College Interview Questions

Many colleges offer or require personal interviews for all applicants. The reason they do this is to get a better picture of you as an applicant and a well-rounded human being. The admissions staff can only learn a little bit about you from your application, and the interview is a way for them to find out more about you as a person. The good news is that this can benefit you if you are well prepared, because the college can see you as an intelligent, thoughtful, and charismatic person instead of just the sum of your GPA and test scores.

Questions you may be asked:

Why do you want to go to this school?

This is a question that almost every interviewer will ask. They want to know that you are serious about your interesting in the school and have done your research. When I was on my college tours, I always made sure to do at least a brief overview of their catalog before going into the interview. Point to at least one specific thing that the catalog advertises that is appealing to you, whether it is small class sizes or particular professors, or the type of majors offered. The more specific you can be about what appeals to you about that particular school, the better.

What would you add to the community here?

This is your opportunity to point out your strengths and make yourself look good. However, it is important not to cross the line into bragging and sounding too self-important. A good thing to do before the interview is to ask your friends and family what they see as your biggest strengths. Pick between one and three of those and explain them to your interviewer. Make sure to be honest; if you do not contribute a lot to class discussion, don't say that you do. Instead, explain how you like to be involved in campus clubs and organizations, or how you are great at research and would love to become a research assistant.

What are you considering majoring in?

If you do not have any idea what you plan to major in, that is fine. Tell your interviewer about your different interests and say that you will need to explore the fields further through different classes before you can make a decision. Make sure you have checked out what majors the school offers before you answer this question. If you say you want to major in ancient history and the college does not offer that major, it will not look good.

What other colleges are you considering?

This is another question where honesty is good. If you try to look impressive by saying you are only considering the ivy league colleges, it will look like you either do not take this college seriously, or that you are lying and trying to look impressive. The interviewer is probably asking this question to get a feel of what you are looking for in a college. They want to know if you are looking at only small college or big universities, or if you are looking at colleges that have particular types f programs.

What is your favorite class in school?

Similar to asking what you plan to major in, this is a way for the interviewer to find out your academic interests. But they will also be interested in why a particular class is your favorite. Did you like it because it was easy, or because it challenged you intellectually? Was it the subject matter or the teacher that impressed you the most? Make sure to think about the specific things about that class that made it so great for you.

Is there anything on your transcript that might surprise us?

This may seem like an embarrassing question, but it is actually a great opportunity for you to explain what might look like a blot on your otherwise good transcript. If there is a good reason that your grades were lower in a particular class or during a particular semester, you now have the opportunity to explain the situation to the college. When I was interviewing at colleges, I explained to them that my grade in Algebra 2/ Trigonometry was lower than all my other grades because, while math is not my strong point I had done very well in geometry. My grades in geometry had qualified me to be in the advanced Algebra 2 class, when I really should have been in the regular one. The interviewers all told me that it was good to explain the situation and made a note so that they could take that into account when going over my transcript. A long illness, the death of a close family member, or any other legitimate explanation can help the college better understand the story of your transcript.

What extra curricular activities are you involved in?

Your interviewer might ask you this question so that they can get a better understand of the type of person you are outside the classroom. They will be looking for passion and interest, so try to muster up some excitement when explaining your extra curricular activities. You don't have to stick to only the activities you put on your application. If you have a strong interest in literature and read a lot of books outside the classroom, let your interviewer know. I told my interviewers about how I like to go on bicycle trips with my mom, and in several interviews the interviewers were really interested in the trips and we spent a pretty long time on the subject.

What are you planning to do this summer?

This is another way for your interviewer to get to know you as a person, but also to find out if you really have passions that you intend to pursue or if you just intend to be lazy once you find out what colleges you have gotten into. If you do not have any solid plans for the summer, then explain a few of the things you are considering.

Is there anything you would like to add?

This question is great, especially if the interviewer did not ask one of the questions above. If there is anything you want the interviewer to know about you, this is your opportunity to tell them. If there is nothing you can think of to add, simply reiterate your interest in the college.

Do you have any questions for me?

Almost every interviewer asks this question. The worst answer to this question is no, because it shows that you are not very interested. If they have truly covered everything then explain that they were very thorough and already answered everything that came to mind. It is also a good idea to ask for a business card in case you have any questions later. The card will also come in handy when you are writing thank you notes after the interview.

Tips for Being Prepared

There are several things you can do to prepare for your interview and give the best impression possible. Make sure you show up to the interview clean and well dressed. You do not need to be fancy, but don't wear your old torn up jeans.

The most important thing is to be yourself. If you try to put on a show, it will come off looking pretentious and insincere. The interviewer really just wants to get to know you. It is fine to be nervous. They expect you will probably be a bit nervous since most other interviewees are nervous as well. Just make sure to be polite, shake hands with your interviewer, and smile.

After the interview is over, write your interviewer a short thank you note. It can be very direct and to the point, just let them know that you appreciate that they took the time to interview you. Try to send it as soon as possible, so that the college will see that you are a thoughtful and conscientious person.

College interviews do not need to be a scary experience. As long as you come prepared and let the interviewer see who you are, it will likely go very smoothly.

Sources:

Personal Experience