As seniors are beginning to hear back from schools mid-March through early April, many of them are being interviewed by their prospective colleges. Having an opportunity to answer questions from admissions officers in an interview format is a great way for students to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

To a college admissions officer, you are nothing more than a stack of papers. An interview allows you to circumvent this problem by putting a face and a personality to an applicant, which allows a college to connect more deeply with potential students.

While interviews are generally not required by most colleges, they are emphasized and suggested in one’s admissions process. Often colleges that offer interview opportunities invite students to partake in one over email. Demonstrating interest in a college via an interview allows for an admissions representative to value you higher as a candidate in many schools.

“A student’s academic record is always going to weigh the most heavily in the admission process, but the interview can also be a factor at some schools, especially at small colleges,” said LFHS college advisor Elizabeth Hannon.

At small colleges, students have more freedom to converse with their professors and peers due to the 20-30-person class size in each course. In a formal interview, the interviewer evaluates your ability to respond critically to questions and converse about the college itself. 

“Class sizes are much smaller at small colleges so participation in class discussions is expected,” said Hannon.

When preparing for an interview it’s essential to research the college beforehand and explore interesting programs surrounding your major interest. If you apply undecided, anything interesting or surprising is good to highlight.

“I searched up common questions for interviews, and I also went onto the university website and saw questions that an interviewer may ask and answered all of them to myself beforehand,” said senior Bolurin Taiwo, who is attending the University of Pennsylvania in his next years for finance and economics.

An interview should not be seen as a stressful process, but rather an opportunity to positively represent oneself and demonstrate interest in a college. It’s an experience that can very positively impact one’s appeal to a college.