My interview ended so quickly! Am I getting rejected?
College Interviews: How long should they last?
College Interviews
More often than not, an unexpectedly short interview means that your interviewer is running behind schedule and probably has a bunch of other interviews to get to. By that same token, a long interview doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get admitted or that you performed well, either. Maybe your interviewer is just running ahead of schedule and has some time to kill, or maybe the two of you stumbled upon a common interest that you both have a lot to say about.
The bottom line is that your performance during the interview is just a tipping factor: rarely, if ever, will an interview—no matter how brilliant—make up for sorely lacking academics/extracurriculars and gain you admission to a school that you were extremely unlikely to get into. However, what it can do is nudge you just past the goal line if you’re a borderline candidate. When your transcript and resume are slightly subpar, a lively discussion that reveals your character, maturity, growth, and ambition can make all the difference in the world.
So how do you nail that winning interview? Peek our Five P’s for perfecting how you present your passion and prove your potential:
1. Practice actually talking
The worst thing you could do is write a script beforehand to memorize and then recite on the day of the interview. Not only would you sound horribly artificial and robotic, you’d be missing the entire point of the interview: determining how well you can actually hold a conversation with a stranger. You wouldn’t believe how many students draw a blank the moment they’re confronted with “So tell me about yourself” or, even worse, reply with, “What do you mean?” Get out there and talk to people in English until you can have a pleasant chat without tripping over your words, avoiding eye contact, or squirming in your seat.
2. Pick your Top 3
Now, just because you’re not writing a script doesn’t mean you’re going to be improvising everything, either. Determine what your Top 3 accomplishments or contributions are and list out a few of their main points so that you’ll be ready to whip them out during the interview when a relevant opportunity presents itself. Preparing highlights and concrete examples for each of your activities and responsibilities will also help you provide greater detail and insight when you’re sharing your endeavors, making your stories feel more real and believable while making you that much more of a thoughtful and introspective candidate.
3. Put on something decent
There’s no need for something as formal as a dress or suit and tie (unless that really is how you normally dress), but you can’t just show up in gym shorts and flip-flops, either. Business casual (e.g. polo shirt, slacks, skirts at or below the knee—basically nothing too short or tight-fitting) is generally recommended to strike a balance between professionalism and comfort. Whether you decide to go with a button-down and khakis or a cardigan and dress pants, the key is to display your personal style while maintaining a clean-cut appearance.
4. Provide your supplements
Definitely bring a copy of your resume to help your interviewer get a better understanding of your background. If you’re applying for an art or a design major, bring your portfolio so you can show your work. Moreover, these supplements can serve as sparks of inspiration for you to fall back on if you blank out or run out of things to say, both of which may very well happen in the heat of the moment if you’re nervous.
5. Prepare some questions
Asking your interviewer meaningful questions demonstrates a genuine interest in the school as well as your thoughtfulness. When we say meaningful questions, we mean questions that you can’t just immediately get the answer to by Googling. But what in the world would be something that only the interviewer could answer? Why, questions about their own personal experiences, of course!
Remember, college interviews aren’t a rigid Q&A format: they are organic conversations that naturally have some level of unpredictability requiring you to think on your feet. But the more work you put into your preparations, the easier it'll be to be your best self, so take a deep breath, relax, and relish this rare opportunity!
Don’t be late or dressed like Chris Gardner. But if, for whatever reason, shit hits the fan, be genuine and likable like Chris Gardner.
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