The Interview

College Street Counseling

Find out which schools offer interviews and whether they are informational (typical) or evaluative (less common). Use this Interview Checklist to keep track of your interview requests and schedule. Each college will have its own interview procedures. Book interviews as early as possible. Sometimes schools have limited availability, or deadlines for requesting interviews.

Try to schedule your first few interviews with the schools you care about least, or are most likely to get into. You’ll do better with experience.

Whether it’s your first interview or your last, however, here are some ideas for making the experience more productive and enjoyable.

Prepare in advance
The day of the interview
After the interview
Questions you may be asked
Body language

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Prepare in advance

Do your research beforehand. Read the materials the college has sent and explore its website.

Write down at least 5 reasons you want to attend the college. If the college’s application asks you to write an essay explaining why you want to attend (The Why Essay), write this before the interview.

Develop a list of questions you would like to ask. The quality of your questions will tell the interviewer a great deal about your interest in the school. They should be questions that are specific to the college, but make sure they are not ones you could easily have read in the viewbook. Click for a list of not-so-obvious questions you might want to ask. You should really want to know the answers. It's okay to write these on a card for easy reference.

Practice

Practice interviewing with a friend or family member. Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Review your list of accomplishments, and your extra-curricular, volunteer, and summer activities. Concentrate on the most important of these, and find a way to work them into the interview.

Click here for a list of potential questions you may be asked. You want to try to find the right tone, one that is comfortable yet respectful. Try to give fully formed answers. Even when you are not sure of the exact answer, you can give a thoughtful response. For example, when asked about potential majors, don't just say you are undecided. Give some examples of areas you would be interested in studying and why.

Do not mention your SAT scores, good or bad, unless specifically asked (you probably won't be!) and do not blame others for blemishes in your record. You can explain a hitch in your transcript or a personal circumstance that affected your studies, as long as you do so in a mature and responsible fashion.

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The day of the interview

Know the time and location of the interview, and plan to arrive early. Bring a book to pass the time if you have to wait. If you are meeting an interviewer at a neutral location, like Starbucks, carry the college viewbook to make it easy to recognize you.

Dress for the occasion. Think of this as an important job interview. Gum, sweatpants, and baseball caps are not appropriate. But don't overdo! You needn't wear a dress or a coat and tie!

Shake hands when you arrive and when you leave. Practice your handshake with a parent and manage your body language. Demonstrate good listening. Sit up straight, keep your feet on the floor, and generally look at the interviewer when he or she is speaking. But don’t overdo it; staring is intrusive!

Communicate clearly and effectively. Listen carefully to the question and answer it fully. Don’t rush your response; it’s okay to think about what you want to say.

Speak positively without bragging. Even negative-sounding questions can be answered in a positive light. For instance, you could respond to "What don't you like about your current school?" by noting a few ways it could be improved, but also talking about how this could be achieved and noting several good things about the school.

Be cheerful and friendly and enjoy yourself.

Parents should not attend the interview, and should decline if invited.

After the interview

If after your interview you feel you did not do your best, don't worry. It's perfectly normal to have doubts, especially about the first interview, and to think about errors and flubs, and what you "should" have said. Use what you've learned to advantage at the next interview, but in the meantime, rest assured that interviewers generally like students, do not expect perfection, and overlook these minor shortcomings!

ALWAYS SEND A THANK-YOU NOTE! This is a thoughtful gesture and your interviewer will appreciate receiving it. The best ones are handwritten on a card you like. Keep the contents simple, honest, and clear. After the interview make sure you have noted the correct spelling and address, or take the interviewer's card.

Anticipate questions you may be asked

School

What courses have you enjoyed the most?

What courses are you taking now?

Has school been challenging?

Does your record accurately reflect your abilities and potential?

What are your greatest strengths?

What is your favorite teacher like?

If you could change one thing about your high school, what would it be?

What book have you read recently NOT required by high school?

Is there any outside circumstance that interfered with your academic performance?

Extra-Curricular Activities

What activities do you enjoy the most outside of school?

What is the most significant contribution you have made to your school?

Have you been a volunteer?

What is a typical day after school like for you?

How did you spend last summer?

How has living in your community affected your outlook?

What is the most significant contribution you have made to your community?

College-Related Questions

How did you find out about our college?

Why did you decide to apply to our school?

In what ways do you think you are a good match for our school?

Are there any questions you have about our campus?

What other colleges are you considering?

Have you thought about a college major?

What extra-curricular activities do you plan to pursue in college?

Do you have any career plans?

Is there any question you thought you would be asked that you’d like to answer?

Deeper Questions

If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, whom would you choose and why?

What issue of local, national, or international significance is most important to you and why?

Watch your body language

Everyone uses body language during the interview, but few are aware of the nonverbal messages they may be sending along with their words. Here are some common interpretations of body language cues:

Openness and Warmth

Open hands with palms visible

Unbuttoning coat upon being seated

Leaning forward in chair

Hands joined behind the back when standing

Jiggling pocket contents

Running fingers through hair

Running tongue along front of teeth

Biting on pens or other objects

Untrustworthiness / Defensiveness

Arms crossed in front of chest

Touching nose or face

Looking down when speaking

Pointing with fingers

Chopping one hand into the open palm of another

Rubbing back of neck

Clasping hands behind head while leaning back in chair

Unfortunately, there are far more negatives than positives, including many we aren't usually aware of. Don't worry if you find yourself occasionally lapsing into one of the negative patterns. Just gently remind yourself, and go on from there!

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Online Applications Common App UW University of California Western Wash Washington State U of Oregon Application Comm App Intro Comm App Guide Transcript Resume Essay Interview Recommendations Midyear Report Special Talents Issues Decision Types Wait Lists Showing Interest Designing a Workspace Finishing Touches	Don't worry, interviews are usually very pleasant experiences! They provide a chance to personalize a process that is otherwise conducted largely through an exchange of documents. The interview will allow you to demonstrate your interest in a school and to get a better feel for whether the school is a good match for you. Whether conducted on campus or by an alumnus or other college representative in your area, interviews rarely make or break an application. Think of the interview as a conversation rather than a one-sided grilling! Find out which schools offer interviews and whether they are informational (typical) or evaluative (less common). Use this Interview Checklist to keep track of your interview requests and schedule. Each college will have its own interview procedures. Book interviews as early as possible. Sometimes schools have limited availability, or deadlines for requesting interviews. Try to schedule your first few interviews with the schools you care about least, or are most likely to get into. You’ll do better with experience. Whether it’s your first interview or your last, however, here are some ideas for making the experience more productive and enjoyable. Prepare in advance The day of the interview After the interview Questions you may be asked Body language back to top Prepare in advance Do your research beforehand. Read the materials the college has sent and explore its website. Write down at least 5 reasons you want to attend the college. If the college’s application asks you to write an essay explaining why you want to attend (The Why Essay), write this before the interview. Develop a list of questions you would like to ask. The quality of your questions will tell the interviewer a great deal about your interest in the school. They should be questions that are specific to the college, but make sure they are not ones you could easily have read in the viewbook. Click for a list of not-so-obvious questions you might want to ask. You should really want to know the answers. It's okay to write these on a card for easy reference. back to top Practice Practice interviewing with a friend or family member. Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Review your list of accomplishments, and your extra-curricular, volunteer, and summer activities. Concentrate on the most important of these, and find a way to work them into the interview. Click here for a list of potential questions you may be asked. You want to try to find the right tone, one that is comfortable yet respectful. Try to give fully formed answers. Even when you are not sure of the exact answer, you can give a thoughtful response. For example, when asked about potential majors, don't just say you are undecided. Give some examples of areas you would be interested in studying and why. Do not mention your SAT scores, good or bad, unless specifically asked (you probably won't be!) and do not blame others for blemishes in your record. You can explain a hitch in your transcript or a personal circumstance that affected your studies, as long as you do so in a mature and responsible fashion. back to top The day of the interview Know the time and location of the interview, and plan to arrive early. Bring a book to pass the time if you have to wait. If you are meeting an interviewer at a neutral location, like Starbucks, carry the college viewbook to make it easy to recognize you. Dress for the occasion. Think of this as an important job interview. Gum, sweatpants, and baseball caps are not appropriate. But don't overdo! You needn't wear a dress or a coat and tie! Shake hands when you arrive and when you leave. Practice your handshake with a parent and manage your body language. Demonstrate good listening. Sit up straight, keep your feet on the floor, and generally look at the interviewer when he or she is speaking. But don’t overdo it; staring is intrusive! Communicate clearly and effectively. Listen carefully to the question and answer it fully. Don’t rush your response; it’s okay to think about what you want to say. Speak positively without bragging. Even negative-sounding questions can be answered in a positive light. For instance, you could respond to "What don't you like about your current school?" by noting a few ways it could be improved, but also talking about how this could be achieved and noting several good things about the school. Be cheerful and friendly and enjoy yourself. Parents should not attend the interview, and should decline if invited. back to top After the interview If after your interview you feel you did not do your best, don't worry. It's perfectly normal to have doubts, especially about the first interview, and to think about errors and flubs, and what you "should" have said. Use what you've learned to advantage at the next interview, but in the meantime, rest assured that interviewers generally like students, do not expect perfection, and overlook these minor shortcomings! ALWAYS SEND A THANK-YOU NOTE! This is a thoughtful gesture and your interviewer will appreciate receiving it. The best ones are handwritten on a card you like. Keep the contents simple, honest, and clear. After the interview make sure you have noted the correct spelling and address, or take the interviewer's card. back to top Anticipate questions you may be asked School What courses have you enjoyed the most? What courses are you taking now? Has school been challenging? Does your record accurately reflect your abilities and potential? What are your greatest strengths? What is your favorite teacher like? If you could change one thing about your high school, what would it be? What book have you read recently NOT required by high school? Is there any outside circumstance that interfered with your academic performance? Extra-Curricular Activities What activities do you enjoy the most outside of school? What is the most significant contribution you have made to your school? Have you been a volunteer? What is a typical day after school like for you? How did you spend last summer? Community How has living in your community affected your outlook? What is the most significant contribution you have made to your community? College-Related Questions How did you find out about our college? Why did you decide to apply to our school? In what ways do you think you are a good match for our school? Are there any questions you have about our campus? What other colleges are you considering? Have you thought about a college major? What extra-curricular activities do you plan to pursue in college? Do you have any career plans? Is there any question you thought you would be asked that you’d like to answer? Deeper Questions If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, whom would you choose and why? What issue of local, national, or international significance is most important to you and why? Tell about a book that changed the way you look at the world. back to top Watch your body language Everyone uses body language during the interview, but few are aware of the nonverbal messages they may be sending along with their words. Here are some common interpretations of body language cues: Openness and Warmth Open-lipped smiling Open hands with palms visible Unbuttoning coat upon being seated Confidence Leaning forward in chair Chin up Hands joined behind the back when standing Nervousness Smoking Whistling Pinching skin Fidgeting Jiggling pocket contents Running fingers through hair Running tongue along front of teeth Clearing throat Wringing hands Biting on pens or other objects Twiddling thumbs Biting fingernails Untrustworthiness / Defensiveness Frowning Squinting eyes Tight-lipped grin Arms crossed in front of chest Pulling away Chin down Touching nose or face Darting eyes Looking down when speaking Clenched hands Gestures with fist Pointing with fingers Chopping one hand into the open palm of another Rubbing back of neck Clasping hands behind head while leaning back in chair Unfortunately, there are far more negatives than positives, including many we aren't usually aware of. Don't worry if you find yourself occasionally lapsing into one of the negative patterns. Just gently remind yourself, and go on from there! back to top	Printable Forms Information Request Tracker Application Checklist Individual College Application Tracker Essay Checklist Interview Checklist Recommendation Checklist Junior Checklist Senior Checklist

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