The college interview process may be an intimidating process because you feel like the person that you will speak with will control your fate for the rest of your life. Believe us, we have all been there and, with the exception of our CEO, all of us have come out of it unscathed.
Don’t view the college interview process as a necessary evil. It should be an opportunity for you to provide the best foot forward. Let’s take things step by step. First, if the college interview is an optional part of the application, always always always schedule an interview. Unless you totally blow the interview, the interview will likely help your cause and provide the admissions officers with a personal insight into your personality while the other suckers who didn’t interview will remain faceless. Also, taking the time to set up an interview indicates to the school that you are genuinely interested in the college to invest your time and effort to get to know the school better.
When you are scheduled for an interview, follow some obvious but overlooked guidelines. Arrive between 10 to 15 minutes before the interview. If you arrive late, you have already given off a bad impression. According to many studies, the first five minutes of the interview process are the most critical. Secondly, dress well. If you are a guy, wear a simple sports jacket with khaki pants. A nice shirt, a conservative tie and well-polished shoes will add the finishing touches. If you don’t have a sports jacket or don’t want to wear your dad’s, put on a nice sweater. If you are a girl, you should wear a simple blouse and jacket with a skirt or pants. Also, less is more when it comes to jewelry. The interview is not the time to show off your tongue ring or your belly tattoos. When you finally meet your interviewer, make sure that you give a firm handshake.
