OKAY so tumblr was getting mad at me with character limits so I’m just going to make a post. I did four or five interviews with different colleges last fall, so
1: on campus interview
The first interview I did, I called the admissions office, and told them the day i was going to be on campus to schedule the interview. They have a number to call on the admissions page somewhere, usually under “contact us.” Usually they’ll tell you the next available slot they have for an interview on a given date. Your interviewer will generally be an current student working as an intern or an admissions counselor, and you generally don’t know who it will be in advance.
2: Alumni interview!
Alumni interviews are your typical college interview experience. You might have to fill out a form on the college website (usually somewhere under “prospective students” on the admissions page) or they might just email you. i know that one of my interviewers emailed me out of the blue telling me that they were who was assigned to me, but more often the admissions office will email you the contact information of your interviewer and you have to get into contact with them.
3: Skype interview!
I didn’t actually do one of these, but it’s basically an alum interview except on Skype. The below information is still applicable!
Scheduling:
So, basically, you get in touch with the admissions office or your interviewer, and exchange schedules. I did all of my interviews on the weekend no earlier than 11am, but I’d honestly recommend early afternoon (unless you’re a morning person). I would just email or call them, introduce yourself, and offer a few times and places that work for you. Generally, your interviewer will be local (although I did have an interviewer who lived about an hour away from me), so you can pick a local cafe or someplace quiet that’s easy for both of you to reach. I would be careful about how busy the place you choose gets, just because you don’t want to be yelling over the table because you can’t hear each other! I would also make sure that you choose someplace that you’re comfortable with, if you can (the Starbucks that you’ve been going to all your life vs that weird Starbucks at the corner of the mall that never seems to have people). I found that my interviewers tended to be pretty flexible with their schedules and were fine with the small cafe that I chose. Also, please don’t do standardized testing or something very stressful/exhausting, and then an interview (read: don’t be like me). While your interviewer is equal parts appalled and amazed when you frantically explain that you’re only this out of it because you came straight from a four hour exam from hell, it is not worth it. Don't do it. Love yourself.
I promise it’s not that horrific! It’s a little tough at first but it’s easy after that. Other advice would be to dress smartly (I’m talking business casual, not a prom dress), have a pop of color or a statement piece, and make sure you mention what you’ll be wearing to your interviewer if you can in time just to make finding each other easier. Just look for the person holding a folder/in college apparel, and that’ll usually do it.