Introduction
The college selection process represents one of the most significant decisions in a young person’s life—a choice that can shape career trajectories, personal growth opportunities, and lifelong social networks. While college websites, brochures, and virtual tours provide valuable information, nothing replaces the visceral experience of physically setting foot on campus, interacting with current students and faculty, and envisioning yourself as part of that academic community. Campus visits and interviews serve as crucial touchpoints in the college selection journey, offering authentic glimpses into institutional culture, academic environments, and student life that simply cannot be conveyed through marketing materials alone.
This comprehensive guide aims to transform your campus visits from passive tours into strategic information-gathering missions and your interviews from anxiety-inducing evaluations into meaningful exchanges. Whether you’re a high school junior beginning your college search, a senior finalizing your application list, or a transfer student seeking a better institutional fit, this resource provides the tools, strategies, and insights needed to maximize every campus interaction.
The stakes are high: the average four-year degree represents a significant investment of time, money, and personal development resources. A thoughtful approach to campus visits and interviews not only enhances your chances of admission but also dramatically increases the likelihood of finding an institution where you’ll thrive academically, socially, and personally. The goal isn’t merely to be accepted to a prestigious institution but to identify environments where your unique strengths, interests, and aspirations will be nurtured and challenged in productive ways.
By the end of this guide, you’ll approach campus visits and interviews with confidence, armed with strategies to gather meaningful information, make memorable impressions, and ultimately make an informed decision about where to invest your collegiate years. The insights gained through well-executed campus visits often become the deciding factor in choosing between otherwise comparable institutions—the “gut feeling” that confirms where you belong can only emerge through authentic engagement with a campus community.
Before the Visit: Strategic Planning
Developing Your College List
Before booking a single campus tour, invest time in developing a thoughtful college list. This preliminary research will save you considerable time and resources. Consider factors such as:
Academic offerings: Ensure each institution offers strong programs in your areas of interest. Look beyond department names to course offerings, faculty specializations, research opportunities, and internship connections.
Geographic preferences: Consider climate, distance from home, urban/rural setting, and regional culture. Be honest about whether you’ll thrive 2,000 miles from family or if you prefer staying within weekend-visit range.
Size and environment: Reflect on whether you’ll flourish at a large research university with 30,000+ students or prefer a small liberal arts college where professors know your name. Consider residential versus commuter campuses and the surrounding community.
Financial considerations: Research cost of attendance, typical financial aid packages, merit scholarship availability, and average student debt at graduation. Include institutions across the affordability spectrum.
Selectivity balance: Create a balanced list with reach, target, and likely schools based on your academic profile compared to their typical admitted student statistics.
Aim for an initial list of 15-20 schools that you’ll eventually narrow to the 8-10 you’ll actually visit and apply to. Use resources like College Board’s BigFuture, Niche, and Colleges That Change Lives to discover institutions that might not already be on your radar.
Timing Your Visits Strategically
Timing can dramatically impact the quality of your campus visit experience:
Academic year visits provide the most authentic glimpse of campus life, with students and faculty actively engaged in the community. Avoid major exam periods, the first/last weeks of semesters, and campus holidays.
Summer visits offer less crowded tours and often more personal attention from admissions staff, but campus energy is diminished, and you may miss seeing typical student life. Some programs and facilities may be closed.
Junior year spring is ideal for initial visits to build your application list.
Senior year fall works well for final decision-making visits before applications are due.
Admitted student events in spring of senior year provide specialized programming for making final decisions after acceptances.
Weekday visits generally provide more comprehensive options than weekends, when administrative offices may be closed and fewer classes in session.
Plan to visit your top-choice schools twice if possible: once before applying and once after acceptance. This allows you to ask increasingly specific questions as your knowledge evolves.
Making Reservations and Appointments
Most institutions require advance registration for campus tours, information sessions, and interviews. Don’t leave this to chance:
Schedule tours 2-4 weeks in advance, especially during peak visit seasons (spring break, summer, fall of senior year).
Request special appointments at least three weeks ahead: meetings with faculty, coaches, financial aid counselors, disability services, or specific program directors.
Research whether the college offers overnight stays with current students, class visit opportunities, or departmental tours beyond the standard admissions offerings.
Consider scheduling multiple types of visits at the same institution (general tour, academic department visit, athletic facility tour) to gain different perspectives.
Check if interviews are evaluative (part of your application) or informational only, and whether they’re offered on-campus, virtually, or through alumni in your region.
Print confirmation emails with visit details, including parking information, meeting locations, and contact numbers for last-minute changes.
When scheduling visits to multiple colleges in the same region, allow ample transition time between campuses—at least 30 minutes of driving time plus 2-3 hours for each campus visit at minimum.
Pre-Visit Research
The quality of your campus visit directly correlates with how well you’ve prepared. Before arriving:
Review the institution’s mission statement, core values, and strategic plan to understand its educational philosophy.
Study the academic catalog for your potential major(s), noting course requirements, special programs, research opportunities, and distinctive offerings.
Explore student organizations, traditions, housing options, and campus culture through student newspapers, social media, and forums.
Familiarize yourself with recent campus developments: new buildings, curriculum changes, leadership transitions, or notable achievements.
Prepare a list of specific questions that can’t be easily answered through website research. Focus on subjective experiences rather than factual information.
Research the surrounding community, including transportation options, local attractions, and off-campus living possibilities for upper-class years.
Create a customized visit checklist based on your priorities—whether that’s studio spaces for art majors, research labs for science students, or athletic facilities for student-athletes.
Entering a campus visit with well-informed questions signals to admissions officers that you’re a serious candidate who values educational fit over prestige alone.
Types of Campus Visits
Standard Admissions Tours and Information Sessions
The most common campus visit format combines an information session led by admissions staff with a walking tour guided by current students. These typically include:
Information sessions (60-90 minutes): Presentations covering admissions requirements, financial aid, academic programs, student life, and distinctive institutional features. These sessions often include Q&A opportunities and sometimes feature panels of current students.
Campus tours (60-120 minutes): Walking tours highlighting key campus landmarks, residence halls, dining facilities, libraries, student centers, and academic buildings. Student tour guides share personal experiences and institutional traditions while answering questions.
These standard visits provide an excellent foundation but should be supplemented with more personalized experiences when possible.
Specialized Visit Options
Many institutions offer specialized visit options that provide deeper engagement with specific aspects of campus life:
Academic department visits: Tailored experiences within your intended major, potentially including faculty meetings, class observations, lab tours, or student work exhibitions.
Overnight programs: Opportunities to stay in residence halls with current student hosts, experiencing dining, social activities, and sometimes classes. These provide the most authentic glimpse of daily student life.
Open houses and preview days: Large-scale events featuring multiple information sessions, faculty presentations, student panels, and specialized tours. These comprehensive programs efficiently expose visitors to many campus facets in a single day.
Identity-based visit programs: Events specifically designed for first-generation students, students of color, international applicants, or other specific populations, addressing unique questions and concerns.
Scholarship competition weekends: Invitational events combining evaluative interviews or assessments with campus tours and special programming for top applicants.
Athletic recruit visits: Specialized tours for potential student-athletes, including meetings with coaches, team members, athletic facilities tours, and sometimes practice or game observations.
Fine arts audition days: Combined campus visits with performance auditions or portfolio reviews for arts program applicants.
Request these specialized options when registering for campus visits, as many require advance coordination and have limited availability.
Self-Guided Exploration
While official programming provides structure, allocate time for independent exploration:
Wander campus without a guide to experience the environment at your own pace.
Visit campus hubs like libraries, student unions, and dining halls during busy periods.
Explore the surrounding neighborhood and community resources.
Use campus maps to ensure you see areas not covered on official tours.
Sit in public spaces and observe authentic student interactions.
Pick up the student newspaper and read bulletin boards for unfiltered campus information.
These unstructured experiences often provide the most honest glimpse into campus culture and student satisfaction.
Making the Most of Your Campus Tour
Engaging Effectively with Tour Guides
Campus tour guides serve as both institutional representatives and potential peers with valuable insider perspectives. Maximize these interactions by:
Positioning yourself near the guide to hear clearly and ask follow-up questions.
Noting your guide’s major, involvement, and background to contextualize their experiences.
Asking personal questions about their decision process, favorite aspects of campus, and challenges they’ve faced.
Requesting specific anecdotes rather than general impressions: “Can you describe a typical interaction with a professor?” rather than “Are professors accessible?”
Listening for unscripted moments when guides go off-message with authentic perspectives.
Speaking with multiple guides when possible to gain diverse viewpoints.
Exchanging contact information if you develop rapport for follow-up questions later.
Remember that while guides are trained to present the institution positively, thoughtful questions can elicit nuanced responses that reveal institutional strengths and challenges.
What to Look For Beyond the Highlights
Official tours showcase campus highlights, but observant visitors notice revealing details about institutional culture and priorities:
Facilities maintenance: Check the condition of buildings beyond showcase spaces. Deferred maintenance may indicate budget constraints.
Student engagement: Observe whether students appear energized, stressed, diverse, and interactive. Look for study groups, casual conversations, and collaborative activities.
Faculty presence: Note whether professors engage with students outside classrooms in dining halls, common spaces, or offices with open doors.
Campus accessibility: Evaluate physical accessibility, transportation options, safety features, and walkability between key locations.
Technology integration: Assess classroom technology, study space design, and digital resources available to students.
Sustainability practices: Look for evidence of environmental commitments through recycling programs, energy-efficient buildings, and transportation options.
Community atmosphere: Gauge whether the campus feels competitive or collaborative, socially fragmented or integrated, politically active or apathetic.
Support services visibility: Note the prominence and accessibility of academic support, mental health resources, career services, and diversity centers.
Take photos and notes about these observations for later comparison between institutions, as subtle environmental factors often fade in memory while marketing messages persist.
Essential Areas to Visit
While standard tours cover major landmarks, proactively request to see these sometimes-overlooked areas critical to daily student experience:
Standard residence halls (not just the newest showcase dorm)
Academic buildings for your intended major
Study spaces beyond the main library
Fitness and recreational facilities
Dining options at meal times
Student support service locations
Arts and performance venues
Transportation hubs and parking facilities
Health and wellness centers
Outdoor gathering spaces
Off-campus housing areas for upperclassmen
Career center and internship offices
If certain facilities cannot be accessed during your scheduled tour, ask whether virtual tours or separate department tours are available for these areas.
Beyond the Official Tour: Authentic Campus Experiences
Attending Classes
Observing actual classes provides unparalleled insight into academic culture and teaching quality:
Arrange in advance: Most institutions offer class visit programs through admissions offices, requiring 1-2 weeks’ notice to coordinate with faculty.
Choose strategically: Request courses in your intended major, first-year seminars, and distinctive curricular offerings like honors programs.
Prepare appropriately: Review the course description and recent syllabus if available. Arrive early, introduce yourself to the professor, and dress similarly to enrolled students.
Observe actively: Note teaching methods, student-faculty interaction, class size, technology use, student engagement, and discussion quality.
Participate judiciously: If invited by the professor, contribute thoughtfully to discussions without dominating as a guest.
Evaluate critically: Consider whether the teaching style and academic rigor align with your learning preferences. One class isn’t representative of an entire institution, but patterns may emerge across multiple observations.
After class, thank the professor and consider asking a few enrolled students about their broader academic experiences in the department.
Engaging with Current Students
Current students provide the most authentic perspective on campus life. Seek diverse viewpoints through:
Informal conversations: Approach students in dining halls, study spaces, or campus centers with specific questions about their experiences.
Student panels: Attend admissions-organized student panels, noting both what students say and what they conspicuously avoid discussing.
Student organizations: Contact clubs aligned with your interests in advance to arrange meetings during your visit.
Residence hall hosts: If participating in overnight programs, prepare thoughtful questions for your student host.
Campus media: Read the student newspaper and follow student-run social media accounts for unfiltered perspectives.
Diverse perspectives: Intentionally seek students with different backgrounds, majors, and levels of campus involvement than those featured in official programming.
Effective questions include:
“What surprised you most after enrolling here?”
“What types of students tend to transfer out, and why?”
“How accessible are professors outside of class?”
“What’s the most challenging aspect of student life here?”
“If you could change one thing about this institution, what would it be?”
“How does the administration respond to student concerns?”
Exploring Campus Resources
Visit these crucial support centers that directly impact student success and well-being:
Academic advising centers: Understand how course selection, major exploration, and degree planning work.
Career services: Evaluate internship connections, employer recruitment, graduate school preparation, and career counseling resources.
Research opportunities: Visit undergraduate research offices, laboratories, and creative project spaces.
Learning support services: Explore tutoring centers, writing labs, math help rooms, and academic coaching programs.
Diversity and inclusion offices: Learn about support programs, community-building initiatives, and institutional commitments to equity.
Counseling and wellness centers: Assess mental health resources, preventative programs, and crisis response capabilities.
Financial aid office: Schedule appointments to discuss scholarship opportunities, work-study options, and financial planning support.
International programs: Investigate study abroad opportunities, international student services, and global learning initiatives.
Prepare specific questions for each office about how they serve students, common challenges they address, and how their services have evolved in response to student needs.
College Interview Preparation
Types of College Interviews
Different institutions approach interviews with varying levels of formality and evaluative weight:
Evaluative interviews: Formal components of the application process that directly impact admissions decisions. These are typically conducted by admissions officers, faculty members, or trained alumni volunteers.
Informational interviews: Non-evaluative conversations designed primarily to answer applicant questions and determine institutional fit. While not formally scored, impressions may still be noted.
On-campus interviews: Conducted during campus visits by admissions staff or student interviewers, often more structured and formal.
Alumni interviews: Typically held in the applicant’s home community, these can range from casual coffee shop conversations to more structured evaluations.
Group interviews: Some institutions use small-group interview formats to observe how applicants interact with peers while discussing educational topics.
Virtual interviews: Increasingly common options conducted via video platforms, requiring additional preparation for effective digital presentation.
Research each institution’s interview philosophy, availability, and weight in the admissions process. Some highly selective colleges make interviews optional but recommended, while others don’t offer interviews at all or restrict them to certain geographic regions.
Pre-Interview Research
Thorough preparation demonstrates genuine interest and enables more meaningful conversation:
Institutional knowledge: Familiarize yourself with the college’s mission, values, recent developments, and distinctive programs. Review admissions websites, viewbooks, and strategic plans.
Program specifics: Research your intended major’s requirements, special opportunities, faculty specializations, and outcomes.
Current events: Browse the institution’s news releases, student newspaper, and social media for recent happenings, controversies, and achievements.
Interviewer background: If provided in advance, research your interviewer’s background, particularly for alumni interviews. Understanding their field and campus experience provides connection points.
Your application: Review your own application materials to ensure consistency between written documents and interview responses. Be prepared to elaborate on any aspect of your submitted materials.
Institutional fit: Reflect on specific aspects of this college that align with your goals, learning style, and preferences. Prepare to articulate why this particular institution interests you beyond prestige or location.
This research should inform thoughtful questions that demonstrate your engagement with the specific institution rather than generic queries applicable to any college.
Professional Presentation
First impressions significantly impact interview outcomes. Prepare appropriately:
Attire: Dress slightly more formally than everyday campus wear—business casual is typically appropriate (slacks/skirt, button-down shirt/blouse, no jeans or athletic wear). Regional and institutional cultures vary; research typical expectations.
Grooming: Present a clean, neat appearance with minimal fragrance and conservative styling. The focus should be on your ideas, not distracting elements.
Body language: Practice confident posture, appropriate eye contact, and engaged expressions. Minimize nervous habits like hair twirling, pen clicking, or excessive gesturing.
Materials: Bring a padfolio or professional folder containing your resume, transcript, activity list, questions list, and note-taking materials. Also carry a reusable water bottle and any required documentation.
Digital presence: For virtual interviews, test your technology in advance, ensure appropriate lighting and background, position your camera at eye level, and minimize potential distractions in your environment.
Arrival timing: Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early, allowing time for parking, finding the location, and composing yourself. For virtual interviews, log in 5 minutes early.
While authentic self-expression is important, avoiding extreme style choices prevents unnecessary distractions from your substantive responses.
Practice Strategies
Effective interview skills develop through deliberate practice:
Mock interviews: Arrange practice interviews with counselors, teachers, or family friends unfamiliar with your story. Request honest feedback on content, delivery, and non-verbal communication.
Video recording: Record practice responses to review your presentation style, identifying unconscious habits and areas for improvement.
Response structure: Practice the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions about past experiences. This framework ensures complete, coherent examples.
Timed responses: Practice keeping responses between 1-3 minutes—substantial enough to demonstrate depth but concise enough to maintain engagement.
Question anticipation: Generate potential questions based on your application themes, academic interests, and institutional values. Prepare flexible talking points rather than memorized scripts.
Stress simulation: Practice while slightly uncomfortable (standing, in unfamiliar settings, with distractions) to build adaptability for actual interview conditions.
Reflection exercises: After each practice session, identify your strongest responses and areas needing refinement. Continually revise your approach based on feedback.
Practice until your responses feel natural but not rehearsed, allowing authentic personality to shine through well-considered content.
Common Interview Questions and Effective Responses
Personal Background Questions
These questions assess self-awareness, values development, and personal growth:
“Tell me about yourself.”
Approach: Provide a 90-second narrative highlighting key identity elements, formative experiences, and future direction.
Effective structure: Begin with core interests, connect to significant experiences, highlight current pursuits, and conclude with future aspirations.
Example outline: “I’m a first-generation college student from a rural community who discovered environmental science through a watershed monitoring project. This sparked my current research on microplastics pollution and environmental justice advocacy, which I hope to develop into a career in environmental policy focused on underserved communities.”
Avoid: Reciting your resume chronologically, starting with “I was born in…”, or focusing exclusively on academic achievements.
“What three adjectives would others use to describe you?”
Approach: Select characteristics that highlight your strengths while acknowledging growth areas.
Strategy: For each adjective, provide a specific example demonstrating this quality and its impact.
Depth element: Mention how these traits have evolved or how you’re working to develop complementary qualities.
Example: “My debate teammates would describe me as analytical, as I’m often the person who breaks down complex arguments into component parts. My family would add persistent, having watched me rebuild our community garden three times after flooding. My teachers note I’m collaborative, regularly connecting classmates with complementary skills for projects.”
“What is your greatest strength/weakness?”
Strength approach: Choose a genuine strength relevant to collegiate success, provide evidence, and connect to your goals.
Weakness approach: Identify an authentic growth area, describe specific improvement strategies you’re implementing, and demonstrate self-awareness without undermining your candidacy.
Example strength response: “My greatest strength is intellectual curiosity that extends beyond traditional boundaries. When researching historical pandemics for a biology project, I incorporated economic impact analysis and cultural responses, earning recognition for interdisciplinary thinking. This approach prepares me for [College]'s cross-disciplinary curriculum.”
Example weakness response: “I tend toward perfectionism with written work, sometimes spending excessive time refining early drafts. I’ve addressed this by implementing structured timelines with specific milestones and seeking early feedback from teachers and peers. This has improved my efficiency while maintaining quality, a balance I continue to refine.”
Academic Interest Questions
These questions evaluate intellectual engagement, academic direction, and learning approach:
“Why are you interested in your intended major?”
Approach: Craft a narrative showing the development of your interest through experiences, mentors, challenges, and future goals.
Effective elements: Include specific moments of discovery, connections to broader societal issues, and how this field aligns with your abilities.
Demonstrate knowledge: Reference specific subfields, current developments, or methodological approaches showing depth beyond general interest.
Example outline: “My interest in mechanical engineering evolved from childhood tinkering to systematic design thinking through our robotics team’s prosthetic hand project. The challenge of optimizing both functionality and user experience revealed engineering’s human impact. I’m particularly drawn to biomechanical applications, and I’ve prepared by pursuing advanced physics and calculus while developing fabrication skills through independent projects.”
“Describe a challenging academic experience and how you handled it.”
Approach: Select a substantive challenge that demonstrates perseverance, growth mindset, and strategic problem-solving.
Structure: Clearly explain the challenge, your initial response, resources you leveraged, adjustments you made, and resulting outcomes and lessons.
Effective focus: Emphasize process over natural ability, highlighting resilience and adaptability rather than innate intelligence.
Example: “When I first encountered organic chemistry, the spatial reasoning required for molecular structures challenged my typically verbal learning style. After struggling with the first exam, I adjusted by forming a study group with visually-oriented peers, using molecular model kits to develop spatial understanding, and meeting weekly with our teaching assistant to translate concepts between verbal and visual frameworks. By semester’s end, I had not only improved my grade but discovered the value of multimodal learning approaches I now apply across disciplines.”
“What do you hope to contribute to our academic community?”
Approach: Identify specific academic strengths, unique perspectives, and collaborative tendencies you’ll bring to classrooms and research environments.
Research element: Reference particular programs, courses, or faculty work where your contributions would be relevant.
Balance element: Demonstrate both what you’ll offer and what you hope to gain, showing reciprocal engagement.
Example: “Having conducted independent research on local indigenous language preservation, I would bring both methodological experience in sociolinguistic fieldwork and perspective on cultural heritage preservation to anthropology discussions. I’m particularly interested in contributing to Professor Garcia’s community-based research initiatives while learning from peers with different cultural frameworks. My experience bridging academic research with community advocacy would support the department’s stated commitment to engaged scholarship.”
Institutional Fit Questions
These questions assess your understanding of the specific college and your potential place within it:
“Why are you interested in our college?”
Approach: Articulate specific institutional elements that align with your educational goals, learning style, and personal values.
Research depth: Reference particular programs, traditions, pedagogical approaches, and community characteristics beyond what’s featured in marketing materials.
Personal connection: Explain how these institutional features connect to your individual development needs and aspirations.
Example: “Bowdoin’s combination of rigorous environmental studies curriculum and practical field research opportunities through the Coastal Studies Center perfectly aligns with my interest in marine conservation. The college’s commitment to the Common Good resonates with my community service background, while the intimate seminar-style classes will challenge me to articulate and defend ideas more precisely than my large high school allowed. During my campus visit, I was particularly struck by the collaborative atmosphere in the dining hall, where I observed students and professors continuing class discussions informally—exactly the intellectual community I hope to join.”
“How would you take advantage of our specific programs/opportunities?”
Approach: Identify 2-3 distinctive institutional offerings and articulate a thoughtful plan for engaging with each.
Specificity element: Name particular programs, centers, traditions, or approaches unique to this institution.
Connection element: Link these opportunities to your established interests, growth areas, and future goals.
Example: “I would integrate multiple dimensions of Smith’s distinctive offerings: academically, I would pursue the Poetry Concentration within the English major while engaging with the Jacobson Center to develop my peer writing coaching skills. Extracurricularly, I would apply my literary magazine experience to The Sophian while seeking to join the Poetry Center’s student advisory board to help curate visiting writer series. By junior year, I hope to propose an independent study connecting my creative writing with my secondary interest in environmental studies, potentially through the landscape studies concentration.”
“What other colleges are you considering, and how are you deciding between them?”
Approach: Demonstrate thoughtful comparison while affirming the current institution’s distinctive appeal.
Strategy: Acknowledge similarities between your college choices to show coherent priorities, then highlight particular strengths of the interviewing institution.
Balance element: Show you’re considering multiple factors (academic, social, financial, geographic) rather than a single dimension.
Example: “I’m considering several colleges with strong undergraduate research opportunities in neuroscience, including Wesleyan, Kenyon, and Carleton. I’m evaluating them based on access to faculty mentorship, lab facilities, curriculum flexibility, and community atmosphere. What particularly stands out about Wesleyan is the College of Integrative Sciences that would allow me to connect my neuroscience interest with my passion for music through the interdisciplinary certificate program—an integration that feels uniquely possible here.”
Extracurricular Engagement Questions
These questions evaluate depth of involvement, leadership capacity, and community impact:
“What activity has been most meaningful to you, and why?”
Approach: Select an experience demonstrating sustained commitment, personal growth, and values alignment rather than simply the most prestigious activity.
Development element: Explain how your role evolved over time, highlighting increased responsibility and impact.
Values element: Connect the activity to personal principles, future goals, or core motivations.
Example: “My four years with our school’s environmental justice coalition have been transformative. I joined as a freshman documenting water quality in low-income neighborhoods and gradually assumed leadership in community partnerships. Coordinating our successful campaign for municipal water testing in underserved areas taught me to navigate complex stakeholder relationships while maintaining scientific rigor. Beyond the tangible policy change, this work crystallized my understanding that environmental science must be accessible to affected communities to create sustainable solutions—a principle that will guide my academic and professional paths.”
“Describe your leadership style.”
Approach: Identify your authentic approach to motivating others, with specific examples demonstrating effectiveness.
Reflection element: Acknowledge how your leadership has evolved through challenges and mentorship.
Contextual element: Recognize that different situations may require adaptable leadership approaches.
Example: “I’ve developed a collaborative leadership style that leverages team members’ diverse strengths. As editor-in-chief of our literary magazine, I transformed our previous top-down process by implementing editorial teams with specialized focuses and decision-making authority. This distributed approach initially faced resistance from senior staff accustomed to centralized control, but ultimately increased submission quality by 30% and staff retention by 40%. I’ve learned that effective leadership often means creating structures where others can excel rather than directing every decision myself.”
“How have you contributed to your community?”
Approach: Focus on sustained, meaningful impact rather than accumulating service hours.
Depth element: Demonstrate understanding of community needs, relationship building, and systemic approaches.
Learning element: Articulate how community engagement has influenced your perspective and future goals.
Example: “Recognizing that technology access increasingly determines educational opportunity, I established a digital literacy program at our community center, initially teaching basic computer skills to senior citizens. As relationships developed, we expanded to include intergenerational partnerships where seniors and students collaboratively documented neighborhood history through digital storytelling. This evolved into advocacy for municipal broadband access, successfully securing a pilot program for our area. This experience revealed how technical skills, relationship building, and policy advocacy must work together to address digital equity—insights I hope to develop through [College]'s urban studies program.”
Questions You Should Ask
Questions About Academic Life
Thoughtful questions demonstrate your priorities and engagement with the institution’s educational mission:
“How would you characterize the balance between theoretical frameworks and practical applications in the [specific] department?”
“What recent changes have been made to the [relevant] curriculum, and what motivated these adjustments?”
“How do undergraduate research opportunities typically develop? Do students usually approach faculty with proposals, or do professors actively recruit assistants?”
“What support systems exist for students transitioning to college-level academic expectations?”
“How much interaction typically occurs between different departments on interdisciplinary projects?”
“What percentage of students in my intended major pursue internships, and how does the department facilitate these connections?”
“How accessible are faculty outside formal office hours? Are student-faculty collaborations common?”
“What do students in my intended major typically do immediately after graduation? Graduate school? Industry positions? Other paths?”
“How would you describe the predominant teaching philosophy here? Socratic dialogue? Lecture-based? Project-centered? A combination?”
“What academic traditions or signature experiences do students in my field typically find most valuable?”
Questions About Campus Culture
These questions help assess community dynamics and institutional values:
“What campus traditions seem to create the strongest sense of community here?”
“How would you characterize the relationship between different student communities—athletes, artists, activists, etc.?”
“What recent student initiatives have successfully influenced institutional policies or practices?”
“How does the institution support students from underrepresented backgrounds or first-generation students?”
“What challenging conversations are happening on campus right now, and how are different stakeholders engaging with these topics?”
“How would you describe the political and social climate? Is there ideological diversity and respectful dialogue?”
“What percentage of students remain on campus during weekends, and what typically happens outside of class hours?”
“How does the surrounding community interact with the campus? Are there town-gown tensions or collaborative relationships?”
“What support systems exist for students experiencing academic, social, or mental health challenges?”
“If you could change one aspect of campus culture, what would it be and why?”
Questions for Student Interviewers or Guides
Current students offer unique perspectives on the lived experience:
“What surprised you most when you first arrived on campus compared to your expectations?”
“What’s one experience that has fundamentally shaped your time here?”
“How has your academic focus evolved since you arrived? Were faculty supportive of this evolution?”
“What does a typical weekday look like for you? Weekend day?”
“How accessible have you found faculty and administrators when you’ve needed support?”
“What’s been your most challenging experience here, and what resources helped you navigate it?”
“How easy is it to get involved in [activities matching your interests]? Are there barriers to entry?”
“What kinds of students tend to thrive here? Struggle here?”
“How would you characterize relationships between students and the surrounding community?”
“If you could go through the college selection process again, what would you do differently?”
Questions for Faculty or Department Representatives
These questions demonstrate serious academic engagement:
“How does your department support students interested in pursuing independent projects or research?”
“What distinguishes your department’s approach to [subject] from peer institutions?”
“How do faculty in your department maintain connections with industry/research/artistic communities beyond campus?”
“What recent innovations in teaching or curriculum are you most excited about?”
“How would you characterize the relationship between teaching and research in your department?”
“What qualities or preparation do your most successful students typically bring to their studies?”
“How does the department approach mentorship and academic advising?”
“What facilities or resources do students in your department find most valuable?”
“How do students typically progress from introductory to advanced work in this field?”
“What ongoing departmental conversations about curriculum or pedagogy might shape my experience if I enrolled?”
Virtual Visits and Interviews
Maximizing Virtual Tour Experiences
As institutions expand digital visit options, approach virtual tours with strategic intentionality:
Prepare thoroughly: Review campus maps before virtual tours to understand geographic relationships between buildings and areas.
Engage actively: Participate in live virtual tours rather than pre-recorded ones whenever possible to ask real-time questions.
Utilize chat features: Submit questions throughout presentations rather than waiting for designated Q&A periods.
Request specifics: Ask to see particular areas relevant to your interests that may not be on the standard virtual route.
Supplement effectively: Combine institution-provided virtual tours with student-created content on YouTube and social media for less curated perspectives.
Take notes actively: Document specific observations, questions, and impressions just as you would during in-person visits.
Follow up personally: Request contact information for tour guides and presenters for subsequent questions.
Explore independently: Use Google Street View, campus virtual reality applications, and interactive maps to explore beyond the guided experience.
Connect with communities: Join admitted student groups, departmental social media channels, and virtual student panels.
Compare consistently: Develop a standardized note-taking system to facilitate direct comparisons between virtual campus experiences.
While virtual tours cannot fully replicate on-campus visits, they can provide substantial information when approached with deliberate engagement strategies.
Virtual Interview Best Practices
Remote interviews require special preparation for technological and environmental optimization:
Technical preparation:
Test your internet connection, camera, and microphone at least 24 hours before the interview
Position your camera at eye level (stack books under your laptop if necessary)
Ensure proper lighting with your primary light source in front of you, not behind
Close unnecessary applications and silence notifications
Have a backup plan (phone number, alternate device) if technical difficulties arise
Environmental considerations:
Create a neutral, professional background free from distractions
Ensure quiet surroundings and inform household members of your interview timing
Position yourself in a comfortable, supportive chair that encourages good posture
Have water, notes, and application materials nearby but organized
Dress professionally from head to toe (in case you need to stand unexpectedly)
Engagement techniques:
Look at the camera, not the screen, to create the impression of eye contact
Speak slightly more slowly and distinctly than in person
Use deliberate nonverbal cues (nodding, smiling) that translate through video
Allow slight pauses before responding to accommodate potential audio delays
Use minimal hand gestures kept within the camera frame
Practice specifically for virtual format:
Conduct mock interviews using the same platform and device
Record practice sessions to evaluate your on-screen presence
Practice sharing your screen if you might need to present materials
Prepare for common technical issues and how to address them professionally
Remember that virtual interviews assess both your responses and your adaptability to digital communication—increasingly essential in higher education environments.
