College Interviews

College Preparation
	College Interviews

Things to Avoid Interview Checklist Sample Interview Questions Sample Questions to Ask During an Interview

Things to Avoid

Don't ... Be late Memorize speeches—sound natural and conversational Ask questions covered by the college catalog Chew gum Wear lots of cologne or perfume Swear or use too much slang, abbreviations, or contractions Be arrogant—there's a fine line between being confident and boasting Lie—it will come back to haunt you Respond with only yes, no, or I do not know Tell the school it's your safety Be rude to the receptionist or any other staff you meet Bring a parent into the interview Refuse an interview—this is usually noted

Interview Checklist

Before Make an interview appointment with an interviewer from the college in which you are interested. Mark the date and time on your calendar. Learn what type of interview to expect such as a student interview vs. an alumni interview. Research the college by reading its brochure and course catalog and visiting its website. Make notes about about why you want to attend the college. Try several practice interviews where you take turns being the interviewer and interviewee. Review the questions an interviewer might ask and think about what your answers will be. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. Get directions to the interview location. Choose an appropriate interview outfit. Gather any documents you might need, such as your test scores and high school transcript. During Be outgoing, confident, and honest. Discuss your academic background and high school. Discuss your life outside of the classroom, including activities, community service, and hobbies. Stay calm with techniques such as deep breathing. After Make notes about the conversation for thank-you note material or future reference. Take any business cards that are offered for contact information. Follow up with a thank-you note to the interviewer.

Sample Interview Questions

What are you planning to study in college? What do you want to be when you grow up? What work experience or community service experience do you have? What extracurricular activities do you participate in? What is your most important extracurricular activity? Which of your activities is most rewarding and why? What is the most important day/event of your life? Who is the most influential person in your life?  What is your favorite subject? What do your parents do? What have you done the past few summers? How do you feel about your high school life? Describe your family. How have you tried to improve yourself? What sports do you do? What are your hobbies? How have you dealt with your failures? What goals have you reached? How will you ensure your success in the future? How much help did you receive from your parents in preparing for college?           What makes you unique? What will you contribute to our school? Are your grades an accurate reflection of your potential? What has been your biggest achievement? What's your opinion on [fill in current event]? What do you want to do after you graduate from college? If you could change one thing about your high school, what would it be?  How would you describe your high school? What would your teachers say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses both as an individual and as a student? How would you describe your role in your high school community? How would others describe your role in your high school community? What courses were the most challenging/difficult for you? Do you like your teachers? Describe your favorite teacher. What personal traits would you like to see yourself build in the next four years? What articles and/or books have you read in the last year that have special meaning for you and why? In your life, what experiences have been the most important to you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?  What do you do with any money that you earn? What is your career goal and how would a degree from this college help you achieve that goal?  What qualities make you a good choice to attend this college? What other colleges are you considering? What have you done to prepare for college? Tell me about your interests. What is your favorite book? Who is your favorite author? If you could meet any important figure in the past or present, who would it be and what would you talk about? Tell me about your experiences at your high school. Is there a particular experience you had there that stands out? What magazines and newspapers do you like to read? What are three adjectives that describe you? What is the most important thing you do in your spare time?   How do you manage your time? If l asked your best friend to describe you, what would I hear? What sort of things do you and your friends like to do outside of school? What is the most difficult situation you've faced? Have you ever thought of not going to college and of what you might choose to do instead? Tell me about someone you find intellectually challenging. What would you do to make the world a better place? Do you like living in (place where student lives)? If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? If you could solve a major world problem, how would you go about doing it? If you were to stress one thing about yourself to a college, what would it be? Would you rather write a report or give a verbal report? Why? Describe your best friend. Suppose you had to imagine yourself in a picture.  Describe the picture. What television shows do you watch?  What issues (political, local, national, international) concern you most?  Why?  Where else are you applying and why?  Where do we fall on your list?  What school is your first choice?

Sample Questions to Ask During an Interview

At the end of or during the interview, you can ask some questions to show you are serious about this college.  Make sure you do not ask questions covered in the college website, brochure, and other distributed materials. How difficult is it to get an appointment with a professor? If you are not doing well in a course, are the professors willing to talk to you about how you can improve? Are students able to get enough individual attention in the larger classes? How many hours do students typically spend doing homework each night at this college? Do most students stay on campus during the weekends? What is the most important social event of the year for this school? What type of individual would not be comfortable at this school? Do students feel safe on campus? What are the residence halls like? Do you have any suggestions if I attend this college? What was your favorite thing to do at this college?