Hi! I’m a rising senior who is interviewing at W&M in July. Is there anything I should prepare before I go? What do interviewers like to see from a prospective student? I also don’t know what to wear. (I’m female) Nice dress? Casual clothes? I could wear a suit if I needed to. I just want to make a great impression with the staff! Any info is greatly appreciated!
You should be fine, just come as you are. Dress nicely and smile. Don’t ask too many questions. Make sure you paint a vivid picture of yourself because the interviewer is going to report everything he/she remembers back to the admissions committee and you could say the one thing they want to hear that could get you admitted.
My daughter interviewed last summer and will be attending in the fall. It was very casual. Her’s was with a student. I am sure there is a report written, but most schools put little weight on the interview. They know the majority of applicants are not in a position to interview, so they do not hold it against those who do not interview.
Use the interview to get your questions answered. What is the campus like? How is the food? How realistic is it to double major, etc.
Dress nicely, like you were going to a good restaurant. A suit, I think, would be overkill. No need for a resume.
Good luck with the whole application process. It will be stressful, but where you get admitted does not define you. Only you define you. You can make whatever school you attend a great experience by approaching it with the right attitude.
My D was interviewed last summer by a student volunteer who had a very professional demeanor, along with a list of questions she methodically asked and took some notes on. There were lots of prospective students there that day for interviews. Virtually all the boys had on khakis and a blazer or at least a button down shirt. The girls ran the gambit from dresses, dresses with blazers, skirts and even colored jeans and tee. One girl who was very casually dressed seemed uncomfortable when she looked around at what others were wearing. I would say to wear a dress or skirt, but nothing too casual or revealing.