| Some colleges offer interviews, many don't. Private | | | | know about you as you answer his or her questions. |
| colleges tend to be more open to interviews than | | | | 4) As already mentioned, prepare three to six |
| large public universities. If a college on your list offers | | | | questions that you can ask the interviewer. |
| the possibility, it's in your best interests to take | | | | 5) End an interview with energy and enthusiasm. |
| advantage of the opportunity. Admissions interviews | | | | Shake the interviewer's hand and say thank you, ask |
| almost always help applicants; rarely do they hurt | | | | for a business card, and let him/her know that this |
| them. | | | | college or university is one of your top choices (if not |
| Many students get very nervous when they think | | | | your top choice). |
| about college admission interviews. One way of | | | | 6) When you get home, don't forget to send an |
| making the interview easier (and frankly a lot more | | | | email or hard copy thank you note to the |
| interesting) is to think of it as just another | | | | interviewer. |
| conversation between you and another person. Not | | | | Another useful way of preparing for an interview is |
| only does an interviewer want to know something | | | | to role-play answering sample interview questions. A |
| about you, but you can also try to find out | | | | mock interview can be with a parent, grandparent, |
| something about him or her. A good way of doing | | | | teacher, counselor or a friend. The goal of a practice |
| that is to have a series of questions prepared to ask | | | | interview is to help you get over your jitters and |
| the college admissions person. | | | | have some idea about what you're going to say. It's |
| By being prepared to ask questions as well as | | | | pretty standard for interviewers to ask open ended |
| answer them, you will show the interviewer that you | | | | questions such as, "Tell me a little bit about yourself," |
| have thought ahead about the interview, done some | | | | or "Why are you interested in attending our college?" |
| research about and are really interested in a college. | | | | After you've practiced answering these questions a |
| Even more, knowing that you have questions ready | | | | couple of times, you'll feel ready when the real |
| to go will make the interview feel less intimidating and | | | | interview comes along. |
| more fun for you. | | | | In case you're wondering, most colleges don't offer |
| Of course, there are a series of other things you can | | | | interviews to students who are juniors, but |
| do to be prepared. For example: | | | | occasionally they do in late spring of a student's junior |
| 1) Call the Admissions Office to set up an interview | | | | year. If you're going to be on a college campus |
| and follow that up immediately by making travel | | | | anyway, it's worth calling ahead to see if you can |
| arrangements to get to the campus. Just so you | | | | schedule an interview. The summer before your |
| know, for students who have limited financial | | | | senior year begin scheduling interviews for the fall, |
| resources, some colleges and universities provide | | | | which is likely the best time for both you and |
| financial assistance to help students travel to their | | | | admissions offices. |
| campuses. | | | | Most of all, if you can have fun at an interview, the |
| 2) Bring an activities resume to give to the | | | | admissions person will probably also have a good time |
| interviewer and one for yourself to use as a | | | | too. Remember, college interviews are a two-way |
| reference. | | | | street. |
| 3) Identify 5-6 things you'd like the interviewer to | | | | |