Tips & Tricks for College Interviews

As part of the application process, many colleges require or strongly recommend interviews with either a university alumn or admissions officer. With college interview season just around the corner, there are a few things you should know. 

Why College Interviews

Interviews can be daunting and often leave students wondering whether the interviewer is examining you as an applicant or simply greeting you as a prospective student. 

Harvard College in particular, states that “if the Committee would like more information about a student or has questions about any application materials, some may reach out to schedule an interview.” Essentially, most interviews are non-evaluative and are ways for the students to learn more about the school culture and environment. We highly recommend students take the opportunity to interview because they are opportunities for students to show their true interest and intent on attending the university. 

College Interview Format

Depending on the institution and the availability of interviewers, interviews are either in-person near an applicant’s city or virtually through Zoom. In lieu of interviews some institutions like Brown University recommend submitting a two-minute personal video portfolio. Regardless of the interview location, most interviews follow along this format:

• Introductions: Usually in the form of “Tell me about yourself” or “What do you like to do for fun,” interviews start off open-ended so that the college can really get to know you. 
  • Tip: Focus your answer on explaining your passions, interests and what makes you uniquely you. Avoid the basic responses of “hanging out” and explain activities you genuinely enjoy. Your response will help the college determine whether you are the right fit for them. 
• Statement of Interest: Why are you interested in attending this college?Why do you want to go to college? What are you looking for in a college experience? What are you truly interested in and how can you use their resources to fulfill your goals? Likewise, what can you contribute to the college community?
  • Tip: Reference specific majors, academic programs, research opportunities, traditions, and extracurricular activities that you are genuinely interested in. Instead of focusing on the cliches of small class sizes, location, and prestige, try to envision your life as a student at the college and be specific about what you are genuinely passionate about pursuing at the college. 
• Major Statement: What are you interested in majoring in and why?
  • Tip: You’ve most likely answered this already in the statement of interest and if the interviewer asks you this again/specifically asks you this question, they are trying to figure out why you are interested in that particular field and what you will gain from this experience. Perhaps you have researched a specific academic pathway or have an ultimate goal that this particular major will enable you to do. We recommend you stray away from talking about a specific field because of the monetary benefits you may gain from it and instead, focus deeply on a particular professional goal. 
• Future Plans: Where do you see yourself in 4 years, 10 years, and beyond?
  • Tip: Everyone wants to make a positive impact in their community and live happily, but how are you going to do that in a way that only you can do? Colleges genuinely want to see how you envision your future, professionally and interpersonally.  
• Strengths: What are your strengths? Sometimes they will ask this question to specifically reference your academic strengths and other times they will ask about your personal strengths. Other times they will ask this question in the form of “What makes you uniquely you?” Either way, colleges are trying to determine what you are great at. 
  • Tip: Ideally, your answer would focus on a particular strength and explain how exactly you have taken advantage of that strength. Reference specific examples and show how you plan on continuing to capitalize on that strength. Maybe you are an excellent public speaker and you focus your response on how you have used that skill inside and outside of school to accomplish specific goals or work towards future achievements.  
• Weaknesses: What are your academic and personal weaknesses? Sometimes this question also takes the form of “What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?”
  • Tip: Everyone has a weakness and obstacle that they have overcome so do not say you have none or that you cannot think of any. Colleges value academic persistence and lifelong learning so for whichever weakness you choose, explain how you overcame it and relay any specific methods you used to overcome those challenges. Similar to your strength, focus this response on a specific example and the steps you took to work on yourself. 
• School Contribution: What can you contribute to the school community?
  • Tip: Rather than vaguely stating that you will bring diversity to the campus, specify your answer to how you intend on concretely adding to the diversity. Perhaps you are currently conducting an independent research project and now you want to contribute your findings and methods to a specific research facility and program at the university. Maybe you are a volunteer for a non-profit organization in your community and you want to extend your reach to that college community and those in the area. How specifically are you going to exhibit that change and what organizations will you join?
• High School Contribution: What have you contributed to your high school community? What would you change about it?
  • Tip: Maybe your school lacked challenging courses like IBs or APs or funds to allocate to extracurricular activities like marching band or a school dance. Your response could focus on the current situation, why it matters to you, and how the school could carry out this change. We recommend that you craft your response to tailor to an area of growth of your high school and explain how a particular change would benefit the entire student body. 
• Role Models: Who do you look up to? Who do you admire?
  • Tip: Think about the qualities that you truly admire in that person and explain how you could use those qualities yourself. How do they help you view the world and shape your life? 
• Favorite Book: What is your favorite book?
  • Tip: Most colleges will ask this question with regards to a book and some will ask this with regards to a podcast or show. No matter the question, focus your response on what you have gained from that book and why it interests you. Do not choose something because you think it will impress the interviewer. 

Key Takeaways

• Be specific and genuine in all your answers. 
• Research the college and reference specific examples and explain how you will take advantage of those resources.