Acing the College Interview

By Bill Johnson

Relax. Breathe.

That’s what I want to tell so many of the students that come to see me when they are trying to prep for their college interviews.

And believe me, I know its tough. Just because you’re 18 doesn’t mean you don’t know what the meaning of stress is. These days, kids have to start preparing early to get into college, sometimes as early as 13 or 14. And if you’re a parent, you’ve probably been preparing in some form for the entirety of your child’s life.

It’s certainly competitive out there, but there’s good news. College interviews are not exactly the same as job interviews. The stakes are high, but the truth is that colleges are looking for a wide variety of people that will fit well in their academic community. Are you a good match for each other? Will the community be enriched as a result of your acceptance?

With that in mind, here are a few pointers I tell students that can help them be more relaxed and confident in the interview.

First, Make Sure Your Application Materials Are On Point

Though application requirements vary from college to college, most require some form of an essay, resume, and transcript of your classes. The great thing is that these are the elements you can control the most.

As far as your transcript goes, if there are any blemishes on your grades, be sure you have an explanation. You don’t have to have a perfect GPA, but if you can demonstrate that you excel in other subjects or extra-curricular activities,  it can help make up for a less than stellar performance in AP Biology.

Whatever you write about in your essay, make sure you’ve had feedback on it from your English teacher, fellow students you trust, and anyone you know with excellent writing skills. By the time you turn it in, it should be well-vetted and glowing.

Admissions will look at student resumes much differently than adult professional resumes. Jobs you might think are not very impressive can actually demonstrate a lot of character. Sweeping the floor at a general store or working fast-food shows a willingness to work hard. If you don’t have much professional work, you can definitely count any volunteer work you have done. But if your resume is pretty sparse, don’t sweat it. You can always explain that you were too busy with school, which in many cases, is accurate.

Prepare for the Most Common Questions

Admissions interviewers will have many different questions to ask you, but they will all be basically three types of questions. They will want to know about you and your personality, they will want to know about your academic and extra-curricular accomplishments, and they will want to know about how you will fit in with their particular college.

Questions About Yourself

Interviewers will want to get a good sense about who you are. They’ll ask questions that illuminate parts of your life that are not easily seen just by reading your application materials. They’ll ask questions like:

• Tell me about yourself.
• What do you do in your free time?
• Tell me about your family.
• Who has been a huge influence in your life?
• What’s your biggest weakness?
• What have you learned from a big mistake or failure?
• Have you traveled to any other countries?

And so on. The one many people get hung up on is “Tell me about yourself.” Unlike a professional job interview, this question really is looking to just get a more complete picture of who you are—it doesn’t have to relate to your academic achievements or you being an awesome student. If you have a weird hobby or talent or have a particular passion, this is a great place to talk about it.

If asked about weaknesses or learning from a mistake or failure, just be honest. Don’t try to sneak in a strength disguised as a weakness (“other people are irritated by my punctuality!”) Just contextualize your weakness by explaining how you’re working on it, what you’ve learned from it, or how you work around it.

As for any other personal questions, be sure to frame yourself in your best light. Be authentic—if you make stuff up to try and impress, the interviewer will see it from a mile away.

Questions About Your Accomplishments

These are the types of questions that interviewer uses to gauge how you tackle problems, what kind of student you are, and how you handle responsibility. The interviewer wants to get an idea of what makes you successful already. Here, your record is important.

Common questions about your accomplishments might include:

• How do you contribute to your community?
• What did you enjoy in your school?
• Tell me about your favorite job.
• What’s your best and worst subject?
• What is your proudest achievement?
• How would your teachers describe you?
• Have you won any awards?
• What extra-curricular activities do you enjoy?
• What do you think about this [current news] subject?

Don’t be shy about your accomplishments! If you made straight A’s while at the same time being a star athlete and volunteering at the hospital, let them know! Be sure to highlight non-traditional accomplishments or situations, too. If you had to help raise your little siblings, or had to be a caregiver for your grandma, or had to work nights to help your family, this will also shine in your favor. If you had to delay going to college to work, raise a family, or serve in the military, then you should definitely mention this too.

Anything that you put effort into and are proud of is an accomplishment. Take pride in it and don’t be afraid to shine here. This is your highlight reel!

Questions About Your Future at the College

The interviewer will want to know how well you will fit into their particular college community. They will be looking for students that know who they are, what they are interested in, and what they want to do. These kinds of questions include:

• How will you contribute to our college?
• Why do you want to come here?
• What do you want to major in?
• Any activities or clubs you are interested in?
• What do you want to be?

Don’t feel freaked out if you don’t know what your major is yet—they’re more concerned with you being an asset to the local community. Same goes for your future career. Most people don’t know what they want to be yet, so if you don’t know, just talk about what you’re interested in and possibilities you are considering. Interviewers do not expect you to have your entire life figured out at age eighteen.

Be genuinely interested in the college you’re interviewing for and be prepared to talk about what you want to explore and how you want to get involved. A curious spirit and a desire to contribute will weigh heavily in your favor.

Special Tips for College Interviews

Here are a few things that I considered “no-brainers” – but you’d be surprised how many people overlook them.

First, have questions for the college, too! You’ll be spending at least four years here, so have a list of things you want to know. This is your life we’re talking about, so don’t be passive

Dress as if you’re going to a job interview. Admissions won’t expect that you will dress like this for class, but they’ll appreciate you putting in an effort to look your best.

Be sure to practice being interviewed! For some of you, this will be the first time you’re asked a series of questions for 30 minutes or more. If you’re soft-spoken, it’s a good idea to practice so you can sound confident. If you’re naturally outgoing, it’s a good idea to practice so you don’t ramble or get off topic. Just find someone to ask you questions so you can drill it. Also, don’t memorize anything. Know your speaking points, but don’t sound scripted—that’s a turnoff.

Don’t forget to send a thank you when you’re done. This really goes a long way.

I always say the best way to be confident is to be prepared. Once you’ve put in all the groundwork, you can relax and breathe. Interviewers will know that you feel confident, and after all that preparation, you will be!

My name is Bill Johnson and I’m an interview coach. I have over 20 years’ experience coaching numerous people from various walks of life and of varying abilities to achieve a higher potential. You can reach me here for a one on one consultation.

 

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