to download the PDF. - Winchester Thurston School

The College Visit and InterviewThe purpose of the interview at most colleges is for the prospective student to gather informationabout the school. To be sure, interviewers are likely to ask you questions (about, say, your favoriteschool subjects, activities, reading habits, favorite films, etc.); however, most colleges do notrequire interviews and therefore do not use them to assess applicants officially. If you cannot travelto campus, it is often possible to arrange to meet with a local alumnus. This person will interviewyou and send his or her notes along to the college’s admission team. An interview is taken by mostcolleges to be a sign of sincere interest on the part of the student; perhaps this is the mostimportant reason to make sure you interview at any college you are seriously considering attending.Prepare beforehand by doing some or possibly all of the following.• Make the arrangements yourself (Don’t let Mom do this for you).• Look through a recent catalog.• Ask the college to send materials relevant to your particular area(s) of interest.• Arrange to see a member of the faculty in a prospective major.• Ask a parent (or parents) to go along.• BUT plan to do the interview alone and arrange to operate independently duringthe entire visit.During the interview• Be prepared to explain what sparked your interest in the college and what youexpect to get from the experience of going there.• Ask about how your specific interests can be explored at the college in question.• Take along an “issued to student” copy of your transcript and be prepared todiscuss the high and low points of your academic career so far.• Don't hesitate to ask the interviewer a personal question or two if you think (s)hemight have some relevant insights.• When you get home, send a thank-you note to the person who interviewed you.The preferred method is now e-mail.Some questions, in addition to your own, which you might find useful• How hard is it for students to get the courses they want?• Does it often happen that students develop one-on-one working relationships withprofessors?• How diverse is the student body?• If the school has fraternities and sororities, how many students are involved andhow important is their influence on campus?• What activities such as lectures, concerts, dances and informal athletics take placeon campus?• What are the ways students at this school contribute to life outside the classroom?• What are the current political and social issues which students are discussing?• What kind of a "community" exists at this school? Can you imagine yourselfappreciating and supporting its values?11