College Admissions Interview Tips

When filling out your college applications, one of the most important tasks you will have is writing your college essays. The essays introduce you to college admissions officers and may make or break your admission process. After writing an essay, it is common to feel lost, as if your responses may not make sense or may be missing elements that make your essay excellent. Admissions interviews are your chance to detail your college applications further and interject any additional elements your entrance officers may have missed.

College admissions interview is becoming more and more common. Many colleges have opt-in requirements when it comes to the interview process, but more and more schools also demand interviews. However, before the discussion, you should prepare by thinking strategically about the questions they might ask and practicing your interview skills. Here are a few tips to help you get more comfortable with the interview process and wow the interviewer.

As colleges begin accepting applications and the competition for a spot in their prestigious schools becomes harsher, preparing for an interview is a must. The college entry interview is a sort of “mini-interview” that the school conducts to get to know you better and assess your level of interest in attending their school. 

College entrance interviews are intimidating, but that shouldn’t stop you from attending yours. An admission interview aims to gauge your scholastic aptitude and determine whether you will benefit from the college, so let’s put those nerves aside and tackle the interview.

Tips For Successful College Interviews

Research About the School.

The college search process can seem daunting, which is why many students turn to online schools to get their degrees. Many online college programs give you the flexibility to study on your own time. You can even complete your course from anywhere you have an Internet connection. However, it’s important to research the school to make sure it will be right for you. For example, if you’re considering an online medical program, it’s best to check to see if you already have a background in science. If not, you may need to take several biology or anatomy courses first. 

Prepare Ahead of Time. 

It’s that time of year again. The days are shorter, the weather is relaxed, and the holidays are almost here. And if you’re like most people, you’ll spend more time with family and friends or even with yourself and less time boiling in the kitchen. That means you’ll get more time to make sure you have some tips up your sleeve for those interview moments. The tips may help you to be ahead of time so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time preparing for the interview.

Present Yourself Well.

You probably don’t spend too much time thinking about your appearance, but appearance matters. You may be surprised by how much others see when they look at you. They may form opinions based on the way you dress, your haircut, your shoes, and your general appearance. This means you need to present yourself well, especially in terms of the way you dress.

Bring a Resume or Activity List.

Going to any interview is usually stressful, but you can also do things to make it easier for yourself. Bring a printed copy of your resume or a list of internships you’ve held, along with copies of any certificates or awards you earned. If you’re interviewing for a specific course, bring your mark sheets. That way, the interviewer can see what you’ve done and how suitable you can be for the course, and the mark sheets can help give the interviewer a better idea of your interest. Show your enthusiasm and energy.

Speak For at least a Minute or Two After Each Question.

The questions ranged from where they got their drivers’ licenses to their height, weight, and age. And just as they expected, everyone had a special story behind their license. The student talked about how he nearly crashed into another driver at a stop light when he took his first driving lesson. “I told her I was terrible, that I couldn’t drive. But she made me stay in the car and taught me how to reverse. She also taught me how to parallel park,” he explained. “She made me very comfortable in driving”. 

College interviews can be nerve-wracking. Your GPA, test scores, and essays are all great, but truly no piece of information or an impressive set of numbers can entirely prepare you for the college admissions interview. While you can’t very well prepare for every question, there are some things you can do to ace it. Read up on common questions so that you are prepared. Research your interviewers so that you don’t sound out of place. And practice your answers, just like you practiced the essays, so that you are comfortable answering and do not feel out of your element.