College interview questions, etiquette and follow-up

A college interview goes well when it feels like a conversation: you answer the common questions with short, specific stories rather than memorized speeches, ask the interviewer a few questions you genuinely want answered, and close by thanking them for something particular they said. Afterward, send a brief, personal thank-you email within a day or two. If the conversation felt awkward, don’t panic: at most colleges the interview is one small part of a much larger file.

This article is about the conversation itself and what comes after it. If you’re still learning what interviews are for, start with part 1 of our college interview series. For researching the school, scheduling and setting up your tech, see preparing for the college interview, and for what to wear and bring, see tips for the day of the interview.

How much the interview counts

It depends on the college, so check each school’s own admissions page rather than relying on general rules:

• Yale offers interviews by invitation only and says that "many successful applicants are not interviewed." It also says all of its interviews are evaluative: admissions officers read interview reports alongside the rest of the application.
• MIT offers an interview with an alumni volunteer whenever it can. If it can’t offer one, the interview is waived and the application "will not be adversely affected."
• Georgetown says students "are required to complete their interview when assigned."

Another place to look is the college’s Common Data Set, a standard report many colleges publish on their institutional research pages. In its "basis for selection" grid, each college rates the interview as very important, important, considered or not considered. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Common Data Set, for example, lists the interview as not considered.

Whatever the weight, your goal is the same: come across as the curious, thoughtful person your application describes.

Common college interview questions and how to answer them

You can’t predict every question, but most interviewers draw from the same handful. For each one, know what the interviewer is really asking and have one or two true examples ready. Don’t write out full answers.

"Tell me about yourself"

This usually comes first. Skip your résumé; the interviewer may already have it. Aim for about a minute that covers where you’re coming from, one or two things you care about and spend real time on, and what you’re hoping to find in college. End on something that invites a follow-up question, such as a project you’re in the middle of.

"Why do you want to attend this college?"

This is where generic answers hurt most. "It has great academics" could describe hundreds of schools. Name one or two specific things, such as a program, a course, a research opportunity or a campus tradition, and connect each to something you’ve already done. "I’ve spent two summers volunteering at a wildlife rehab center, so the field station and the first-year ecology seminar are a big draw" says far more than a list of rankings.

"What do you want to study, and why?"

Being undecided is fine. Interviewers want to hear how your curiosity works. Talk about the class, book, problem or experience that got you interested, and what you’d like to explore next. If you’re torn between two fields, say so and explain what draws you to each.

"What do you do outside of class?"

Pick the activity you could talk about for ten minutes, not the one that sounds most impressive, and describe what you do, why it matters and one moment that stuck with you.

"Tell me about a challenge you’ve faced" (or a failure or mistake)

Choose something real but manageable to discuss with a stranger: a team that fell apart, a class you struggled in, a responsibility at home that cut into your time. Spend most of your answer on what you did about it and what you’d do differently now. The STAR structure below helps here.

"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"

Back up any strength with a quick example, because adjectives alone don’t stick. For a weakness, name something genuine (such as procrastinating on long projects or hesitating to speak up in class) and describe what you’re doing about it. "I’m a perfectionist" isn’t believable.

"Is there anything else you’d like me to know?"

Treat this as an invitation, not a formality. Yale’s interview page encourages applicants to "share whatever additional information you feel the admissions committee should consider." Mention something important that hasn’t come up, such as an interest, a family responsibility or context for a weaker semester, in a sentence or two.

Curveballs

Some interviewers like open-ended questions: your favorite book, what you’d change about your high school, who you admire. There’s no right answer. Give an honest one and say why. "Let me think about that for a second" is a fine way to start.

How to sound prepared without sounding rehearsed

The students who sound scripted have usually memorized sentences. The students who sound natural have memorized stories. A few habits make the difference:

• Prepare five or six stories, not answers. One story about a challenge can also answer questions about leadership, teamwork or what you learned. Write each as three or four bullet points, never full sentences.
• Practice out loud, a little. Run through your stories with a parent, teacher or friend once or twice, and ask them to throw in questions you didn’t expect. If you start reciting the same sentences word for word, stop practicing that one.
• Answer the question that was asked. Don’t steer every question toward your favorite talking point. Interviewers notice.
• Keep answers to a minute or two. Then stop and let the interviewer follow up. Yale asks applicants to avoid one-word answers; the opposite problem, a five-minute monologue, is just as hard on the conversation.
• Listen and build on what they say. If your interviewer mentions their own major or a professor they loved, respond to it. That’s what makes it a conversation.

Using STAR for "tell me about a time" questions

When a question starts with "Tell me about a time when..." or "Describe a situation where...", the STAR structure keeps your answer from wandering:

• Situation: the context, in a sentence or two.
• Task: what you were responsible for, or what needed to happen.
• Action: what you did and why. This should be most of your answer.
• Result: how it turned out and what you learned.

MIT’s career office guide to the STAR method suggests roughly 20% situation, 10% task, 60% action and 10% result, while stressing that these are only a guide. The point is to spend your time on what you did, not on setting the scene.

Here’s an example of a STAR-shaped answer, written for this article:

"Last year our school’s food drive collected about half of what it usually does in the first week (situation). I was one of the organizers, so it was on us to figure out why (task). I talked to a few classmates and realized most people didn’t know where the bins were, because we’d moved them. I asked the principal if we could make an announcement, got the art club to make posters, and set up a table at lunch for two days (action). We ended up beating the previous year’s total, and I learned that when people aren’t doing something, it’s worth asking why before assuming they don’t care (result)."

It sounds like someone telling a story, not filling in a form. You don’t need to hit every letter in order: use STAR as a mental checklist so you don’t forget the action and the lesson, then tell it in your own words.

Questions to ask your interviewer

Almost every interview ends with "What questions do you have for me?" Yale notes that the questions you bring help interviewers learn about you too. Prepare four or five, so you still have some left if a few get answered during the conversation.

Tailor them to the person you’re talking to.

• An alum:
  • "What surprised you most when you got to campus?"
  • "What’s something you wish you’d done more of while you were there?"
  • "How did the school shape what you’ve done since?"
• An admissions officer:
  • "What do students who thrive here tend to have in common?"
  • "How do first-year students usually get involved in research or [your interest]?"
  • "How does advising work for students who aren’t sure about a major yet?"
• A current student:
  • "What does a normal weekday look like for you?"
  • "What would you change about the school if you could?"
  • "How easy was it to find your people in the first semester?"

Avoid questions the website answers in one click, such as how many majors there are, whether it has a business program or what the application deadline is. Also skip questions about your own chances of admission. Your interviewer usually can’t answer them, and they turn a conversation into an evaluation.

If you’re talking with an alumni volunteer, our guide to alumni interviews has more questions that only a graduate can answer.

Body language and nerves

You don’t need to manage every gesture. A few basics cover most of it:

• Sit up and lean in slightly when you’re listening. Slouching reads as boredom even when you’re just nervous.
• Make natural eye contact. Look at the interviewer while they’re talking and for much of your answer, and glance away when you’re thinking. That’s normal; staring isn’t required.
• Keep your hands relaxed in your lap or on the table. If you talk with your hands, that’s fine, as long as you aren’t clicking a pen or tapping.
• Smile when something is genuinely funny or pleasant. You don’t need to hold a smile for the whole conversation.
• Put your phone away, on silent and out of sight, before you arrive or log in.

As for nerves, nearly everyone has them, and interviewers expect them. A few things help:

• Get there or log in early so you aren’t starting flustered. (Our day-of guide covers timing and what to bring.)
• Breathe out slowly a few times before you start. A long, slow exhale is a simple way to settle yourself.
• Pause before answering. A two-second silence feels long to you and thoughtful to the interviewer.
• Say so if you lose your train of thought. "Sorry, let me start that again" is completely fine.
• Remember the interviewer is on your side. Most are hoping for a good conversation, not trying to catch you out.

Virtual interview etiquette

Many interviews now happen over video. Once your setup is tested (our preparation guide covers lighting, background and tech checks), the etiquette is mostly about acting as if you’re in the same room:

• Join a few minutes early and wait in the waiting room. Use your real full name as your display name.
• Look at the camera when you’re talking, especially at key moments, so it feels like eye contact. Look at the screen when you’re listening.
• Dress as you would in person, all the way down, in case you need to stand up.
• Close every other tab and app, and turn off notifications on your computer and phone.
• Leave a beat after the interviewer stops talking. Video lag makes people talk over each other, and a short pause prevents it.
• Keep notes off screen. A short list of your questions on paper is fine. Reading answers from your screen is obvious on camera.
• If the connection drops, rejoin right away. If you can’t, email the interviewer with a quick apology and offer to continue by phone. Calm, polite handling is all anyone expects.

If you need accommodations for an interview, in person or online, the last part of our series explains how to ask for them.

How to close the interview

The last couple of minutes are your final chance to leave an impression before your interviewer writes up their notes. A strong close has three parts:

1. A real thank-you. Mention something specific: "Thanks for telling me about your experience in the first-year writing program. That’s exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to hear about."
2. A clear sign of interest. One sentence on why you’re excited about the school, ideally tied to something that came up in the conversation.
3. A practical question, if you need one. For example, "Is there anything you’d like me to send you?" or "What’s the best way to follow up with you?" Make sure you have their email address before you leave.

In person, thank anyone else you met on the way out, too.

Thank-you notes and emails

A thank-you note probably won’t change your admission decision, but it’s a basic courtesy and a last chance to leave a good impression. Send one after every interview, including alumni and student interviews.

What to include

College Board’s BigFuture advice is to thank the interviewer for the chance to interview, reaffirm your enthusiasm for the college, and mention a specific topic from your conversation, keeping the note professional, brief and authentic. In practice:

• Send it soon, ideally the same day or the next. If you’re late, send it anyway.
• Email is fine. Use the address your interviewer gave you or wrote to you from. A handwritten card is a nice extra if you met in person and have a mailing address, but it isn’t expected.
• Address them correctly: "Dear Ms. Patel" or "Dear Dr. Lin" unless they asked you to use their first name.
• Keep it to four to six sentences. Don’t restate your résumé or re-answer a question you think you flubbed.
• Write a different note to each person if you met with more than one.
• Proofread it, including the interviewer’s name and the college’s name. A note with another school’s name in it is worse than no note.

An example thank-you email

Here is an example to adapt; the names and details are invented for illustration.

Subject: Thank you for our conversation on Tuesday

Dear Ms. Patel,

Thank you for meeting with me on Tuesday to talk about your time at [College]. I really enjoyed hearing how the first-year seminar on urban design led you to switch majors. It made me even more curious about the environmental studies program and the chance to do fieldwork in the city.

I appreciated your advice about getting to know professors early, and I’ll keep it in mind wherever I end up. Thank you again for your time.

Best regards,

Jordan Rivera

One specific memory from the conversation, one link to the student’s own interests, one line of thanks: that’s all a thank-you note needs.

If you don’t hear back

Many interviewers won’t reply, or will send a quick "Good luck." That’s normal and says nothing about your application, so there’s no need to follow up again. If you have a genuinely important update later, such as a new award or a change in your plans, send it through the admissions office or your applicant portal, not to your interviewer.

What to do if the interview went badly

Almost everyone replays a moment they wish had gone differently. Keep it in perspective. As a Harvard alum put it on Harvard College’s student blog:

"Your interview will never make or break your application."

That’s one writer’s view of one school, but it matches what colleges like Yale and MIT say on their own pages: the interview sits alongside your transcript, essays and recommendations, not above them.

Here’s what to do next:

• Separate a real problem from a bad feeling. Blanking on a question, rambling or a stiff interviewer who never warmed up are all common and rarely matter. Arriving very late, being rude, or saying you don’t really want to attend are different, and worth addressing.
• Still send the thank-you note. Keep it warm and specific. Don’t apologize at length or try to redo an answer.
• Correct a factual mistake briefly. If you misstated something concrete, like the wrong course name or a date, one sentence in your thank-you email can fix it: "I realized I said I took AP Chemistry this year; I’m actually taking it next fall."
• If something serious happened, such as a missed interview or a major technical failure, contact the admissions office politely, explain in a sentence or two and ask whether rescheduling is possible. Don’t contact the office just because you felt it went poorly.
• Use it as practice. Right after any interview, jot down the questions you were asked and what you’d say differently. If you have more interviews coming up, that list is the most useful prep you’ll get.

Key takeaways

• Check each college’s own admissions page or Common Data Set to see how much its interview counts; at many schools it’s one small factor.
• Prepare five or six true stories in bullet form, not scripted answers, and keep each answer to a minute or two.
• Use STAR (situation, task, action, result) for "tell me about a time" questions, spending most of the answer on what you did.
• Bring four or five questions tailored to your interviewer, and skip anything the website answers.
• On video, look at the camera when you talk, pause before answering and treat it like an in-person meeting.
• Close with a specific thank-you, and send a short, personal thank-you email within a day or two.
• If it went badly, send the note anyway, fix any factual slip in one line and move on.