As you refine your college list and consider which institutions to visit, you might wonder about the college interview process: Which colleges offer interviews? When do the interviews take place? What role do these interviews serve? In this post, we’ll detail the role and process of interviews for undergraduate academic programs. (This does not include honors programs or combined undergraduate/graduate programs, like a BS/MD.)

Role of College Interviews

Admissions have become more competitive and selective. As a result, colleges have been giving more weight than ever before to application components in which students can personalize and differentiate themselves. While grades, rigor of curriculum, and test scores remain the most important factors in admissions decisions, ~13% of colleges attribute considerable or moderate importance to the role of interviews, according to the most recent NACAC State of College Admission Report (published in 2023). This is especially true for smaller and private institutions.

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 Colleges value interviews, because they provide one-on-one interactions with applicants. Interviews are a way for colleges to get to know you outside your grades and scores—to understand you authentically and holistically. What is your personality like? What are your passions? Will you be a good fit for their culture and values?

Interviews are an excellent opportunity to discuss your interests in more detail than on your application. For the more than 1,000 colleges that accept the Common Application, the Activity Sheet restricts descriptions of each activity’s responsibilities to 150 characters of explanation, and not all colleges allow you to include a resume.

Where?

Interviews can be held on campus or with a regional alumni interviewer in your community either in-person or virtually. Before the pandemic, colleges were already starting to reduce the availability of on-campus interviews, due to the increased numbers of applicants, lack of available staff, and desire to make the interview process more equitable (students who cannot afford to travel would be at a disadvantage). The impact of Covid reinforced this trend even more. Interviews with local alumni are now the more common – and accessible – alternative. Alumni interviews may be held in-person in a public place geographically convenient to you, or they may be held remotely as a phone call or Zoom.

Interviews are a critical way to demonstrate interest in your colleges, so if you receive an interview invitation, it is recommended that you take advantage of the opportunity if it is financially and logistically feasible.

When?

The best time to interview is in the late summer or fall, after you have completed most of your college visits. You will then have a better idea of the features that are important to you in colleges, as well as the aspects of each school that appeal most to you. Mention these in your interview! The more specific you are, the more you’ll justify your assertion that a particular school is a great fit for you.

On-Campus Interviews

If a college offers an on-campus interview and it’s feasible for you to travel there, take advantage of this excellent way to demonstrate interest. Check to see if the school requires that you register in advance, and if so, be sure to register in a timely manner. We advise that you participate in interviews for your top-choice schools, as well as the colleges that are located close to you.

Alumni Interviews

Many colleges offer alumni interviews, which are initiated by the school when students submit their application. The regional admissions officer will contact the student either by email or phone call to schedule the interview. The interviews typically occur in public places, such as a coffee shop or the local library, or by telephone or Zoom.

It’s possible that a school you’re applying to will not have enough alumni interviewers to arrange conversations with every applicant, but don’t worry about this! Harvard, for example, states on its website that “Your application is considered complete without an interview and will receive a full and thorough evaluation”; Dartmouth, UPenn, Duke, and many other schools say the same.

Student Responsibilities

Once your college list is finalized, take the initiative to do the following:

  • Check all of your colleges’ websites for current interview policies
  • Keep track of the interview policies in a Word or Excel document
  • Schedule interviews, if applicable

Pay careful attention to the fine print! For example, if Duke does not offer you an alumni interview after your application is submitted, you are welcome to send them a Glimpse video (a 60-90 second self-recorded video sharing more information about yourself) in place of the interview. It is important to demonstrate your interest to the schools of your choice by showing you have thoroughly researched their admissions policies.

Examples of College Interview Policies for Selected Schools:

Interviews BEFORE Application is Submitted

Schools that no longer conduct interviews but accept an optional self-recorded video profile submission with application:

Schools that offer a virtual interview OR accept a self-recorded video profile submission:

  • Wake Forest (if a student wishes to request a virtual interview, the request must be made within 5 days of submitting their application)

Schools that offer in-person AND virtual interviews upon request:

Schools that offer interviews with current students and/or alumni upon request:

Interviews AFTER Application is Submitted

Schools that require interviews:

  • Georgetown (Interview is required unless there are no alumni available to conduct interviews in a particular geographic region. Students are matched with an interviewer in their area and given an e-mail with their contact information. It is the responsibility of the student to contact their interviewer to set up the meeting.)

Schools that may invite applicants to interview with a regional alumni volunteer (in-person or virtual):

Schools that let applicants request interviews:

  • Tufts (interview conducted by alumni or student volunteer)

Schools that only require interviews for admission to certain programs:

  • Cornell (Video interview required only for the Architecture program within the College of Architecture, Art and Planning)

NO Interviews Offered

Schools that do not offer any interviews as part of the admissions process:

Schools that accept Interviews from InitialView or Vericant for international applicants:

How to Prepare for the Interview

Research, research, research! The most important preparation you can do is to thoroughly research the college. What academic programs interest you and why? Which clubs and organizations would you join? What aspects of the college culture appeal to you? Be prepared to discuss specific features of each particular college that are a good fit for you.

Reflect on yourself—who are you now and who do you wish to become? What courses have you enjoyed the most? What are your passions? How have you chosen to spend your time outside of academics? What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses? Who has influenced you the most? What are your values? What are your goals for college and beyond? Reflecting on these questions now will help you answer them thoughtfully and substantively on the day of your interview.

In sum, include specifics about both yourself and the college. To do this effectively, it is especially important to bring your points to life through anecdotes and examples. You should also come prepared with questions to ask your interviewer when you’re invited to do so.

Arrange for a mock interview with an experienced interviewer and ask for constructive critique. You can also look up common interview questions and practice saying the answers out loud to yourself and/or to a trusted friend.

Tips for Interview Day

  • Dress neatly, comfortably, and professionally.
  • Plan to arrive a few minutes early to make sure that you will be on time.
  • Treat everyone you meet during the interview and application process with respect.
  • Address your interviewer by name at the beginning and end of the interview.
  • Make eye contact.
  • Think before you speak. It’s fine to pause.
  • Be an active participant in your interview. Demonstrate your listening skills, flexibility, and knowledge.
  • Use your powers of observation. Do your interviewers look bored or interested? Assess whether you should speak more or less.
  • Be yourself but be your BEST self.

Additional Tips for Virtual Interviews

Prepare for the Virtual Interview

  • Select a quiet, indoor location (preferably at home) with a stable internet connection and good lighting. Make sure your background is neat and tidy. Try to set up in a spot where you are facing a window/light source (rather than having it behind you which will cast you in shadow).
  • Ensure a quiet environment. Alert any other present parties (siblings, parents, roommates, etc.) to your interview so they can keep their volume to a minimum during the meeting. Silence your phone during the interview. If you need to use a phone or tablet for the interview, turn off notifications for your other applications to avoid being interrupted by calls or text messages.
  • Use a laptop/desktop computer or iPad (rather than your phone) if possible, to minimize the risk of distractions and movement. If using a mobile device, 1) make sure you are connected to WiFi (cellular connection is typically less stable and can reduce the quality of the image) and 2) position it horizontally (not vertically) to ensure a full screen image and set it up somewhere stationary to reduce movement.
  • Make sure your device is fully charged ahead of time.
  • Set up ~10-15 minutes before the interview start time to make sure you are prepared and presentable.
  • Do a trial run of the software app that is being used (e.g. Zoom or Skype) to make sure your software is up-to-date and ready to go, your internet connection is working properly, your microphone and camera are connected, and your background looks professional.
  • Join the call ~5 minutes early so that you can confirm the link is working and so that your interviewer isn’t waiting for you when they join.

During the Virtual Interview

  • Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. It can be tricky to do this sometimes during video calls since we are distracted by our self-view window. If using Zoom, one way to help keep eye contact is to pin your interviewer’s window so that your self-view is minimized and less distracting. In addition, expand the call window to full screen so that you aren’t tempted to look at open tabs, social media sites, etc. in the background.
  • Position any notes that you want to use close to the camera so that your eyes are not darting back and forth. Just make sure not to block the call window so that you can still see the interviewer.
  • Keep calm! Even with all the appropriate preparation, technical glitches can still happen. Everyone – interviewers included – are well aware of this, so maintain your composure if you need to troubleshoot and move forward with confidence.

After the Interview

  • Take some notes immediately following the meeting. Note the names and professional roles of your interviewers. Take a business card, if possible.
  • Reflect on the experience. Remember what you did well, and learn from your mistakes. Take this knowledge with you to your next interview.
  • Email a thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you. Be concise and professional. Reference specific topics discussed during your meeting.

At Collegiate Gateway, we are well-versed in college interview preparation. Our mock interviews prepare the student to answer specific questions about yourself and the college, and clients receive extensive feedback about interviewing skills. Feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to help!

   

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