Interviews for college admission can be held on campus with college admission officers or in your home town with a college alumnus. In addition, an excellent way to create advocates for your admission is to conduct on-campus interviews/visits with college professors.
Below is a condensed list of recommended tasks for conducting successful admission interviews.
1. Schedule interviews on the same day as your campus visit.
2. Schedule an interview with a college admission officer at each college you visit. Be sure to write the date, time, and location of the interview on your College Visit Itinerary [pdf].
Note: If you are unable to visit a college campus, ask the admissions office to schedule an interview with an alumnus of that college who lives near you. Most colleges have this option available to students.
3. Schedule an interview with a professor who teaches classes in your intended major. Include the time and location of the interview on your College Visit Itinerary.
Note: If you don’t have a college major in mind, it is not necessary to schedule an interview with a professor.
4. Learn some facts about the colleges with which you’re interviewing and the department of your intended major.
5. If you have earned impressive grades and your student résumé looks great, make photocopies of your grade transcripts and student résumé to give to each college representative with whom you interview.
6. Review the Do’s and Don’ts of interviews. Be prepared and avoid mistakes.
7. Review the recommended strategies for admission interviews. Prepare for the first part, second part , and third part of interviews.
8. Prepare for interviews with college professors (if you have an intended major). Become familiar with the biography or résumé of the professor as well as the professor’s interests and research projects (professor biographies or résumés are usually posted on the Department’s web page). Make a list of questions to ask professors.
9. If you’re interviewing with a college admissions officer AFTER submitting your application to the college, take time to re-read your application and essays. The admissions officer may ask you specific questions about your application and you must be familiar the materials you submitted.
10. Hold practice interviews with your parents, relatives, or other adults.
11. Be sure to show good manners and courtesy to ALL college representatives you speak with BEFORE your campus visit and interview (the people you speak with on the telephone) and DURING your campus visit and interview, including secretaries/receptionists, student workers, and all persons you meet.
12. Remember to be confident, not boastful, during interviews. Use proper dress and interview etiquette.
13. At the close of each admissions interview, leave a copy of your grade transcripts and student résumé with each admissions person you interview with. Request business cards for contact information.
14. At the close of each interview with a professor, leave a copy of your grade transcripts and student résumé with them. Request a business card for contact information.
15. Send thank you cards/letters to the admission officers (or alumni) and professors with whom you interviewed.