Mastering the College Admissions Interview

As undergraduate admissions become more competitive, admissions officers have been forced to employ a variety of ways to choose between highly competitive applicants. The interview is seen as an equalizing force in the admissions process as it provides an honest snapshot of a student’s overall passion and skills. 

As grade inflation and recent advancements in artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT) have made the admissions process more dubious, more emphasis has been placed on interviews as compared to previous years. 

Additionally, interviews act as a subtle way for admissions officers to confirm that the student they are speaking to communicates at a level consistent with their application profile and essays. Suffice it to say, it would be a major red flag if a student submits a well-written essay but struggles to verbally describe the subject of their essay.

Given the time-costly nature of scheduling and conducting interviews, not all students are guaranteed an interview. In general, admissions officers only request interviews from potential candidates who demonstrate strong potential to be a good fit for the university. 

However, some students may not receive an interview invitation despite having a good chance of being admitted. Oftentimes, colleges attempt to match students to interviewers who live in a similar time zone to the student. If the university has no interviewer present in the applicant’s time zone, the applicant may not receive an invitation due to the difficulty of having such an interview take place. 

If you do not receive an invitation to interview, do not worry as there are many factors that go into the undergraduate admissions process. If you would like to share your situation with one of our seasoned admissions consultants for some advice, you may do so here.

Typically, EA and ED applicants who submit applications in late October and early November can expect interview invitations to roll out around late November or early December. RD applicants who submit applications in late December and early January can expect interview invitations around mid to late January, February, and March in some rare instances.

Know your audience. It’s rule number 1 for the personal statement, and the same advice applies to the interview. Undergraduate admissions are usually conducted by:

1. Existing students

2. Alumni

3. Faculty

4. Admissions Officers (rare)

You can almost certainly expect to see the following questions asked during your interview.

1. Why this university?

   1. As universities receive record-breaking application numbers year-over-year, this question, as well as its provided answer, has been rising in importance. It is important to distinguish why this university, as opposed to others, catches the student’s attention in particular. A weak answer to this question is a surefire way to convince an interviewer that the interviewee is not particularly interested in the school. This question also acts as a litmus test that gauges a student’s understanding of the university apart from Google searches and YouTube videos.

2. Why this major/study?

   1. Similarly to the previous question, this particular question is practically mandatory to help differentiate similar applicants to highly competitive majors and programs. Is the student who is applying genuinely passionate about their intended major, or is their preference more of an afterthought?

3. Why should this university choose you?

   1. This question presents a unique opportunity for applicants to verbally “pitch” themselves. Many students find this question particularly challenging as it is an unexpected question.

The following questions have all been reported as being asked to varying degrees:

1. Describe a time you demonstrated leadership, overcame a struggle, or solved a complex challenge.

2. What are you looking for in a university?

3. Describe an extracurricular activity you have participated in during high school.

4. What other schools are you applying to?

5. Describe your main strengths and weaknesses.

6. Discuss a topic that is important to you.

Some universities offer applicants the opportunity to submit pre-recorded video interviews. Typically, these videos are 30-90 seconds in length and can be recorded and edited by the student in whatever fashion they desire.

1. Know your audience. Depending on the university you are applying to and who will be conducting your interview (student, alumni, faculty), your responses should be tailored appropriately.

2. Professional appearances and communication matters. Be careful of how you present yourself during the interview as first impressions are impossible to change. Be sure you are well-groomed, wearing professional or semi-professional attire, and located somewhere that is appropriate. Additionally, be sure to practice your interviewing skills to ensure you are able to speak clearly and confidently in a distraction-free environment.

3. Practice, practice, practice. Many students struggle with interviewing skills, and that’s ok. For many, this is likely to be your first interview ever. Practice and rehearse your answers well in advance with a professional who can guide you through the interview process to ensure your responses help your admissions chances.