Interviews are a great way for a college to get to know the real you. While the concept of an interview can be intimidating, the actual interview itself can be quite manageable and even enjoyable. In this article, we’ll review how to impress with your answers and, of course, what you should wear to your college interview!
For admissions officers, many high school students look alike on paper. Both your application and your interview breathe life into the admissions officer’s perception of who you are. The difference, however, is that the interview makes you real.
While the essay makes you seem more vibrant than you were when you were merely one folder of statistical data among many, the interview presents you as a unique, living breathing individual.
In other words, the interview showcases your personality and interpersonal strengths, both of which are important to your academic success.
5 Tips to Answer Interview Questions Effectively
- Keep your answers short but informative. Share enough
information with the interviewer so that your response may spark further conversation about the topic. Show interest in the question and respond withsincerity.
- Stress the positives in your If asked about something that could be considered a weakness, address this matter by focusing on the hard work anddetermination you may have put into it (be it a class, test score, etc.). Do not giveany indication that you are not willing and able to meet the rigors of college. Youwant to convince the interviewer that you are a strong candidate for the institution,so be confident in all of your responses.
- Stay positive and upbeat throughout the Even if you are asked a difficultquestion, be sure you do not get defensive or curt. Your tone of your responses is asimportant as the words you speak.
- Listen, think, and It is perfectly acceptable to take a moment to think priorto answering a question. Most interviewers prefer thoughtful answers tosuperficial responses.
- Pay attention to the questions you are asked and the conversations within the interview. Do not ask questions already addressed previously in the interview.
Bonus Tips to Consider:
- Always have paper, a pad or notebook, questions at the ready, and a writing utensil. Take notes.
- Do not ask questions that are in the view book or on the website.
- Be confident. Discuss your strengths, hobbies, and interests enthusiastically but not in an arrogant or showy manner.
- Make eye contact before, during and after the interview.
- Email a “Thank You” note shortly after the interview concludes (same day or next day, at the latest).
What to Wear to a College Interview
- Dressing conservatively, but comfortably is the right way to go for a college interview. If you’re unsure, err on the side of more formal as you can never go wrong with this! More specifically:
- For boys: While you can definitely wear a suit and tie, a pair of khakis or trousers with a collar shirt is also suitable. Try to go for more muted colors – i.e., we’d recommend choosing shirts that are the color white, grey, black, navy, dark green, etc, over shirts that are bright pink, orange, yellow, etc. Same for the trousers – you want to avoid any loud patterns.
- For girls: A casual dress or blouse and formal pants will be suitable. Similar to our recommendation for boys’ attire, we recommend avoiding any loud colors or patterns.
- There are no attire rules in particular you have to follow. It’s more important what you say and how you answer the interview questions. As long as you dress professionally, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
If you want to stand out with your entire college application, not just your interview, learn more secrets behind the admissions process here.