Be prepared to describe how you will take advantage of and contribute to some particular aspect of each college. Colleges want students who make full use of their resources and also add to their campus in some way.

adMISSION POSSIBLE® TIP! Many interviewers take offense if a student comes to an interview knowing little about their college. If you don’t say what aspects of a college attract you, it is very easy for an interviewer to assume you aren’t interested. This perception – that you don’t care enough about the interview or the college to do a little homework – is not what you want to leave with the interviewer.

3. Where To Get Information About Colleges

Guidebooks
One way of getting information about colleges is to read books such as The Fiske Guide to Colleges, and The Insider’s Guide to Colleges. As you go through the individual descriptions, highlight what you like in one color and what you don’t like in another color. Before an interview, either rip out (or photocopy) the pages you have highlighted or summarize the information in a notebook so that you can refer to them during an interview.

Friends Or Relatives Who Now Attend Or Who Have Attended The College
This may be one of your best sources of information. Current and former students know colleges inside and out. One word of caution though: they also bring personal biases, both positive and negative. Don’t base your total assessment of a college on just one person’s view of it (except maybe your own).

College Websites
College websites are often a good source of information, particularly in locating such things as departments that you’re interested in, professors from whom you’d like to take classes, courses you’d love to take, and activities in which you would like to be involved.

College Admissions Booklets And Other Materials
Colleges’ own admissions booklets and other descriptive materials are also a good source of information; but don’t forget that they are marketing materials, and only present the most positive sides of a school.

See the College Interviewing Cheat sheet in the Checklists section of this website to know how to put together some written information for an interview.

PRACTICING FOR AN ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW
One of the best ways of ensuring that you have a good interview is to practice interviewing beforehand. To do this, schedule at least one mock interview session with someone whose judgment you trust, and with whom you feel comfortable. It probably makes sense for you to ask an adult because most adults have had some experience with interviewing. Some of the more obvious choices for you to consider are one or both of your parents (or grandparents), your high school counselor, a trusted teacher, an independent counselor, or anyone else (aunt, uncle, family friend) with whom you think you will have an instructive, positive experience.

This latter point is very important: do not role-play your college interview with someone who is going to criticize your answers or put you down. It’s fine if your role-play partner gives you suggestions and constructive feedback, but you should avoid practicing with someone who is likely to be disparaging of you or judgmental. You want this to be a confidence and skill building experience, not an attack session.