Are You Ready for A College Interview?

Since we're on the heels of college essay writing and application season, that also means that college interviews should be on your mind, any school that offers an opportunity for students to interview, a school that cares about its community. Interviews are a great way for colleges to get a true sense of a person. Being willing to share who you are and being well-prepared for an interview can give you a competitive edge in the college admissions process.

The key to a college interview is preparation. There are three types of interviews. There's the on-campus interview, one via video conferencing like Zoom, or one with an alumnus in your local area. It's always important to show your best self, and to ask questions, and share thoughts or concerns so that you could take the right steps in your educational journey.

On-campus interviews are usually conducted by admissions officers and they talk to you for 25 to 30 minutes about who you are, and they want to pick your brain a little bit about who you want to be in college. You can usually select a time on a school's website. Have a clear idea why you're thinking about that college because they're going to ask you that.

Local alumni interviews are conducted by alumni who have volunteered to conduct these interviews on behalf of the school. Alumni interviews are often common for big schools that don't have enough resources to accommodate all the applicants, so the alumni in your local town want to help you. Help them to help you.

Video conferencing is actually really new and some certain schools are using it, but I believe is going to be the wave of the future so look out for that. In regards of preparation, please, do prior research about the college. Know about the academic programs, the extracurriculars that may be important to you. Be Prepared for a 20 to 40-minute conversation.

You should always wear comfortable clothing. Business casual I think is the way to go. If you're going to wear jeans, make sure they're not ripped, but yeah, a nice polo, something that makes you comfortable. More than anything though, please be prepared. We actually have sample interview questions you should ask and may be asked on our website. So check us out at https://www.strategicadmissionsadvice.com/blog under the 12th Grade Category.