<p>Interviews:
*How should I prepare?
*What questions do they generally ask?
*Should I bring a resume or any other similar materials?
*Is there an optimal time to interview?
*Is it okay to interview in your own city?/Is it better to interview at the college?
*What should I wear?
*What sorts of things do the interviewers expect? / And what sorts of things do they send back to the colleges?
*Any things I should know about interviews beforehand?</p>
<p>Prepare by knowing your strengths as well as knowing a lot about the school. Bringing a resume isnt necessary. Most schools it doesnt matter when you interview, pretty much anytime they allow interviews, just make sure you're not trying to make an appointment with less than two weeks before interviews end, you might be out of luck. Most colleges don't care whether you interview in your own city or at the college, just going for an interview shows interest. Dress nicely, especially at small schools you will be leaving an impression on an admissions counselor. Have a bunch of questions prepared, it shows your interest in the school - but don't make them things you could easily look up in a brochure, this makes you look uninterested and uninformed. Most importantly, be yourself. I doubt admissions officers want you to just be selling yourself as if you were selling a used car - they want to get to know you as a person so instead of reading off a laundry list of extracurriculars, focus on talking about one or two that you are really into and show them how excited about them you are (if you genuinly care about the activities, this should come naturally).</p>
<p>Bring your mind, dress accordingly, and give pure passionate answers. Most of the interviewers can see through a canned answer. Also, make sure you ask questions that one college visit cannot fully answer.
Personally, I always asked How politically active the school was. Also, drop names if its reasonable and effective, such as a certain professor you have worked w/ (perhaps at summer program). But I'm going to say it again, at all costs, don't be someone you're not. I am eccentric and energetic, and I wanted all my interviewers to know that by not being afraid to be me. I actually remember in one interview I talked about how I am an avid neopets member.
Also, to answer some of your questions. Prepare by studying up on the college, personally I would say don't bring anything, let them determine the time (within reason, obviously you don't want to set up a time where somehow you end up missing it), location is unimportant though some claim that interviewing at the college shows that you're especially interested in that college, they write a very basic report from what I undertand usually rating you on a 1 to 5 scale in various areas. When I had all my interviews I also asked my interviewers what if any dress code was there, and it usually turned out to be casual (wore a suit to one, dressed comfortably for the other five). Finally, don't be funny if your not, and don't practice answers. So I say good luck w/ what I guess is going to be your senior year, if not good luck anyway :)</p>
<p>If you can do it, pick some colleges near you that you aren't strongly interested in and have interviews "just for fun", in other words schedule interviews and see how it goes. You don't want your first time to be for keeps. As for being nervous, its just a matter of getting used to it; the first day of HS you were probably nervous walking around campus, today I bet you don't give it a second thought. Interviewing is no different.</p>
<p>Rehearsal is a good technique. Get a book on job interviewing and practice answering those questions. Colleges are going to ask much of the same thing -- "tell me about yourself", "what do you consider your strengths", "tell me about a problem you had with a friend and how you solved it", etc. These are all pretty standard; just substitute "enroll here" for "work here" and the work-specific ones translate too. Practice first in front of a mirror, then have a parent or friend play the role of interviewer.</p>
<p>One of the most important times, BTW, is when they turn to you and ask if you have any questions. I guarantee you'll be asked this, and its not just to fill time. Its your turn to show you've done your homework and can ask cogent questions that show you know about the particulars of the school and have read the material available in the viewbook, on the web, etc. and have considered yourself as a student there and what questions would arise.</p>
<p>As for where to interview, I'd suggest on-campus if possible because that's going to be with an adcom or other trained interviewer. These count more than interviews with alums because the latter aren't trained as well and as experienced.</p>
<p>Lastly, you should know that at most schools outside the top 100 or so the interview is more on selling YOU on the school than vice versa! Truth is that outside of the most competitive schools, colleges admit the majority of their applicants. So the schools outside the top 100 know that you'll have plenty of choices and a big reason they have interviews is to get some personal contact to try to persuade you to choose them over their competition.</p>
<p>Any good book about college admissions will have a chapter that talks about things like interviews, with far more advice than you can get on the forum. One book I recommend is "Admission Matters" by Springer.</p>