SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW
Either you or one of your parents can call an admissions office for an interview appointment. While you have an admissions person on the phone, you might also ask about other things you can do while on campus, e.g., take a campus tour, attend a class or two, spend the night in a dorm, etc. If you don’t have the name of the college’s admissions representative assigned to your high school, this is a good time to ask for the name, and also get his or her email address.

Schedule your most important interviews after less important ones so that you can gain some interviewing experience.

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Preparing for an interview will make a college visit more interesting, and the interview easier and more effective.

1. Bring An Activities Resume
Since admissions interviewers want to find out who you are, before you go to an interview you need to think about what you want them to “get” about you. Do you want them to see that you’re a great student or a leader? That you are a musician who has been taking lessons since you were five years old? That you are the person to whom classmates come for counsel?

One of the best ways for gaining this kind of self-knowledge is to put together an activities resume. See model resume at http://admissionpossible.com/checklists/modelactesume.pdf

Be sure to take a copy of your resume to each interview. You can’t imagine how wonderful it will be to have all the information you need about your grades, test scores and activities in front of you, rather than trying to dredge them out of your memory!

A resume is also useful because in giving it to the interviewer you give him or her something to talk about. And you never know, the interviewer might pass your resume along to fellow committee members when your name comes up during the selection process.

2. Identify What You’re Looking For In A College
Another way of preparing for an interview is to identify a list of characteristics you want in a college campus in general (e.g., a small campus, a good study abroad program, a reputation for having supportive professors, location on the East Coast, etc.).

Admissions officers want you to have done some research about their college, especially why it is of particular interest. Therefore, come up with at least 3-5 reasons why a school interests you. For example, you might note:

• the warm, friendly atmosphere of the college

• the kinds and variety of students who are there

• specific departments that attract you

• specific professors from whom you would like to take classes

• specific classes that turn you on

• specific activities you would love to get involved with

• anything else that shows you know what you’re talking about when identifying why a specific college is a good match for you