging with a college representative through an interview allows you to convey your genuine interest in the school,” she continued, noting that doing so increases your desirability as an applicant.

That is, if you prepare. And prepare yourself. And then prepare some more.

“Practically. Prepare some key answers to potential questions and practice at home until you feel comfortable speaking naturally without notes,” said Jake Beckman, founding partner, SLB Education Consultants, in Scarsdale, NY. Beckman further commented that you should also be be sure to do your school research – nothing looks worse than looking unprepared.

Case in point: “We’ve had students say they want to study a certain major (business, engineering) at colleges that don’t offer those majors, or they can’t wait to attend football games at schools that don’t have a football team.” , Kopp Weingarten said.

Fortunately, these faux pas occurred in her firm’s mock interviews. So yeah, don’t skip a step or eight.

Mullane advised that the best way to prepare for the college interview is to anticipate questions that will most likely be asked and create answers. A good place to start is with the inevitable “Why our school?” and “Why do you want to study your major?”.

“You have to think about these questions and develop the answers to them in a Word document,” Mullane said. Next, Mullane suggested practicing giving your answers in front of a mirror in a way that sounds conversational. “I encourage students to record themselves to gauge how they sound,” he said. “Show these recordings to friends and family, asking them if it sounds like your normal self.” If the answer is no, you need to be more natural.”

For extra credit interview prep points, Mullane has another genius tip: Conduct mock interviews with individuals you don’t know. That way, you’re less comfortable, which will help simulate the actual interview with the school representative, he said.

2. Know your elevator pitch

“Be able to tell your personal story in one way or another — from your history to your academic experience to your plans for the future,” Beckman said. “You’re absolutely going to be asked about it in some way, and it’s better to know what you’re going to say before you have to say it.”

Speaking about this, Chanin said that “understanding your superpowers as a student and applicant is incredibly important to the interview process.”

That’s why she recommended thinking about these interests of yours before going to your interview. “Be excited and excited to share your ideas,” she continued, noting that the more open you are about the ideas and projects that light you up, the better an interviewer will be for you.

3. Be true to you

Be yourself. It’s a cliché for a reason.

“In a world where we can carefully craft our image on social media, authenticity is your best asset when it comes to the interview,” said Mullane. “A common mistake students make is trying to impress the interviewer by exaggerating or faking their interests because they think it will ‘sound better’.”

If asked the oh-so-common “what are your hobbies?” Q. Mullane said you shouldn’t say you’re researching Einstein’s theories or deriving Kant’s categorical imperative at your leisure. “It’s perfectly acceptable to mention your favorite Netflix show or your love of the outdoors. In fact, the more authentic the answer, the better,” he said. “Remember: most interviewers have been through the process themselves and are attuned to recognizing inauthenticity.”

4. Stay calm and polite

A few basic etiquettes go a long way. Among other common-sense formalities, Kopp Weingarten reminds prospective students to show up on time for interviews (virtual or in person), not to dress up, not to chew gum and not to bring their parents. (“Hard to imagine, but it happens,” she said.)

Then, don’t forget to email a thank you note and let them know a handwritten note is coming.

If your interview is taking place virtually, some proper protocols include charging your computer; cleaning the camera lens; turning off email notification sounds; make sure the light source is in front of you, not behind you; avoiding wearing a color that blends into the background; not having the mess behind him, Kopp Weingarten said. The college admissions guru also suggested putting a “do not disturb sign” on your door so no one walks into the room during your interview.

Remember that being polite doesn’t mean you have to look like a robot. Mullane warned that many students come off as coached when answering the questions. “While you have to repeat the questions, practice sounding natural as if you’re having a conversation,” he said, adding that for online interviews, make sure you don’t read directly from a page of notes as “it’s incredibly embarrassing and easily visible to the interviewer .”

Again, be as conversational as possible while still maintaining professional etiquette. “Don’t be afraid to play off the interviewer and interject when appropriate. If you have a question – ask!” Mullane said. “Most candidates wait until the end to ask their questions. The more natural and interactive the interview, the better.”

5. It’s not all about you

You want to show as much interest in the person interviewing you that you hope they will be interested in you. So do your research,” Chanin said. “Ask thoughtful questions that you can’t just Google. Find out where they went to college, inquire about their academic and professional lives, and inquire about the school itself. Admissions representatives are looking for interesting and interested students.”

To that point, Chanin said it’s always helpful to ask questions about the school you’re applying to, which will encourage an in-depth conversation. “For example, ask about initiatives underway at the institution, or ask about recent academic trends the admissions representative has noticed—what types of majors are students gravitating toward? Who are some exciting professors currently working at the school?” Another big question, Chanin said, is whether any new programs will be implemented over the next four years.

6. Find your connection

“Even if you don’t share an esoteric hobby with your interviewer, you likely have more in common as human beings than you think,” Chanin said. “If you find those commonalities and build on them, you’ll have a fantastic interview.”

It’s not always automatic, but don’t be discouraged.

“Like an actor, you want to pay attention and react to what the interviewer is giving you,” Chanin said. “Some interviewers won’t show much emotion. Even if they don’t give you anything to work with, talk about what pleases you with enthusiasm and humor.”