Jump to content

Menu

College Interview questions and prep.


Recommended Posts

Where is a great site to come up w/questions and prep for college interview? Collegeboard was kind of bland.

 

Where do you find info, re homeschooling questions?

 

TIA:)

 

I do interviews for USNA. Questions that I tend to ask are things like

 

Tell me about yourself.

What are some of your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

What subject do you have to work the hardest at?

When you have a conflicting demands, how do you prioritize? For example, if you have a test coming, a paper due and a sporting event, how do you prepare for these?

Give me an example of something you've been in charge of?

Why do you want to go to XXX?

 

I tend to go for a lot of open ended questions so that I get fewer yes/no answers. My goal is to find out what is motivating them to apply, if they know what they're getting into and if they have any experience leading others and/or dealing with high stress conditions.

 

I've been doing this for about six years and I'm still surprised by the applicants who can't tell me why they are applying or why the board should select them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, I am bookmarking those. Is your best advice to know the college website inside and out?

 

I don't know that you need to know it inside and out. But I can tell when a candidate has spent very little time looking at the website. Also, my alma mater has stopped sending out catalogs, but does have the current catalog available online. I can tell when a candidate isn't familiar with the school.

 

For example, I had one student who didn't know that he would only be able to leave campus one day a week, would have to wear a uniform every day, would not get to have certain privleges like a radio until after freshman year. It just struck me that he had no idea at all what he was getting himself into and would likely not be prepared for the stresses and demands that would be put upon him.

 

I like to ask what about the school/program is especially interesting or appealing, and what seems like it will be hard.

 

I also like it when candidates have questions for me that show that they've investigated the school and are trying to figure out what it all means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
Hi

 

This topic help me a lot in developing my project. I will contribute more when I finished it.

 

If you're doing a project, I'll just add that my two older sons have been to quite a few interviews now and none have been the same. While there might be a common question or two, they've all been just "different." That may be why there aren't many sites prepping for them...

 

Some have had a single person in a very casual atmosphere and others have had more than one person in a more formal atmosphere. Many have had hypothetical questions. Some had more basic questions.

 

I think, in general, the person wants to see how a student handles themselves more than they care about the answers (barring horrid answers, of course).

 

I tell my guys to be themselves and pretend they are talking to adults they know rather than getting uptight at "something new." They also go in prepared with knowledge about the specific school and/or scholarship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And we also looked for questions to ask the interviewer at the end.....

 

Ø What kind of new student orientation does the college offer?

Ø As an undecided major, what career guidance is available to freshmen?

Ø How common for dual majors such as economics and classic studies?

Ø What would you say that students like most about your college? The least?

Ø What kinds of intramurals type sports are available for fun?

Ø What percentages of the students live on campus and stay for the weekends?

Ø Tell me about your study abroad programs? Are they available for all majors?

Ø What activities are available for freshmen to meet other students the 1st month?

Ø What else do I need to do to help my admission process?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And we also looked for questions to ask the interviewer at the end.....

 

Ø What kind of new student orientation does the college offer?

Ø As an undecided major, what career guidance is available to freshmen?

Ø How common for dual majors such as economics and classic studies?

Ø What would you say that students like most about your college? The least?

Ø What kinds of intramurals type sports are available for fun?

Ø What percentages of the students live on campus and stay for the weekends?

Ø Tell me about your study abroad programs? Are they available for all majors?

Ø What activities are available for freshmen to meet other students the 1st month?

Ø What else do I need to do to help my admission process?

 

Just beware that many interviewers are also assessing "interest" in the college as colleges prefer to admit students who are likely to come. If one were to ask questions that show indecisiveness, that could set a bad vibe.

 

Some interviewers I know detest student questions that can easily be answered via the web site... but love more in depth questions showing real interest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those were the questions my son asked during his college interviews - we just got his acceptance for Cornell and Colgate Colleges for the Fall! SO they worked fine for us!

 

Myra

 

I think it was a great list of questions. The only one I might have left off would have been what students like the least about _____.

 

I probably shouldn't have quoted your post with my comment as your questions weren't examples of what I was talking about. I was trying to add to it by saying be careful what questions one asks if one is going to ask questions.

 

Sorry if anyone interpreted it differently (and I see how that could have happened now). I was trying to add - not contradict...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...