College Interview Preparation Guide

This question comes in different forms including, "In what ways have you contributed to your high school?," "How will you be a valuable addition to the college?" Before the interview, pick a few positive adjectives that describe you and explain why. Then turn that into the answer to any of these questions. For example, "I'm very self-motivated. If I see that something needs to get done, I take it upon myself to do it. In my high school glee club, for instance …" An answer like this will work for more than one type of question. "Don't just give the three adjectives though. Pretend you were thrown a ball and now you have to run with the ball. Relax and answer the question, but give more than just the answers,"

Realize that you don't need to have decided upon a major when you apply to college, and your interviewer will not be disappointed if you say you have many interests and you need to take more classes before choosing a major. However, if you have identified a potential major, be prepared to explain why. Avoid saying that you want to major in something because you'll make a lot of money -- your passion for a subject will make you a good college student, not your greed.

Use this question to communicate your passions and even your quirks. This makes you a "person"and not just a name on an application. Find something that makes you memorable and use it to give the interviewer a snapshot into who you are. You could answer, "I love exercising and create competitions with my friends to see who can run the furthest over a given period of time."Or you could say, "I do my best thinking in the shower."Be creative and make this a memorable answer. The colleges have your grades and your application. They want to know what makes you unique.

You can draw from many different types of challenges: academic, personal, work, goals, tragedy, and even an ethical dilemma. This question is designed to determine what type of problem solver you are; college is about developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. The answer to this question will help the interviewer see that you have demonstrated these abilities by overcoming a challenge.

Almost everyone says yes to this question. But it is not just a yes/no question. You need to provide behavioral examples to back up your answer.

A sample answer: "Yes, I'm very much a team player. In fact, I've had opportunities in my work, school and athletics to develop my skills as a team player. For example, on a recent project…"

Emphasize teamwork behavioral examples and focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. Talk about the strength of the team above the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so be prepared.

Colleges look for students who will be a good match for their school. Your interviewer wants to see a genuine interest in the college. "There's always going to be a question 'Why do you want to come to our school?' so you really have to know the school," says Bev Taylor, an independent college counselor and director of the Ivy Coach. Spend time before the interview thinking about why that college would be a good match for you. "It's important to talk about yourself. Students need to do their homework before an interview. Find out what it is about themselves that can make them happy at that college," Taylor says.

You'll want to be specific when answering this question. An answer like "I'm hard-working" is rather bland and generic. Think about what it is that makes you uniquely you. What exactly will you bring to diversify the college's community?

The interviewer is trying to accomplish a few things with this question. First, the question asks whether or not you've actually read much. Second, it asks you to apply some critical skills as you articulate why a book is worth reading. And finally, your interviewer might get a good book recommendation!

An interview is a chance for you to meet with someone who represents the college. It's a great way to show your interest in the college, to start a relationship with people there and to show what you're all about. Here are some types of questions you may encounter and tips for answering them.

Even if you're an excellent student, there will be subjects that challenge you. Use this opportunity to show how you tackled the challenge (tutoring, one-on-one with the teacher, study groups, etc.). This shows colleges that even if you face difficulty in a college course, you know how to get help.