2023-2024 College Admissions Interview Policies

As many of you have submitted your college applications for the 2023-2024 college admissions season, it’s important to update your calendar and check your inbox regularly for interview invitations.

You probably already know which schools on your list offer admissions interviews and whether the interview helps you demonstrate your interest in attending those colleges. To help you keep track of all the deadlines, interview formats, and requirements, we’ve compiled a list of popular schools where interviews are required or strongly recommended, as well as universities that value demonstrated interests as part of their admissions.

To Interview, or Not to Interview?

For 24 years, Insight Education is committed to helping high school students and families to navigate the college admissions process, and that includes understanding your concerns and providing a tailored strategy for you. Often, students will ask us if interviews are necessary. The answer depends on three factors:

  (1) Does the college highly recommend admissions interviews? 
  (2) Does the admissions office include demonstrated interest as part of their evaluation?
  (3) Your major and whether you’re applying test-optional

In most cases, we strongly recommend our students to interview with colleges if they have the chance. The reason goes beyond adding positive data to their college application; good interview skills will be useful (and essential) in their careers, too. Starting junior year, our students get a chance to schedule mock interview sessions with Insight counselors (for either their summer program application or practice for their admissions interview). In their senior year, Insight students will also have the opportunity to join workshops teaching interview techniques and etiquette.

Need help to evaluate your college admissions strategies? Want to receive useful feedback from experienced college admissions counselors? Contact us today to schedule your personalized college planning session.

Start preparing for interviews early! The latest trend we are noticing is an accelerated timeline between when the application is received and when an admissions interview is scheduled. Don’t wait until the invitation is in your inbox to start your interview preparation. Even if the purpose of the interview is informational, you can still impress the alumni or admissions officer when you are well-prepared and feel confident! In addition, the interview gives you a chance to assess if the school will be the right fit for you or what resources will be available to you ahead of time! 

Preparing for your college admissions interview? Check out How to Answer College Interview Questions (In the Way Your Interviewer Wants!)

2023-2024 College Admissions Season:
College Admissions Interview Policies for Popular U.S. Colleges

Here is a list of popular colleges that require or strongly recommend interviews. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Please contact us for more information.

Last Updated: September 2023.

Terminology explained:

• Interview Importance is ranked from Required, Highly Recommended, Recommended, to Optional. If you see a school that highly recommends admissions interviews and also considers demonstrated interest, you should sign up and prepare for the college admissions interview when the school extends an invitation. 
• Demonstrated Interest starts to play a role in some college admissions evaluation processes. In this table, demonstrated interest is ranked from Very Important, Important, Considered, to Not Considered. To learn more about demonstrated interest and what you can do to show it, check out our article ” All You Need to Know about Demonstrated Interest.”
• Typically, the college admissions interviews serve two Purposes: evaluative or informational. An evaluative interview helps college admissions officers decide if you will be a good fit for their school, whereas an informative interview is typically conducted by current students or alumni and aims to provide you with more information on their schools. Despite the purpose, you should always be prepared with concise answers and great questions before entering an interview. Wondering what an informational interview is? Check out our article on “The Art of Informational Interviews.”
• Interview Format used to be mostly in-person, either on campus or in a nearby coffee shop. However, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online interviews or video portfolios.