In college interviews, you may think it’s the interviewer’s job to ask the questions; leaving you with just the job of answering them. However, there are a number of questions you should ask in college interviews! And, there are plenty of good reasons you should ask them. Amongst other things, a college interviewer wants to know you care about their college, and how you will fit in. Asking questions allows both of you to figure out if you’d pair well with a college. (That’s what we call a win-win situation.) To get you started, here are the most important kinds of questions to ask in college interviews!
Questions regarding specific programs at the school
Asking if a certain program exists is too general, especially if that information is already on their website. A college interviewer will think you have not done your research.
However, asking a specific question about a program the school offers, such as a study abroad program or the details of a certain degree, will serve you well. Not only will the interviewer respect your research, but they’ll also have a good understanding of what matters to you in college and in life. This, in turn, will tell them if that school will serve you well.
Planning ahead questions
These kinds of questions can take two forms. First, you can ask about the career preparation services the college offers, such as career planning or job fairs. This will ensure that a college can help you with your long-term goals and is worth your investment.
Second, you can ask about campus safety. Not many students ask about this, but it can show an interviewer that you’re aware of the world beyond college and how you can be affected, even within a campus.
Comparative questions
Whether you ask for a comparison between two different degree programs you’re considering, or between the interviewer’s school and a similar one, such a question will show your research skills and attention to detail. It could also turn the tables a bit, requiring the interviewer to persuade you, and putting you in a position to be persuaded.
Advice questions
If you’re interviewing with alumni of the school, ask them about their experiences. You can ask them what they majored in, what extracurricular activities they enjoyed, or other questions that can give you a sense of what your experience might be like. They’ll be pleased you took an interest in their time there, and the nostalgia could encourage the interviewer to take on a mentoring role rather than a separate authoritative one.
Follow-up questions
Some of the best questions you should ask in college interviews won’t be decided until you’re in the interview. That’s because you’ll want to ask follow-up questions to information the interviewer gave you during the session. These kinds of questions demonstrate that you were listening and are an engaged student.
Parting advice on questions to ask in college interviews:
Of course, you can come up with your own questions as well. Take note though – there are also questions you should not ask in a college interview, such as questions their website can easily answer or your odds of admission. The important thing to remember is you should ask questions in college interviews. If you’re still stumped on specific questions, you can even look up lists of questions to ask to get you started. When you apply to college, it may seem like a simple issue of whether or not they accept you; but at Empowerly, we know that you need to know the college will fit you well, too. Empowerly can help!
