Emma Moriarty

As senior Knights battle college admission requirements, some may face the most daunting foe: the college interview. In order to alleviate the stress these interviews might cause, it is helpful to ask how the process went for other Knights.

QuestBridge finalist Rachel Dinh interviewed with one of the top universities in the world. She says it is important to “know why you’re applying to the college, and most importantly, know yourself well enough to know why you’d be a good candidate for the school.” This is one of the first very impactful decisions most students have had to make.

When looking for a good fit for yourself, prestige and popularity may overshadow which universities people consider. However, as Rachel points out, you want to be certain that you would thrive at the college you are applying to.

Aimee Cheng explains what makes a successful college interview: “An interview is a unique opportunity to make a connection with someone whom you may have never spoken to otherwise. The interview is supposed to be more of a conversation rather than them just drilling you with questions. Talk about what you’re interested in and what you’re passionate about. It’s also good to be prepared to explain in detail why the college’s courses and programs align with your interests. In any situation like this, confidence is also key.”

In order to give the best response possible, some students find it helpful to recite answers to possible questions beforehand. Lindsay Newfeld used this method for her Stanford interview. She says, “I brainstormed a few questions to ask my interviewers and prepared myself for some basic questions I thought they might ask me such as, ‘Why are you interested in this school?’; ‘What makes this school different from others you are applying to?’; and ‘What motivates you?’ Both of my interviews went extremely well and I was surprised at how easy it was to talk to my interviewer.”

College interviews are supposed to give students insight into the schools as well. Rachel used her interview time wisely by speaking about how she would use the college’s resources and asking about her interviewer’s personal experiences. Rachel says, “It was actually more like a conversation than an interview! My interviewer was really interested in hearing about my goals after high school and even told me about his experience at UPenn, which opened me up to a first-person perspective of the atmosphere of the campus.”

Rachel also offers some advice to students who may be intimidated by this process. She explains, “I was a little nervous in applying to an Ivy League school and I thought the interviewer would ask really difficult questions. The interviewer was really down to earth and supportive, and it made me comfortable with possibly attending a school that could be full of similar people. In the end, interviews play a small part of the college admissions process, so don’t be too nervous!”

Even though it is easy to let nerves overcome excitement about attending these colleges, it’s important to take a few minutes to look back on all of the great accomplishments made before the interview. As the great philosopher Boethius once said, “Victims [are those under the control of] their trivial hopes and fears.” The Class of 2018 will win this battle.