Always Prepared: What to Bring?

As an interviewer, when I'm scheduling an interview with someone I'm always asked the same question: What should I bring to the interview? To save you the trouble (and minor embarrassment) of appearing clueless, here's what you should bring:

Required

• Resume/personal history. This doesn't have to be anything fancy--no need to print it on fancy paper, although that doesn't hurt. But nine times out of 10, your interviewer will know nothing about you prior to the interview--being able to hand them something that lists your main activities will help them focus the conversation as well as (more importantly) give them something to refer back to afterward, when you're being evaluated.
• A pen and something to write on. Lots of people opt for a leather portfolio (like this), but a clean note pad or note book is fine. Which raises the next question--are you going to take notes? Of course not! You could (maybe your interviewer recommends a book that you want to write down, or something like that), but what I've found is students who have something to hold onto during their interview fidget less and appear less nervous. It also makes you look more serious and professional--never a bad thing.
• $10 in cash. No, not for bribes. You may run into incidental expenses as part of the interview--your interviewer expects you to pay for your own cup of coffee, for instance, or you have to pay for parking--and the last thing you want to do is have to ask your interviewer to spot you. You probably won't need it, but why risk it? (credit cards don't count--carry cash just in case)
• Breath mint. Self-explanatory. Chomp one in the parking lot before going in.
• Phone. Again, leave it in the car, if possible, or at least turn the ring off before going in. I have one student a year who gets lost when coming to meet me, and it's critical in situations like that for you to be able to call your interviewer and let them know you're running late (and ask for directions, if needed).
• Interviewer's phone number. Ask for this when you're setting up your interview, if it wasn't volunteered--you need to be able to call if you're running late, get stuck in traffic, get lost, etc.

Optional

• Bottle of water. This is optional, but I get parched when I get nervous, and I also find that water settles a nervous stomach pretty well. Probably best to leave it in the car, but I wouldn't notice or care if someone brought it into an interview, as long as it wasn't a day-glo orange Nalgene. (At the risk of being non-environmental, go with a plan clear bottle of water from the gas station).
  
• Work samples. Don't get carried away, BUT if you've got a special skill or interest you want to show, bring a copy to show your interviewer (this is a particularly good idea if you do something that's obscure or tough to explain--I had a student who was deeply into wood turning, and he brought a couple of bowls he'd made to show me.) Use common sense though--don't bring anything that can't be easily tucked into a bag, requires feeding, may attack, etc.

That's it--pretty simple, but now you know and don't have to worry about it anymore. ------CJ

When Is a Yes/No NOT a Yes/No?

It was the second admissions interview I had ever conducted. I'd gotten a how-to packet from my alma mater, but in typical 22-year-old fashion, I hadn't bothered to read it. I'd also skipped the training session that I was held a week earlier--it was up in the suburbs, and I didn't feel like fighting my way out of town on a Saturday afternoon.

My first interview had gone fine--the girl I interviewed was an incessant talker, and she carried the interview without any input from me.

This one, however, was different. Even though we were only a few years apart, she looked like she was 12, and from the outset she was doing her best to disappear into the uncomfortable wooden chair at the coffee shop. I'm sure that to the casual observer we looked like a slightly creepy blind date gone horribly wrong.

"So, do you play any sports?"

"Yes."

"OK...um, what do you play?"

"Volleyball."

"Great--volleyball is a lot of fun. Have you played for a long time?"

"Yes."

"And....do you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, it's ok."

"Um....Are you any good?"

"Well, not really. I guess I'm OK."

"Okaaaay.... well, um...."

Advice
Have you ever watched a post-game interview after a game, and really paid attention to what the interviewer asks? It's rarely even a question--it's typically an observation with a question mark on the end: "So LeBron, you scored a lot of points in the fourth quarter?"

The athlete, knowing how sports interviews go, correctly hears this as "blah blah blah talk about the game" and launches into some practiced response about god, his teammates, his coach, how tough the other team played, how lucky they were to step it up at the close of the game, or some combination of other sports cliches. The point is, though, he doesn't answer a yes/no question with a yes or no--he uses it as an opening to make the points he wants to make.

Nine times out of 10, your interviewer will do far better when asking you questions. But, if you get that one out of 10, you need to be ready to step on your soap box on cue and talk about yourself. This is not the venue to be humble or shy.

A great interview is really a great conversation, and both you and the interviewer need to play your roles well--the interviewer by asking good, open-ended questions, and you by providing well-reasoned, well-thought-out responses that elicit additional questions (we'll talk more about steering an interview at a later date).

Even if it is a yes or no question, the interviewer is expecting more than a yes or no answer. The interviewer is trying (poorly) to engage you on a conversation topic that you can take and run with, which ideally leads into a conversation about that topic.

For instance, the question "do you play sports?" is intended to elicit a "I do--I've been playing volleyball for six years now, and have gone from sitting on the bench to team captain. The challenges that I've faced as captain have really taught me a lot about what it's like to lead a group and be a role model to younger players."

Such a response opens up multiple avenues for you and your interviewer to go down--what you've learned as a leader, how you worked up to the role of captain, etc--all of which will enable you to tell your interviewer specific things about you that make you unique (and a good admissions fit). Just like LeBron, you took your cue to talk about yourself and made the points that you wanted your interviewer to know.

Ways to screw up

• Answering with direct answers that don't provide material for further questions: "yes/no", "sometimes", "maybe", etc. Remember, in our example, the question "do you play sports" is really "if you play sports, can you talk about it for a few minutes?" You need to give your interviewer additional information to work with.
  
• Being passive. Closed-ended questions like these are typically a sign that your interviewer isn't terribly good (it happens). One of you needs to take the lead in the conversation, and when given an opportunity like this, it should be you.
  

Ways to ace it

• Use the question as a starting point to expound on an area of your background. If it's about sports, talk about sports you've played (or, if you're a non-athlete, as a segue into another extracurricular activity you've excelled at). If it's about academics, talk about your academic interest--just remember, like LeBron (or your sports star of choice), you're being given the mic and a chance to tell your interviewer anything. Be ready to exploit the chance you're being given (this is easy if you're got your pitch ready--more on that in an upcoming post)
  
• Ask for clarification. If it's unclear what the interviewer is getting at, and you're nervous about launching off in a wrong direction, answer directly and ask for clarification ("Yes, I'm the captain of our volleyball team, and it's been a huge part of my high school experience. What can I tell you about it?")
• Return the question. It never hurts to get your interviewer talking about his or her background and experiences. Answer the question and return it: "Yes, I made all-state in volleyball the past two years. Did you play sports in high school or college?" Finding like interests and backgrounds will help you build rapport with your interviewer, which will help strengthen your impression.

Chances are that an interviewer with lousy questions isn't going to be something you'll need to worry about, but they do exist. Just remember: If you run into the yes/no type of questions, treat it as it is--an opportunity for you to make the points that you want your interviewer to know. Whatever you do though, don't answer yes/no questions with a yes or no. ----CJ

In the News: Does SAT Coaching Work?

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on SAT test prep. With most things in life, the more you do something the better you get at it--it makes sense that, within reason, the same should hold for the SAT (you're not as nervous the 2nd or 3rd....or 103rd time around, you're accustomed to the format, etc).

But, when it comes to spending thousands of dollars to take a test-prep class, is it really worth it? Maybe not.

According to a report just released by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, average gains are in the 30-point range for the SAT--hardly the dramatic increases the test-prep companies claim.

BUT... (and it's a big "but") the report also points out that a very marginal difference--say, I dunno, a 30-point SAT-score difference--may be enough to change whether a student is admitted or not.

As always, every detail matters.

See the press release here.
The report here. (pdf)

And news coverage:
Inside Higher Ed
NY Times

We're all busy. Don't be a scheduling nightmare.

I'd been trying to reach the applicant for more than two weeks--I'd emailed her twice with no response and left her a voicemail on her cellphone. I was going to call her one last time before giving up and filing her as a non-response.

On the third ring, she picked up:

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm calling from _____. I wanted to speak with you about scheduling your admissions interview."

"Oh... right. Yeah, I saw your emails, but I've just been really swamped... um... how long is it going to take?"

"Typically 30 minutes to an hour. If possible, I'd like to schedule you either later this week or early next. Does some time in the afternoon, after school, work for you? Sometime between say 3pm and 8pm?"

"Oh... yeah, well, maybe... I've got practice after school most nights though, and I'm really busy. How about Saturday, like around noon? We could meet at the Starbucks out by me?"

"Right. I normally do my interviews near my office during the week, unless it's absolutely impossible to schedule. Are you completely unavailable on weeknights? I could go later too, if that would help?"

"Yeah, well, see I'm really busy, and I'm thinking about trying out for the school musical too. And I just really don't like driving into town..."

Ding.

Advice
First, it should be obvious but shockingly enough often isn't: Respect your interviewer. It's either someone who works in the school's admissions office or a local alumni who is volunteering his or her valuable time to meet with you. Either way, this is someone whose favorable opinion you desperately need if you want to have a chance of getting accepted.

What's the easiest way to tick off your interviewer before you've even met? Be a prima dona about scheduling the interview!

This is the very first impression that you're giving your interviewer--before you walk into the office, before you shake hands for the first time, your interviewer is getting an impression about what type of person you are. Don't let it be "self-centered brat". Maybe you're awesome enough to be able to claw out of that hole, but why would you want to dig that hole to start with?

Keep in mind the process. Chances are your interviewer is a local graduate (see earlier posts), meaning this is something they're volunteering to do in their free time. They probably have anywhere from 1-2 to 5 or more applicants to interview. Depending on the school, they may have an extended form or write-up to produce about each applicant. They undoubtedly have a deadline by which they need to get their report turned in.

To be successful, you need to do everything possible to make scheduling as simple and straight-forward as possible. You probably won't impress your interviewer with how accommodating and responsive you are, but you'll avoid giving them a negative first impression.

Ways to screw up:

• Don't respond to the email or call.
• Respond to the email, but leave it vague (ie, if the interviewer asks whether you're free any afternoon this week, reply "yes". Better would be "I'm free any afternoon after 4". Best would be "I'm free from 4-6 on Tuesday, 3-6 on Wednesday, or 4-7 on Thursday, do any of these work for you?"
• Demand an alternative time slot absent an extremely good reason
• Demand an alternative venue absent an extremely good reason
  

Ways to ace it:

• Be gracious to your interviewer, and find a time that is workable for you as quickly as possible. Note that "workable" doesn't mean "perfect." Not a morning person, but 7am is the only time your interviewer can meet with you? Then 7am it is--pick up coffee on the way.
• Reply to emails or calls immediately. If you need another day or two to finalize a time (say you need to reschedule another activity), respond to the call or email saying so: "Mr Jones, this is CJ. I just got your message about interviewing with your school. I'm very excited about meeting you, but let me call you back tomorrow afternoon to finalize a time--I think that Thursday will work, but I need to see if I can reschedule another meeting. Can I call you back tomorrow around 4:30 to finalize things?"
  
• Block off at least an hour on either side of the interview to get to and from the interview, allow for things running late, and to avoid being rushed and panicked. Block off even more time if you need to travel across town, your interview is during rush hour, etc. If practice lets out at 4:30, try not to schedule your interview at 5--you'll just be panicked and hurried.
• Absent an extremely good reason, always accept the venue that your interviewer proposes. If they want to meet you at their office, the library, a local coffee shop, etc, it's probably with good reason.
• If you have to skip practice, be late to rehearsal, miss a group meeting, or reschedule another event, 90% of the time you should do it. Your interviewer takes your interview seriously--you should too.
  

What's the lesson? Reply quickly, be courteous and respectful of your interviewer's time, and be as easy to schedule as possible.

But what if you're really booked?
Your interviewer expects you to be busy--after all, if you're applying to an elite college, chances are you're not just drifting through high school. They also expect you to prioritize your interview over most other activities and do everything in your power to schedule a time that's convenient to your interviewer.

When I'm scheduling someone, I'll typically offer up a half-dozen windows--afternoons on multiple weekdays and an evening or two--figuring that surely an hour during one of those slots works. If you can, reschedule or cancel other activities to make a time work for your interview.

But what if you really can't make any of the times your interviewer suggested? Apologize profusely for not being able to make any of the suggested times work, explain your conflict, and offer up 4-5 time slots that would work for you. Then let your interviewer pick, and make sure to thank them profusely for being flexible in working with your schedule when you meet.

What if you need to travel to the interview?
Often your interviewer won't live down the street from you. They may not even live in your town--or, more commonly, if you live in the suburbs they might live in (and want to interview you in) the city.

If it's within your power to meet them at their suggested location, accept without hesitation. Is it going to take you two hours to drive to your interview? Then drive two hours--think of it as additional time to get your thoughts in order (or, if someone else can drive you, more time to review your notes and prepare). Trust me, better for your chances if you travel two hours than for your interviewer to travel that far.

If you really, really can't travel that far--no one in your family or immediate circle of friends has a car and public transportation doesn't exist--explain your situation to your interviewer, offer what you can (can you meet them half-way?), apologize profusely and be as accommodating as possible. Do anything possible to avoid this though, since no mater how gracious your interviewer seems on the phone or email, you'll be starting out with one strike against you if you make them go out of their way to meet with you.

What if your interviewer is indecisive?
Instead of offering specific time options for a set location, what if you get an email that looks like this:

Dear Applicant---
My name is CJ, and I need to schedule you for your admissions interview. When do you want to get together? ---CJ

It's your interviewer's job to suggest times and a location, but sometimes they leave it up to you. What should you do? Take charge! Suggest multiple times that would work, and offer to meet either at their office or at a location that is convenient for them. For example:

CJ---
Thanks for contacting me --- I'm really excited to meet with you and find out more about your school. This week, I'm free on Wednesday from 4 until 6, Friday from 3 until 7, or next week on Monday from 3 until 8 or Tuesday from 4 until 6.

Let me know if any of those times work for you, and let me know if you'd like me to meet you at your office or some other place that's convenient for you--a local coffee shop, etc. I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you in person
---Applicant

Then, if you don't hear back from then in 2-3 days, email or call to follow up. (Being proactive and decisive like this, by the way, will impress 90% of interviewers).

Don't mess up your interview by setting a bad impression before you even meet--be as accommodating and easy to schedule as possible ---CJ

"Just a quick note to thank you for your time..."

Don't you wish there was a super-easy, 2-minute way to underscore how serious an applicant you are for a given school? Don't you wish you could do something that was quick and easy that would immediately differentiate you from 95% of applicants that your interviewer has ever met?

There is. And it's super easy. Best of all--it'll make your mom proud.

Write a thank-you note.

You'd be shocked to find that almost no one does something that is so astonishingly easy, and yet makes a great impression on your interviewer. In a couple of hundred interviews, I've had--literally--maybe a half-dozen thank-you notes. Some were from applicants I met years ago, yet I still remember that they took the time to write me after their interview.

Do you think that made me feel more positive about them when I reviewed them for the admissions committee? You bet it did!

Here's what to do:

1. Get a business card--or something with the interviewer's email address and physical address on it--at your interview. If you forget, did he/she email you to set up the interview? You're golden (often email signatures will have a physical mailing address in them too). No? Do you know where your interviewer worked? You can call the front desk, explain who you are, and typically get contact information--at least a physical mailing address, if not an email address--that way. (Easier to just remember to get a business card.)
   
2. As soon as you get home that evening, send a followup email.
   
3. Within 24 hours, write an actual, honest-to-god, ink-on-paper note.

Why both an email and a physical note? Two reasons:

First, you're doing this to be nice, to be courteous, and to show your gratitude to this person for taking the time to meet with you--but also to demonstrate that you're a nice, courteous and thankful person. Some interviewers will write up your review that same day (while you're still fresh in their minds), and you need to get a thank-you in front of them before they submit your review, and an email accomplishes this. Even if your physical note goes out the next morning, by day 2 or 3 when it arrives, it may be too late to have an impression.

If it may be too late to have an impact anyway, why even bother with a physical note? Because (reason #2) NO ONE does now. It's an easy way to distinguish yourself from the pack.

I had a female applicant last year who sent me a very thoughtful note, carefully recapping our discussion, which left an incredibly positive impression with me. Even if there's a chance you've already been reviewed and it's too late, getting a thoughtfully done handwritten note leaves such a good impression--and is so easy to do--that you'd be stupid to ignore it.

Plus...comeon, it's just good manners.
Be a glimmer of hope in a world of reality television. Help save civilization.

So what do you say?
On the email:

• Keep it short. This is an informal medium, and overwrought emails just feel... weird.
• Express gratitude for the interview and your excitement about the school.
• Thank your interviewer for anything you received (I always buy applicants a cup of coffee).

Example:
"Mrs. Alumna,
Thank you again for the cup of coffee, and for taking the time to meet with me this evening. I really enjoyed meeting you and hearing more about [your school]. If there's anything else I can help with or answer for you, please let me know. Thank you again for meeting with me ---CJ"

(Side note: sending an email also opens the door in case there is something that your interviewer wants to know or needs from you---this is extremely rare, but doesn't hurt to do)

In your written note:

• It's OK to be a little more formal--it's a more formal medium--but don't make it sound like Jane Austin.
  
• Keep it personal. This isn't a form letter.
  
• Keep it short, keep it hand-written (see below)
• Touch again upon your main interview themes (reiterate what you want the interviewer to remember)
  

Example:
"November X, 2009
Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for meeting with me earlier this week. I appreciate your taking the time from your schedule to meet with me and answer my questions about [your school]. I'm very excited about the chance to attend [your school] in the fall, and I was particularly interested to hear your perspective on the [your academic strength] department. I'm convinced that [school name] is a great fit for me, and I'm looking forward to [trying out for your favorite sport, joining some club you're dedicated to, etc].

Thank you for sharing your time, advice and perspective with me.

Sincerely,
CJ"

Point: you want to underscore one last time what you think makes you a unique, a particularly qualified candidate or a particularly good fit for the school. Don't sweat it though--overall, it matters less what you say than the fact that you said something.

Other points:
Should you type your thank-you note?
Absolutely not. Anything word-processed feels mass-produced, and part of your goal is to convey that you want to attend this school badly enough to put the time and effort into writing something yourself. (Under no circumstances should you do this)

Should you ever not write a note?
No. Unless maybe your interview was so unbelievably bad that your only hope is that your interviewer forgets to submit your review. Which won't happen--write a note.

Finally, should you just cut and paste the notes above and send them instead of writing something yourself? Since your interviewer may also be reading this blog...probably not. ---CJ

Does the College Admissions Interview Count?

One question that comes up frequently about college admissions interviews:

Who cares?

In other words: Does a college admissions interview help your admissions chances?

The college admissions interview is often one of the most downplayed aspects of the application process. Application instructions often refer to the "opportunity to have a conversation" with a local alumn and extend the chance to "learn more about the experience" at their school. And, as mentioned before, it's ALWAYS positioned as "voluntary". Sounds like a social nicety--like calling your grandmother on her birthday--and as about as dispensable.

Given that you're busy with other applications, standardized testing, essay writing--not to mention your high school academics--can you just blow off this whole "interview" thing?

Not if you want to get in!

It's true that different schools put different emphasis on the admissions interview. It's also true that virtually nowhere will a school weigh your interview above something like your high school transcript.

But it's also true that in hyper-competitive application environment, anything that can push you slightly closer to the "admit" pile is worth focusing on. Let others blow their interview off--this is one area where you should shine!

But back to the main question---how are interviews actually weighed?

It depends on the school, but most put a moderate weight on them.

First, feel guaranteed that there's some report from your "conversation" that will get reported back to the school's admissions committee. Some schools only require a written evaluation of the interview from the interviewer; some have the interviewer respond to specific questions; some have to fill out a form; some require a score in addition to a write-up. Even if your interviewer isn't writing anything down, rest assured that you're being evaluated.

How is that evaluation used?
Typically, think of it as another letter of recommendation. Your teachers and counselors already reviewed you as an applicant. They bring an expertise in you as a student, from multiple months (or years) of interactions--but they often don't know much about the specific school to which you're applying. Your college interviewers are also reviewing you as an applicant, and although they're not an expert in you (having just met you for 45 minutes), they know their schools extremely well and know what types of students excel at their institutions. Most importantly, they can compare you to other students they've interviewed--providing a valuable comparison point for the admissions committee.

One final note: Keep in mind that regardless of the school, the interviewer almost always has some sort of blackball ability. If you do something horrific in your interview (rare, but you'd be shocked what happens), your interviewer can typically cast some sort of "dear God, please don't let this punk into our school" call--which, at the very least, will cause the admissions committee to take a second look at your application. You typically need to commit some gross sin--standing up your interviewer, overwhelming arrogance, etc--to get blackballed.

More important is the other side of the coin--most schools also have some "take a second look--this kid's really something special" reporting option. If you're going to maximize your admissions chances, that should be your goal for the interview ----CJ

Guaranteed Softball: Asking Questions About the School (Part II)

OK, so you now know better than to ask about where near campus you can buy beer without an ID, or to ask your Dartmouth interviewer what it was like to live in New York for four years. What should you focus on?

Ways to ace it:

• Show your familiarity with the school. Every interview for every school (even your safety school) needs to be treated like it's your top choice. What makes the school different or unique? What do their graduates say sets their alma mater apart? Are there specific programs, departments, courses or other (hopefully academic) opportunities that led you to apply to the school in the first place? If so, that's where your questions should focus. Why? It shows that you've thought seriously about why you want to go to school there (as opposed to applying somewhere based on ranking or where your friends are applying) and underscores again why you're unique. Example: If you think you want to study marine biology, you decided to apply somewhere because of their marine biology department, you should ask something about their marine biology program.
  
• If you're worried about something, ask. Others would disagree, but I'm impressed when a student asks about something that they've heard about my school that worries them--it shows me that (again) they're familiar with my school and have done their homework, but also that they're really thinking about their decision and weighing their options. Have you heard that the school is a pressure cooker? Overly focused on its football team? Has a social life dominated by the Greek scene? Ask--just do so politely (ie "I've read that students at your school are competitive. In your experience, was that the case?" not "Aren't students at your school hyper stressed out and ultra competitive?")
• Ask sincere questions. What do you really want to know? You're read the website, the viewbooks and catalogs. You've filled out the forms. You've written essays. Here you've got someone who had the experience you're applying for--surely there's something you're really dying to know. If it's something you're sincerely curious about, ask.
• Ask open-ended questions. You want to get a conversation going with your interviewer--instead of asking them a yes/no question, ask something open-ended. For instance, if you're interested in community service and how the university interacts with the surrounding community, instead of asking "are relations with the surrounding community good?" ask "what is the relationship with the surrounding community like?"
  
• Get your interviewer talking. Your interviewer loves their school--that's why they're volunteering dozens (or more) hours every season to meet with and interview potential students. Get them talking about their experience, their favorite times and get their advice. "What was your favorite experience at the university?" "Why did you decide to go to this school?" Added bonus: asking for personal experiences and opinions--in addition to be ingratiating (most interviewers like to talk about themselves)--can never be factually incorrect. If you're talking about how your interviewer loved playing rugby, it doesn't matter that you've blanked on which state the school is located in....
  

Possible questions:
(ignoring school-specific questions, these are both the favorite things I've been asked, as well as questions I'd ask were I being interviewed)

• What sets your school apart and makes it unique? (alt: How would you compare it to other top institutions?)
  
• How did you decide which schools to apply to and which to attend?
• What was it like to move across the county (or state, region, etc) to attend school?
  
• If you couldn't have attended your school, where else would you have been interested in attending?
• Looking back now, how has having gone to this school helped you? (particularly good for older interviewers)
• What was your favorite class or subject (or professor)? (Alt: Which class/subject/professor do you remember most?)
  
• What surprised you most about going to this school?
  
• What was a typical day like for you?
• What's the biggest weakness of your school?
  
• If you could do something differently in college, what would it be?
  
• If you had one piece of advice when you were my age, what would you want to know?
  
• What memory stands out the most from your college experience?
• What do you think is better about your school now than when you attended? What's worse?
• How much opportunity do students have to improve things on campus and leave their mark?
  
• How did going to your school change you as a person?

Again, don't have a dozen questions--if you have that many questions, find a current student or another alumni to ask--instead, have 2-3 good, solid questions. If your interviewer says something that invites a followup question, ask it. This is a pretty informal portion of the interview, but should last 15-20 minutes tops.

Finally, a good final question to ask (just before you stand up, shake hands and leave): Is there anything else I can address or answer for you? The answer will be no (if your interviewer wanted to know something else, they'd have asked--they're not shy), but it's a polite ending. ----CJ
(Oh, one more thing--if you need to have your questions written down so you don't forget, reading them off your notepad to your interviewer isn't the end of the world, but it'll look more natural (and go over better) if you can remember them without looking.)

College Admissions Interviews (The Basics)

You decided to apply to a handful of top-ranked institutions. In addition to the standard test scores, grades and recommendations, they want you to write a couple of essays. Fine--you've written essays for class before, so although a pain, that's not a huge deal.

But now you're being offered the "opportunity" to interview. Whaa?

A little background....

Schools vary in their use of admissions interviews, and what they even mean by "admissions interview." Some schools offer on-campus interviews with their admissions staff. Others don't offer on-campus interviews, but offer interviews through their alumni network with local graduates. Others differ by school within the university. At least one offers online interviews, via webcam. (None--as far as I know--interview on Second Life yet although that might just be a matter of time.) Confused yet?

The focus of this site is going to be the most common interview, the local alumni interview, but much of the advice will carry over to the other formats (although "make sure to wear shoes" might be less valuable in the online interviews...) If you're fortunate enough to be able to schedule an interview with an admissions staffer on campus--go for it. But for the vast majority of applicants, you'll be meeting with a local alumni.

What's an alumni interview?

Easy--it's a meeting, often 30 minutes to an hour, with a local alumni volunteer in your area. It's often conducted at a local coffee shop or some other public area, although some alumni interview at their office. The person you'll be meeting with can be anything from a recent graduate to someone who's been out of school for 30 years. Typically, an interviewer will get assigned 3-5 candidates from their area each year, which they'll contact, schedule a meeting with, interview and then review for the school.

An important thing to note: no matter how "optional" an interview is, it's not optional. You should never pass up an opportunity to expand on a school's understanding of you as a person--and that includes being interviewed.

Why do schools do it?

There's at least two reasons--and only one involves you.

First, schools really do conduct interviews to deepen their understanding of you as an applicant. Consider that many schools review tens of thousands of applicants each year--eventually, all those GPAs, class ranks and SAT scores look the same. The interview is a way to find out more about you as a person--how do you conduct yourself in person? Can you carry on an intelligent conversation? Will you represent the school well if you're admitted?

From Martha Allman, director of admissions at Wake Forest (which just started doing interviews):

"We found that the interviews truly helped us differentiate among applicants," she said. "We began to wonder how we chose a class without interviews." (full statement here)

The alumni interviewers--particularly those who perform multiple interviews over multiple years--also serve as a good barometer for the school. Unlike your teachers, who may only see one applicant to a given school every few years (or less), your alumni interviewer can compare you to multiple students across multiple years and give a better objective (albeit limited) perspective on you as an applicant.

(The other reason many schools use alumni interviews? Money. Alumni donate, and active alumni donate more. Moblize thousands of interviewers and you've engaged thousands of alumni, some of whom may look more favorably on donating to their alma mater when their class fundraising letter rolls in.)

More on the interview process, behind-the-scenes info--as well as tips and tricks to maximize your chances of impressing your interviewer--later ---CJ

Guaranteed Softball: Asking Questions About the School (Part I)

After about 45 minutes of talking about his favorite high school classes, some volunteer work he did in the community and a little bit about current events, I was ready to wrap up. He was a pretty good interview--maybe not the best ever, but definitely solid, and he'd impressed me with a couple of answers. Now it was just the easy part left.

"So, enough questions about you," I said. "Tell me, you must have a lot of questions about my school. Do you have any questions I can answer?"

"Oh. Um...." Deer-in-the-headlights look. He was about to whiff on the ultimate softball question.

"Well, I was thinking about studying business, or maybe journalism," he said. "How are those majors?"

"Well, first, we don't have either an undergraduate business or journalism program..."

Ding.

Advice:
First, be aware that virtually every admissions interview will end with time for your questions. On the surface, this is a great opportunity--here you've got a graduate from a school that you're interested in attending, and you can use them to find out anything you want to know about that school. And while that is true--within reason--be aware that there's a reason you're being given the chance to ask questions:

First, the interviewer wants to see if you're serious and if you've done your homework.

How familiar are you with the school? If you ask something obviously wrong, something that could be gotten from the website, or something else that shows a lack of preparation, there's only one takeaway your interviewer can have--you're not serious about going to this school. And if there's one way of guaranteeing being put in the "Reject" pile, it's telegraphing to your interviewer that you're not that serious about going to their school. Everyone knows every applicant has applied to a dozen schools--but no one is going to be excited about you if they think they're number 12 on your list.

A second reason interviewers want to hear your questions: Bright students also tend to ask bright questions. Like other parts of the interview, this is a chance to show that you're a more mature thinker than other applicants.

So, what to do? Easy--have 2-3 good questions lined up for your interview. Ideally, you'll learn more about the school and engage your interviewer in an interesting conversation. Worst-case, you'll demonstrate knowledge of the school, underscore how serious an applicant you are and end the interview on a high note.

Ways to screw up:

• When asked if you have any questions, say "no". It shows either a lack of interest or curiosity on your part (both bad). Most interviewers also like talking about their schools--they're volunteering to interview, after all--and if you don't have questions, they don't get to talk about their favorite topic.
• Ask something best answered by the school website. This is an opportunity for you to get your interviewer's opinions and perspective, and potentially connect with them on shared interests. Don't quiz your interviewer on facts that can best be looked up elsewhere. I don't know what the current teacher:student ratio is, don't ask.
• Ask something factually wrong. This should be obvious, but I've still had students ask about programs my school doesn't have (the example above), confuse the location of campus, and a host of other missteps that showed they know almost nothing about the school they were applying to. When in doubt ("do they offer journalism or not?"), just don't ask. Or, if you must ask, try to soften it ("I can't remember if your school offers an explicit undergrad pre-law degree or not, but I'm interested in going into law and clearly a lot of your graduates go into the legal world. What sorts of classes do they typically take, and is there any formal program or support for them?")
  
• Ask something controversial. This can be a little tricky--if the school you're interviewing for has been in the news for something bad (say, an NCAA recruiting violation), it's fair to ask, if you do so tactfully. Alternatively, asking a one-off question related to something controversial may make you stand out--for instance: "your school's been in the news for recruiting violations related to the football program. Since I was hoping to play lacrosse, do you think that will have any impact on other athletic programs?" Just keep in mind that this can be touchy.
• Ask questions that make it sound like you're just looking for a four-year beer fest. In general, asking quality-of-life-related questions ("What's the on-campus social life like" or "How does the social life at your school compare to others") is fine, just don't make it your only question.
• Ask something inappropriate. No matter how casual it is, no matter how young and cool your interviewer seems, some topics are always off limits. Don't ask about the campus sex life. Or drugs. Or anything else you wouldn't be comfortable asking your grandmother about.
  
• Ask something you don't care about. Few things are worse than being asked a question by someone who doesn't care about the answer. If you're hyper concerned about how an interdisciplinary program works, by all means ask--but if you're just asking a question to try to earn points, don't ask.
  

Next, post, I'll cover how to ace this section of your interview and offer specific questions you may want to include ----CJ

Sooo.... Tell me about yourself

Welcome to the world of college admissions interviewing.

First, let's state the obvious: college admissions (particularly undergrad admissions at top-ranked universities) is a crapshoot. When Stanford has an admissions rate of 7.6%, do you really think there's any difference between the applicant in the 93rd percentile vs. the one in the 92nd?

But even if it is random, you can tilt the odds slightly more in your favor. Everyone you're competing with though is focused on the same areas you are --- test scores, high school grades and activities, etc.

How do you make yourself stand out?

Ace your admissions interview.

Think about it --- your grade in freshman PE is already set. If you don't have powerful alumni parents, you're not going to change that now. There's no chance you can re-run for class president at this point. But your admissions interview is still in your control. Maybe it only counts for a small portion of your overall application at a given university, but if it puts you ahead of only one or two other applicants that might be enough to push you over the top.

Besides, since you have to do it anyway (even if it's technically "optional", it never is...more on that later), you might as well do it right.

That's where I hope to help. I've been an admissions interviewer for about 15 years at a top-ranked university, during which time I've interviewed hundreds of students. I've interviewed a couple of rockstars, a handful of disasters, and HUGE numbers of earnest students who probably looked good--not great, but good--on paper, but who had no idea how to interview. Any of those students could have distinguished themselves from the crowd and possibly pushed themselves into the "admit" pile, if only they had a clue about how to interview.

By sharing some stories, advice and tips on how to interview successfully, I hope to give you the tools you'll need to set yourself apart to your future interviewers. Because while it's a random process, you owe it to yourself to tip it as much in your favor as possible.
----CJ