Admission Interview Tips
Help your students put their best foot forward
A college interview is the opportunity for your students to talk about their goals and experiences. Here are some ways you can help your students feel more confident about interviewing.
Interview facts
First, make sure your students know what the admission interview means to the college and what it is intended to accomplish. There are two basic kinds of college interview. If students plan to (or are required to) interview, they should find out which type of interview the college is offering them.
The evaluative interview is intended to help the institution assess the student as a candidate. The interviewer speaks with the student, takes notes and reports all impressions to the admission committee. This evaluation becomes part of the student's application file. The interviewer is often an admission officer but may be a faculty member or an alumnus.
The informational interview is intended to give the student information about the institution. This can be a one-on-one talk with a college representative or a group information session for applicants. The interviewer may be an admission officer, but might also be a faculty member, an alumnus or even a current student at the college.
Although the informational interview's main purpose is to answer student questions about the college, it is quite possible that the college representative will also evaluate the student and pass an opinion on to the admission committee. Students should therefore always be aware of the impression they are making.
Interviews of either kind can take place on or off campus (for example, the college may match up applicants with alumni interviewers who live in the same area).
Few colleges require an interview. Many offer evaluative or informational interviews as an option. Some institutions do not offer interviews at all. These include some public universities whose applicant pools are so large that offering interviews to all candidates is not feasible, and also some private colleges.
Benefits of the interview
Tell your students that it's usually to their benefit to interview if interviewing is an option. And they don't have to visit the campus to do it — potential interviewers can range from an admission officer on campus to a current student or alumnus in the area. Interviewing is one more way for a student to display a strong interest in a college, and it lets the interviewer get to know the personality behind the grades and test scores.
An interview is also a chance for borderline students to present themselves as winning candidates by virtue of sincerity or charm, to explain any extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance, and to describe the ways they will contribute to the college.
How you can help
Help students practice interviewing; play the part of a college admission interviewer and ask them to talk about their high school experiences and college goals. Point out their interview strengths as well as what they need to work on.
Many young people have had little experience in formal or businesslike situations. Acquaint students with interviewing basics such as making eye contact, smiling and shaking hands.