<p>Hi, I plan on applying to Wellesley in the fall (RD) and I'm visiting in a few weeks time. I noticed there is the option to schedule an on-campus interview. I'm slightly apprehensive about interviewing on-campus as opposed to interviewing with an alumnus. </p>
<p>Can anyone who has done an on-campus interview shed light on the process? Obviously as a rising senior I've yet to do a college interview, but should I wait until the fall to interview in my area? Also, how important is the interview in the application process?</p>
<p>Wellesley is not my first choice so I may do the interview purely to know what to expect when I interview for other schools. Still, I don't want to go in there and screw it up.</p>
<p>I did my on campus interview with a Wellesley graduate in June. These were some questions she asked:
Talk about your high school.
Talk about your activities at school.
Why Wellesley?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Do you have any question for me?</p>
<p>My interviewer was very friendly It’s not a formal interview. Good luck!</p>
<p>Wellesley wasn’t my daughter’s top choice at first, but the on-campus interview was one of the things that changed her mind. She said it didn’t feel like an interview at all, just a wide-ranging discussion of politics, religion and food. Both she and the interviewer ended up laughing a lot.</p>
<p>Remember, you’re interviewing the school as well to determine whether it’s a good fit for you.</p>
<p>Since you’re going to be there anyway, go ahead and schedule an interview. In my (admittedly long ago) experience working in the admissions office of a women’s college, on-campus interviews carried more weight than alumnae interviews (unless we knew the alumna interviewer VERY well). In all cases, interviews were often extremely helpful with borderline admits. A very competitive applicant we really wanted would receive an offer of admission unless she was really obnoxious in the interview and we felt she wasn’t serious about her application.</p>
<p>Best advice is to interview as if Wellesley is your first choice (and it may at some point BE your first choice, either because you fall in love with it on your visit, are rejected from schools you currently rank higher, or get the best $ offer from Wellesley). Don’t be fake, but be genuine about the qualities you find appealing (and it’s a terrific school, so there should be plenty of those) and ask questions about areas of interest or concern. Don’t ask questions that show you haven’t bothered to spend any time on a school’s website.</p>
<p>Good luck! You are right that interviewing gets easier with practice. Most people who work in college admissions are there because they enjoy talking to high school students and want to find the students who will be “good fits” for the college.</p>
It’s not a formal interview. Good luck!</p>