Top 5 Questions You Need to Be Ready For

Sure each interview is unique--different schools want to know different things, different interviewers have different styles, etc--but some questions are so common, you'd be crazy not to be ready for them.

Here's some you're almost guaranteed to get... more later:

• What's your favorite subject/class/academic area and why? (Related: What's been your best class/teacher/project/academic experience and why?) The important part is the "why"--why was someone an inspiring teacher, or what is it about vector calculus that gets your blood pumping? Your interviewer is trying to learn about how you think and what you value; the answer, by the way, "English... I dunno, it's just fun (or "because I'm good at it")" is only marginally better than "science, because our teacher lets us sleep in the back".
• What activities outside the classroom are the most important to you and why? (Related: What are you most passionate about?) Again, the "why" is what's critical; your interviewer is trying to learn more about what you value and what you may bring to campus if you're accepted. Be ready to talk about what you like and why it's so important to you--if you're passionate about dance, is it because you lead your troupe? Is it because it's a vehicle for expression? Or because it's good exercise? (Failed answer: "I love playing guitar because chicks dig it")
• What are you currently reading, and why would (or wouldn't) you recommend it? (Related: Favorite movies, favorite sports, etc). Books are always a great area to ask about, since what someone's reading tells you a lot about their interests (people who love current events books are very different than those who like obscure German fiction). Also, smart people tend to read. Failed answer: "We're reading Huck Finn in English. It's OK so far."
• Have you had an opportunity to take on a leadership role in your school, and if so, what has it taught you? Schools like to think that they admit the next generation's leaders; make sure you're a leader too. Team captain works, elected school office works, club president... anything that shows you can take responsibility. You typically get bonus points if it's something you started up (shows leadership and initiative, and what school isn't looking for that?) Just make sure your supposed "leadership" is plausible. Make sure you can talk about something the experience taught you too (even if it's the ability to balance multiple commitments---which is what 90% of people say) Failed answer: "I was assistant treasurer of the math team sophomore year, but I had to give it up because it was taking up too much time."
• Why do you want to attend my school? I'm always shocked at how many people flub this softball--you're applying to my school, surely there's a reason, right? Choosing which schools to apply to is probably the most important decision in your life to date. What you're being asked is to explain your thought process--how did you make this decision--and to explain what's valuable to you. Bonus: It's also a chance to sell yourself. For example: "I really love mathematics and science, and so I think I want to pursue engineering. I'm not 100% certain of that though, so I don't want to be limited strictly to an engineering school. That's why I decided to focus on schools like yours that combine strong engineering programs with world-class liberal arts programs, so that if my interests change as I explore new areas, I've got the flexibility to do so." Failed answer: "My parents went there", closely followed by "I saw it ranked highly on the Princeton Review's list of top party schools"
  

------CJ