How do you go about scheduling an interview with a college or university?

Question

Should I try calling them and asking if they even do interviews with prospective students?
Should I check on their webpage, or collegeboard.com?

Are interviews even that effective in boosting your chances of getting accepted to a certain university?
What's the correct thing to do in this situation?

Well, I don't know if they even offer interviews. It says on their website that they do, but I went to an orientation at the school and they did not mention the possibility of scheduling an interview. Should I try calling them?

Answer 1

Call the admissions office. Tell them you are applying to their prestigious institution and would like to interview with the dean and the dean of the school you are interested in (meaning school of business, art, communications). It is not 100% necessary, but it will improve your chances of getting accepted, especially if it is a university that is more difficult to get into.

Answer 2

Call the admissions office and inquire about the possibility of an interview. Some schools do not require or even recommend interviews, however some students may find that an interview helps in the admissions process. For example, if you suffered from mono or another long-term illness during HS and your grades suffered as a result, an interview would explain why your transcript does not reflect your academic potential.

Answer 3

FInd the e-mail for their admissions office on the website, e-mail them and ask about an interview. Larger schools may not find interviews practical, and they are not required for most schools. An interview will be more helpful if you have already submitted an application. Then they will have some information about you and know better what questions to ask. Getting past the basic information in your application will mean more interesting questions in the interview, more of a chance for you to highlight what makes you unique.

Another approach--more appropriate for graduate school, perhaps--is to look on the web page for profiles of professors. Find professors whose work you are interested in, and e-mail them directly. You can ask them specific questions about their work and what makes a good student in that major subject. This can help prepare you for your application, your essay, and your interview.

There are many people who apply to several schools--their "pipe dream", their "fallback", etc. I've always had more success finding just one or two schools that I am really excited about, then being really specific and enthusiastic about why I want to attend this particular institution.

Answer 4

Call them and ask for a time for an interview.

Answer 5

Call them first and ask them if they would he an interview with you!

Answer 6

Webpage or call admissions, it shows interest.