Hello! I sort of have this question about quite a few of my interviews. They tend to be a bit short (35 minutes generally)? I always think they go alright until I see people with 3 hour interviews??? Who are you guys and how do you do it???
In my experience, interviews have been mostly me asking questions to the interviewer (instead of people asking questions about me) and I always run out at the 35 minute mark round about. This seems to be the way with most of the interviews I’ve taken.
What impact would you guys say interview length has on quality of interview? What tips do you have for trying to lengthen an interview, and is this something I should try to work on at all? Thank you so much!
I’ve never heard of a 3 hour college interview. If there have been some, I’d imagine it is an unusual situation (ex. taking to a professor about a specific area of mutual interest etc.). Don’t work on lengthening your interviews. People, both admissions officers and volunteer alumni, have set aside a certain amount of time (often 30 minutes or so) for the interview and don’t want their entire schedule disrupted by one interview going long. Stalling to lengthening the interview or not getting the hint that an interview is over would reflect poorly on you rather than well. Instead focus on what you want to say, what questions you want to ask and try to get as much in as you can in the allotted timeshare.
My child had nine interviews, and I would say 30 minutes or thereabouts is average. Her longest interview was for an hour. She felt it went well. It must have, she is at that school. But she got into most of the schools she interviewed for.
I have seen plenty of students here freaking out because their interview with an alumnus for a tippy top college lasted five minutes or so. It really is totally dependent on the interviewer. If yours is set up wit a very busy person, expect a short interview. It isn’t a reflection on you.
Between my 3 kids I think interviews have averaged about 45 minutes. They seem to be 30 minutes or an hour. The ones that went well it was clear that it went well. The few that went not as well didn’t matter because they did get into those schools.