Current Interview Questions: Duke University

We're in the thick of college interview season (for Early Admit/Decision at least) and interview questions are starting to trickle in. Below is from an interviewer at Duke University who shot us his favorite questions. Questions for other schools is here. ---CJ

Duke University

Official description of the Duke interview is here. Like with other top-tier schools, the school states that their college interview isn't required, but that it's recommended (translation: it's required). You'll get interviewed by a local alumni--Duke doesn't offer on-campus interviews. And every alumni

is free to ask their own questions, so the content of your interview will be unique.

In style, the Duke college interview is much like the admissions interviews at Princeton (profiled here)--your interviewer is going to try to get to know you as a person, what you like and dislike, what your interests and passions are, and try to get a sense for how you'd contribute to the incoming class. Be ready to talk about academics, but also extra-curricular activities, sports, community service, and what you like to do for fun.

And yes, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a passing familiarity with basketball.

Current interview questions for Duke:

• What are you most passionate about? What makes you get out of bed in the morning?
• Tell me about your family? Are you a lot like them? How are you unique?
• What are you doing this summer? What did you do last summer?
• What is your high school like? If I were a prospective student at your high school, what would you tell me about it?
• If I made you principal of your school, what would be some of the first changes you would make?
• Is there any one room in your home that best describes your personality or character?
  
• What are your academic interests? What do you dislike?
  
• If I gave you a three-hour free shopping spree at a bookstore what kind of books would you get? What would you leave on the shelves?
• Do you have any heroes? Whom do you most admire?
• Thinking about all of your accomplishments so far, what are you most proud of? What would you like to attain?
• Describe a situation in which you took a significant leadership role. What did you learn?
• If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?
  
• Describe a difficult time in your life. How did you handle it? What would you do differently? What did you learn?
• What is your favorite time in history? Who would you most like to go back and meet?
• Given 15 minutes with the President, what would you discuss?
• Have you had a chance to travel outside the country? If so, what did you learn? Where would you most like to visit?