I’m meeting an alumni of college I’m applying to. I understand that college interview is more for an applicant to get to know about the college better and I should be authentic. But this college isn’t my first choice and will be applying for multiple colleges besides this one.
If I’m asked how many more colleges I’m applying to and if this school is my first choice, should I answer the questions honestly or cover up some. Also, please give me some tips I should know to prepare myself for college interview.
IMHO: that’s an unethical question. The alum is free to ask it and I’d say you’re free to lie through your teeth as your #1 priority is to your own needs – as many accepts and fin aid packages w/o regard to the schools’ yield protection
I agree, it is not a proper question to ask. Still, if need be you can say something like “it is one of my top choices” or “it is a school I’m very excited about but I don’t have top choice yet”
I applied ED but if I say to the alum that I didn’t and my first choice is this school…the admission won’t try to find out if I’m telling the truth or not by checking with my GC, for instance?
If you applied ED then the interviewer may well know that that. If you applied ED then you, your parents, and your guidance counselor have all signed a contract saying you will attend the college if admitted (unless unaffordable). I can’t 'comprehend of why you would apply ED to a school that is not your clear first choice…
What @kame715 is saying is that he / she applied ED somewhere else and this one is another school’s interview. @kame715 - just speak the truth - it will not hurt you. If you don’t get into a school, this statement of yours will not be the reason.
Interviewers know that you’r e applying to several schools. At least at the school that I interview for, we are instructed to not ask about the other schools. However, we are asked to note for the admissions office whether X college is the candidate’s first choice–or other info about how much the like the school and why.
I would use this as an opportunity to say: “With college admissions as competitive as they are, I had to apply to several schools, but X college is my first choice” If indeed it is. You should come with a list of reasons why it’s your top choice, if that’s the case, or why you really want to attend that school.
Think of this as your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions team. Make your case: 1) you have a lovely charming personality and make solid decisions (arrived on time, smiled, had a real conversation with the person that was fun); 2) you love their school for XYZ reasons (paint for them a picture of you at their school and adding to the community–taking part in the radio station; taking physics or English classes; volunteering with the campus farm, or whatever); 3) you can highlight parts of your resume that seem to fit X school (every summer I volunteered at a local farm share organizatin and homeless shelter–i’m looking forward to helping on the cooperative farm at X school); 4) come equipped with several questions that the interviewer can answer: what traditions did you like? what extracurriculars did you do when you attended? What are the “best” dorms and why? Were there any classes that “everybody” loved to take? and so on. The point is to have a real conversation that’s fun; and 4) you can explain any issues that may not have been addressed in your application.
@TomSrOfBoston, are you saying that colleges share info of ED/EA applicants?
I applied ED for a different school (my top choice), not the school of Alum I’m meeting this time. Because of the Alum’s availability, I’m meeting him before I find out my ED result. I was thinking to tell the truth about that I applied ED for other school, but I just wanted to see other people’s opinions…maybe hurting my admission chance of this school of the alum?
I will study about this school and prepare questions as well. If anyone who had college interview experience in the past can give me good advices for college interview, that would be helpful. Thanks!
Apologies if @MedSciBud is correct and I misinterpreted the OP. If the OP applied ED elsewhere, the interviewer won’t know that so I’d give a response something like what I said in post #2. I would not tell the interviewer you applied ED elsewhere.
I agree 100% with the sentiments in replies 1 and 2. The interviewer has no business asking how you rank the colleges you have applied to, or where else you have applied for that matter. I’d look at it this way; when you walk into the coffeeshop your opinion changes and this school is your top choice (or tied for top with a school they view as a peer). As you walk out after the interview, maybe your opinion changes; after all you can change it up to the minute when you click “accept” on an admission offer page.
@kame715 - now that you have received several inputs on how to answer the choice rank question, let me tell me a little bit about the interview process (assuming that you did not have the interview for your ED school, and this other school is your first interview). There are several threads about these, but here is a summary of my opinions.
These interviews (at least in the colleges that I have researched / applied to) are not meant to scare you, nor meant as an elimination tool.
The interviewers are alumni - meaning they love their alma mater and their focus will most likely be to make you love their school as much as they do.
Some interviewers may come with a set of questions, but from my experience (and from what I have read about others' experiences), most interviewers let it flow - like an open conversation, rather than a rigidly structured job interview.
Most colleges don't give a lot of weight to the interview - unless it is on either end of the spectrum - except confirm that the applicant is real and as good as the application says they are.
So, there is no need to prepare your part of the story for these interviews. Just speak from your heart and you will be fine. Like you said - spend time on asking some questions that are not already available on the school website. Take a bottle of water with you if you tend to get nervous in the beginning (like I always do), sip on water, and engage in the conversation.
What college was your ED and what school is this interview? And when is it?
I would add nuance to what @medscibud 's comments however. Colleges ARE looking to gauge your level of interest and commitment should they admit you. You can demonstrate this by your preparedness on info about the school and come prepared w/questions that show you really envision yourself there.
But if you’re humdrum and only have shallow questions, for the colleges where this really matters, you can bet the interviewers will note this – and your chances will suffer. Since that’s not in YOUR interests, I gave you my advice accordingly.