After the stressful months of working on college applications, the face-to-face interview can seem intimidating.

After all, speaking to a representative of your dream college is something that you would not want to mess up.

But, similar to any part of the college application process, the interview can go by like a breeze with the proper tips and tricks.

The Fundamentals of an Interview College Admissions Interviews are offered to prospective students at a lot of Universities.

Many colleges ask during the application process where the applicant is interested in receiving an interview.

It is recommended to take advantage of the interview process, as sometimes small things such as whether or not your interviewer had a positive experience with you could be critical in your admissions decision.

Purpose of an Interview These interviews are opportunities for the college to further discover your interests and how you might fit in at the University.

They are valuable resources for you to ask questions one-on-one to admissions officers or alumni.

This is typically not an opportunity to check your knowledge or verify information, but so that the college can bring your experiences to life.

Universities often host these interviews to advocate for the variety of opportunities that their institution offers.

Further, they also question how you fit into these opportunities.

The admissions officers already know your extracurricular activities and honors, but there are many details of an applicant’s life that the application can not entail.

It is important to be yourself during an interview truly and let your passions shine through.

Who gets an Interview?

To understand the availability and policies behind the interview varies it is important to read up on that University’s offerings.

Many times interviews are solely based on availability.

This may be based on your location or the amount of interviewers the college may have.

The college may try to match up your interviewer to your city, or even high school.

This allows them to have a better perspective on what happens in your community.

With the huge increase in college applications colleges have also been struggling to keep up with interview requests.

With that being said, do not feel disheartened if you do not receive an interview request.

Responding to your Interview Request An admissions officer or alumnus from the college will reach out to you, typically through email.

They typically will ask for your availability and may ask to meet in person or virtually.

Some interviewers may even ask for your resume, or state that they do not want one.

A lot of the time these interviewers do not know anything apart from your name and contact information.

While sending your response, be sure to include the following information: (1) A greeting, (2) your interest in the school and interview, (3) things that you want to learn, (4) your availability, and (5) a conclusion.

Try to base your response on the template below.

Hello Mr. /Ms. /Dr. (interviewer), Thank you for reaching out!

I would love to meet with you in person/virtually to talk about (college).

I am excited to learn more about… and am interested in discussing….

I am available… Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Sincerely, (your name & contact info) Preparing for the Interview After finalizing when your interview is taking place, it is important to start getting ready for the specifics of your interview.

The entirety of the interview revolves around you as the applicant and how you may fit in at the college.

After a brief introduction about yourself, the interviewer will potentially ask you about extracurriculars that you love and want to continue to do in college.

To prepare for these questions, think of specific activities, clubs, or classes that you may be interested in.

It is also important to keep your cool during an interview.

So try to practice some of your lines beforehand.

Of course, each interview is unique, but things such as an introduction or why you chose your major are similarities between all interviews.

Further, be prepared to answer questions about your challenges, weaknesses, and achievements.

By being able to think of answers quicker the interview will flow much smoother.

During the Interview Dress in comfortable attire.

Colleges may list what they recommend you to wear on their interview website, but it is important to keep it semi-formal.

Also, try to keep a mindset that this is more of a conversation.

Oftentimes, the interviewer is someone who has been in your shoes years ago, so they will understand what you are going through.

Speak slowly, try to organize your thoughts before you start speaking.

This will allow both yourself and your interviewer to completely understand what you are saying.

Finally, bounce back and forth with the interviewer.

The interviewer is not the only one that can ask questions and it is important to ask the interviewer questions such as why they chose the institution.

Although interviewers allocate time at the end it is completely okay to ask those questions during the interview itself.

After the Interview Phew!

Those 30-45 minutes probably flew by really fast.

Instead of worrying about what you forgot to say, take a break.

Take a walk outside and do not think about the college itself.

These past few months you have poured your blood, sweat, and tears into this application, and it is important to take time to relax.

Finally, shoot your interviewer a brief email thanking them for their time.

If you have any final questions or comments be sure to reach out to them in this email.

They probably have interviewed a lot of students and the least you can do is send your appreciation.

Try to send this email 1-2 days after your interview ends.

Be sure to subscribe to the blog for more advice regarding admissions and high school opportunities.

Good Luck!.