The Ultimate Guide to College Interviews
College interviews can be stressful, but in our opinion, they shouldn’t be! While we recommend students prepare to answer the most common interview questions, it’s important that students focus on letting their personality shine through. You want to appear likable, and that’s hard to do when you’re feeling anxious. Preparing for your interview will help you put your best foot forward and enter the room (or Zoom call) with confidence.
Understanding the Interviewer's Perspective
Interviewers are looking for more than just strong academics and extracurriculars; they want to find students who will contribute to a thriving college community. Harvard’s Interviewer Handbook highlights the importance of selecting candidates who are:
Likable and collaborative
Motivated and intellectually engaged
Self-starters with a strong work ethic
Passionate about their interests and capable of deep reflection
Interviewers assess not only what you’ve done but also how you think, how you interact, and how you will contribute to the college environment. Their questions are designed to evaluate your potential for growth, initiative, and resilience.
How to Prepare
1. Research the Institution
Gain a thorough understanding of the college by exploring its programs, values, culture, and recent news. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest. For instance, if the college emphasizes community service, you can highlight your related experiences and how they align with the institution's mission.
2. Anticipate Common Questions
Familiarize yourself with typical interview questions, such as:
"Tell me about yourself."
"Why are you interested in our college?"
"What are your academic strengths and weaknesses?"
"Can you discuss a challenge you've overcome?"
Reflect on these questions and prepare thoughtful responses that highlight your strengths and experiences. We recommend that you jot down your responses, but boil them down to bullet points—more on this in our next section.
3. Practice Your Responses
Rehearse your answers to common questions with a family member, friend, or mentor. This practice can help you articulate your thoughts more clearly and reduce anxiety during the actual interview.
Remember to be authentic in your responses, as interviewers appreciate sincerity. Unless you’re a fabulous actor, we don’t recommend memorizing a whole paragraph to respond to these questions. You want your response to appear organic; if it sounds like you’re reciting a memorized response, it won’t do you any good. Try instead to be thoughtful, take your time, and answer each question with a narrative or anecdote to give your interviewer something positive to report back with.
We’ll review some of the best ways to answer the most common questions below.
4. Prepare Questions for Your Interviewer
Prepare a list of insightful questions to ask the interviewer about the college's programs, culture, or opportunities. This demonstrates your enthusiasm and proactive interest in the institution. Avoid asking questions that can be easily answered through a simple web search; instead, focus on topics that reflect your genuine curiosity and engagement.
In many cases, you will know the name of your interviewer. You should look them up and discover their interests, career trajectory, and what they studied in college.
Here’s an example of some questions a student prepared when he discovered his interviewer shared several of his interests:
I’m curious to hear about your experience at UNIVERSITY. I hope it’s okay that I found you on LinkedIn and saw you attended for undergrad as well as your current grad program there. How would you describe the community? Is the graduate and undergraduate community very different?
I’m really interested in continuing my NAME nonprofit work. Which opportunities on campus would you recommend I take advantage of? It looks like the SCHOOL ORG NAME does a lot of work that aligns with my values—do you think a collaboration between STUDENT’S NONPROFIT and SCHOOL’S NONPROFIT would be possible?
As someone invested in ethical AI and planning to study Computer Science and Philosophy at UNIVERSITY, I really want to capitalize on courses in the philosophy department. I’m also a bit interested in linguistics, though, since that would be really useful for better natural language processing as I refine my AI project. More specifically, I want to improve translations to deliver a better viewing experience to educate people as they watch foreign films. Since linguistics was your major, do you know any professors you’d encourage me to take courses or pursue research with?
These are highly specific questions, and they made for an excellent interview between the student and interviewer. Before your interview, find out who the interviewer is and explore what interests you may share to discuss together!
5. Mind Your Etiquette
Punctuality, appropriate attire, and polite behavior are essential. Arrive on time and exhibit good manners throughout the interview. Usually, you don’t need to wear a suit or dress overly professionally. However, it’s a good idea to dress preppy. A nice sweater or button-up shirt can show that you take the interview seriously.
The STAR Method: Your Secret Weapon
The STAR Method helps structure responses to behavioral questions:
Situation: Provide context.
Task: Define your role.
Action: Explain what you did.
Result: Share the outcome.
When to use it: Whenever you're asked about a specific experience (e.g., "Tell me about a time you solved a problem.")
How to Approach Common Interview Questions
1. "Why X University?/Why Us?"
Research the school thoroughly, including unique programs, professors, research opportunities, and campus culture.
Connect your interests, career goals, and values to what the school offers.
Example: "I’m excited about MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program because I want to explore AI applications in healthcare, building on my high school research in machine learning."
2. "Tell us about the most significant extracurricular activity you were involved in."
Use the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your response.
Focus on impact, leadership, and personal growth.
Example: "As president of the environmental club, I organized a zero-waste campaign, reducing cafeteria waste by 30%."
3. "Tell us about a failure you have overcome."
Choose a genuine failure and focus on the lesson learned.
Demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and growth.
Example: "I failed my first debate competition, but I analyzed my weaknesses, sought mentorship, and later won first place at a state-level tournament."
4. "How will you contribute to our university?"
Highlight unique perspectives, experiences, or skills.
Connect your contributions to existing opportunities at the school.
Example: "As a bilingual student, I want to contribute to Princeton’s Language Exchange Program to help bridge cultural gaps."
Common Red Flags to Avoid
Delaying response to interview invitations – Schedule ASAP.
Lack of research on the college – Know its programs, values, and opportunities.
No intellectual engagement outside the classroom – Be curious and well-read.
Lack of depth in responses – Show self-awareness and reflection.
Weak storytelling – Ensure your experiences connect to your goals and values.
Lack of enthusiasm – Demonstrate genuine excitement about the school.
Keys to a Strong Interview
Be Conversational – The best interviews feel like engaging discussions.
Know Your Interviewer – If possible, research their background.
Memorize Key Details About the School – Show informed interest.
Ask Thoughtful Questions – Show engagement and curiosity.
Follow Up with a Thank-You Email – Express gratitude and reference a specific discussion point.
Curveball Questions
Be prepared for unexpected questions, such as:
"What song represents your life right now?"
"If you were a kitchen utensil, which one would you be?"
"What would you do with $1,000,000?"
Anecdotally, one of our past students, who planned to major in environmental science and policy, was asked “What are your thoughts on the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt?” Thankfully, she knew her stuff and was prepared! Keeping up with current events about the field you plan to study is important. It can show that you’re interested enough in the field to stay up to date on crucial developments.
How to handle these questions:
Stay calm and think aloud.
Use humor or creativity if appropriate.
Relate your answer back to your values or interests.
Final Thoughts
Your college interview is your chance to make a personal impression beyond your application. Bring your enthusiasm! This will be one of your few chances to put a face to your application. By preparing thoughtful responses, engaging naturally, and demonstrating intellectual curiosity, you can show interviewers why you belong at their institution.
Good luck!
