Admission interview

The admission interview is not a decisive factor in determining the outcome, but in a hyper-competitive environment, it can put an applicant over the top when handled exceptionally well. This is where an applicant can enhance his/her profile by sharing information beyond submitted materials.

Interviews typically range from 30 to 45 minutes and the dress code should be business casual. Because the interviewer will try to gauge how an applicant is likely fit into campus culture, the applicant should research the culture of uniqueness of that college, demonstrate keen interest in attending and learn to take cues in order to establish rapport.

As a rule, an interviewer does not know the academic record of an applicant. This is not the setting to talk about grades and test scores. Interviewers will look at outside-of-classroom qualities. Questions may revolve around details of participation in extracurricular activities, social interactions, learning styles, leadership as well as diligence towards their pursuits. The interviewer will observe unspoken traits, such as amiability and ease of communication. Some interviewers are conversational, while others are formal. It would be a good idea to enlist family and friends to perform practice interviews of different styles.