TUN sits down with Gabrielle Dorsey, the executive director of Bridges Educational Consulting, to discuss the most common questions students can expect during a college interview and how they should answer them.

TUN: Gabrielle, thanks so much for joining us.

DORSEY: Thanks for having me.

Great. So, let’s get right to it. What are some of the common college interview questions that students should prepare for? As you go through them, could you offer a little bit of advice on how applicants should answer those questions?

Absolutely. I think one thing that’s important to note is that the college interview really is designed to learn more about the student. So, it’s an opportunity to assess and determine fit for both the university and the students. Generally speaking, the questions are mostly about the student. So, as a student, it’s all about you. 

The “why this school” question

I would say one of the most common questions and one of the most important questions is, “Why are you interested in that particular university or college?” 

That question, out of all of them, is the one that you actually want to think about preparing for. Particularly for students who are in their senior year during the application process, it’s really important that you’ve done your research. Make sure that you’re able to provide and articulate a clear response about why you’re interested in that college or university.

Be specific about your reasons. So, avoid saying generic things like, “I really want to go to a big or small school” or “I just really like the city that it’s in. I really want to go to Boston.” 

You want to be specific. So instead, for example, you could say something like, “I’m interested in a small school because I feel like my learning style really works well in a more intimate setting where I can get to know the professors, and I’m excited to learn more about the seminar-style lectures that the school offers.” 

Or, perhaps there’s a specific program or opportunity that the school offers that’s related to being in Boston or being in the town that it’s located at. Those kinds of specific things are much better points to make for students answering that question.

I would also recommend that students think about any and all aspects of the college that they like. So, for example, anything from clubs and organizations to traditions and culture and academic coursework is fair game. 

But, the most important thing to remember is how to connect that back to yourself. If you’re going to talk about any of those items, make sure you’re clear about explaining why these items resonate with you, why it would enhance your experience and why you feel like that’s something that you want to have at your future college, because you don’t want to just regurgitate back what you’ve learned on the website. You want it to be clear that you’ve thought about this and you’ve given some real consideration to why this is a good fit for you. So, that’s probably the most important question. 

Questions about the student

Other questions, because they’re all about the student, can really range the gamut.

• Academic interests

When I was an admissions officer and conducting interviews, I always wanted to learn more about the student’s academic interests. This is not a trick question. There’s not a set response that you need to have. 

Generally, they’ll ask you, “What have been some of your favorite and least favorite courses in high school? Are there perhaps academic pursuits that you’re particularly proud of, maybe a project or a paper?” 

It’s okay for you to talk about really anything that has been an interest to you during that time. You might have multiple and that’s okay too. So, don’t feel like you have to narrow down your answer to just one academic area, and don’t feel like you have to have a specific passion in that area. You could just really like three classes, for example, and that’s still a great answer to that question. 

• Extracurricular activities

You should also be prepared to talk about your extracurricular activities or at least a few that are most important to you, perhaps that you spend the most time doing. They’ll definitely want to learn more about why you’ve chosen to engage in those particular activities. 

Some things you might just do because they’re fun and other things might have a deeper meaning. Both of those things are great. You just want to be able to talk about that. You’ll also be asked, most likely, about your hobbies. What do you do for fun? Again, this is an opportunity for the representative to get to know this student.

They’re going to want to learn more things about you that perhaps won’t be obvious in your application. So, if there are some arts that you do on the side or if you’re on a casual sports team or something in your neighborhood — anything fun that you do — this is your opportunity to talk about those things. 

• Favorite book

They might also ask you things like, “What’s been your favorite book in the last year or during high school?” and “What’s your favorite TV show?” 

I used to always ask students, “If you had one TV show that you had to watch for an entire month, what would it be? And tell me why.” Sometimes, those types of questions make students nervous because they think there’s a right answer and there’s really not. It’s, again, really an opportunity to just get to know a little bit more about the student and how the student’s mind works. It’s okay if you pick something that is purely just for fun and entertainment. I had a student tell me that he would watch CNN every day for a month, and I was concerned. That’s not particularly fun or healthy all the time. So, be honest and be yourself. 

• Goals

They might also ask about your goals and aspirations. Some students have a very clear idea of what they want to accomplish in college, in their courses and in their future careers. Other students really don’t. And that’s okay, too. If you just have ideas percolating at this time and you’re still not sure, that’s okay. Maybe the goals are just what you have for the next year and not necessarily 5-7 years from now. 

So, the main thing to take away from these questions is that the person interviewing you is a person. This is not designed to trip you up. There’s not going to be a lot of trick questions or any trick questions, really. It’s just going to be things that are an opportunity to learn more about who the student is, their background, their interests and things like that. 

Have questions to ask

I would also add to remember to bring your own questions to the interview because at the end, the representative will ask you if you have questions about the university. And remember, this is your opportunity to learn more about the school. So, anything that you haven’t figured out yet or that you’re wondering about, I would highly encourage you to ask those questions during the interview.

Great. So, should students be conversational and take their time answering the questions, or should they try to get right to the point?

Yeah, that’s a good one. It definitely is designed to be a conversation. It’s not one of those situations where you’re just kind of getting questions fired at you. So, take your time with your responses. For students who might have a habit of going on long or going on tangents, just be aware of that so you can kind of curtail that in your conversation. But, it is designed to be a conversation, so feel free to take your time and give a full response to each question.

Great. So, if at any point throughout the interview, a student is asked a question that he or she does not know the answer to, how should that student respond or react? Is honesty the best policy?

Great question. There likely won’t be a question that you just have no idea how to answer since all the questions are about you. But, there might be a question that you don’t know right off the top of your head, that you might need to think about for a moment. 

It’s okay to say, “That’s a great question, and I need a minute to think about that.” And do just that. 

If you’re unsure about your answer and maybe they’ve asked you, for example, your favorite book, you know, if you have to or you can’t decide, that’s okay. You can just be honest and say that. Again, it’s a conversation, and these are real people who are trying to get to know you and who work with teenagers all the time. So, there’s no real need to be super nervous or to feel like you can’t give an honest answer.

Great. That said, do you have any tips to help students stay calm and composed throughout the interview process?

Sure.

You’ll know what time your interview is. Whatever you have going on before that, make some space so that you’re in a good mood. You know, make sure that you’ve gotten up, had your coffee, all that. Make sure that you’re in a good headspace. 

Think about some of the things that you might do when you’re nervous. Be aware of those. I always remind students that if you’re the kind of person that shakes your leg when you’re nervous, or maybe you twirl your hair, try to put yourself in a position to avoid doing that. Maybe sit with your legs crossed or tie your hair up that day, whatever you can do to avoid doing any of those nervous habits. 

Take your time with your answers. Take deep breaths. Don’t feel rushed. Again, if you need to think about an answer before you respond, that’s okay. But, you don’t want to sit there and feel like you’re just kind of rapidly trying to get your responses out. 

I know most students will probably feel a little bit nervous, and that’s okay. But, remember that the person on the other side of the screen or the other side of the table understands all of that, and they’re not going to be judging you for that. 

So, be yourself and just remember that this is an opportunity. The interviews are generally designed to add information to your application, not to try to take points away from you. Keeping that in mind will also help you relax a little bit more.

Check out TUN’s interview with Sara Zessar, the founder of Discovery College Consulting, for further advice on how students can prepare for their college interview.

Thanks, Gabrielle, for joining us today.

Sure. You’re so welcome. Thanks for having me. 

This interview has been edited for clarity.