We’re currently in the process of the college interviews season. With universities from all over the world requesting the time to learn more about us face-to-face, it can often be scary to come up with answers on the spot. Here, we’ll go over questions that interviewers tend to ask so you can prepare for them beforehand and nail your response.
This is commonly one of the first questions interviewers will ask (besides something like “how are you”). In your response, talk about who you are and what you like to do for fun. Do not give basic facts such as where you are from and boring information that could be found on your application.
Talk about a strength, an accomplishment, or a passion. What do you like to do in your free time? What extracurriculars matter a lot to you? Your interviewers will most likely ask you follow-up questions regarding your extracurriculars, so be prepared to answer them. You can talk about your beliefs or movements that mean a lot about you.
Your interviewer wants to know why you’re so passionate about your preferred major. Talk about:
They might ask how you heard about the school, but they ultimately want to know why you are applying and if you would be a good fit at their school. Before the interview, here a few things to research about the school:
Here are three things to think about:
Show your interest in the school. Do not treat them as a backup option for your dream college. If you have a plan for the future, talk about what part that college would play in your plan and career goals.
This is to get a better understanding of how life was for you over the break. Talk about any struggles you and your family may have had at the time such as illness, loss, mental health, unemployment, etc. After you mention a negative event, think of a way to make it positive. You can also mention anything special you did such as a new project you took on or a new skill you learned.
They may also ask you questions such as “What is your school doing during the pandemic”, “How has the college application process been (they may ask you where else you have applied and “Were you able to submit a test score?”).
This question is a bit more casual. Your interviewer wants to hear some of your current courses and how you feel about them. Think about a class that has made you excited to learn or a class you are not too enthusiastic about. Always explain the reasons behind your like and dislike of the class.
This one is important. Your interviewer wants to know how you respond when faced with a problem. Are you able to take the lead when you hit a roadblock? Can you think on your feet? How well do you cooperate with others? Think back on a time you reacted to a problem and be ready to discuss this scenario.
Use the STAR method:
Do not pick a problem that will put you in a bad light. If what you did was illegal or immoral, pick another experience.
Your interviewer wants to know areas you feel confident in as well as areas you recognize need improvement. Come up with a few specific traits to bring up if asked this question and remember to be honest.
Tips on choosing a weakness:
After you say your strength, bring up an example that supports your answer. Then talk about how you can use this strength in your future work. Introduce your weakness by saying "One area I need to improve in is...". After you say your weakness, turn your negative into a positive and bring up ways you work around this weakness or work to overcome this flaw.
Cliché strengths to avoid:
Cliché weaknesses to avoid:
It may be hard to think about your life that far into the future, so you don’t need a clear plan! Mention how far you want your education to go and what job you would like to have. The interviewer wants to learn more about your academic and career goals through this question.
This is your chance to ask them about their experience at the school. It can help you get a better sense of the school and let the interviewer know that you're interested in the college. Steer away from questions that can be easily answered with a Google search.
Sample questions you can ask:
Your interviewer may not ask all these questions, and they may ask ones that aren’t on this list. However, these main ones will help you be ready to answer any question thrown at you. Good luck!
