Hi everybody, we are in the time of year where the dreaded debate begins, do I do an interview or not?
In my opinion, I always say go for it! An interview can never hurt your application, even if you are quiet or shy the ambassadors understand that and know it can be scary talking about your future with someone you might not know. The interview isn’t just a way for the college and admissions officers to get to know you – it helps you get a different view of the college. Each college does it a little differently but at Scripps, you can interview with an admissions officer or a student (a senior), or an alum volunteer. Neither of these is better than the other or will help or hurt you in any way. Interviews can be overwhelming but hopefully, the following tips and tricks can help:
- Ask questions
- The interview is made to be a conversation, not an interrogation, asking any lingering questions you have or even questions you have asked before but want another perspective on is really helpful.
- Bring a pad of paper and pencil
- Of course, if you are asking questions, having them written down and being able to write the answers down is helpful! It is better to have this on paper because it is less distracting than a phone or computer and doesn’t block connections between people the same way.
- Be honest
- This is important to remember when you are answering questions because the interview is a way for the admissions officer to get to know you so they can advocate for you the best they can when it comes to reading applications. If you make sure you are honest then it also will help you know if the college is the right fit for you.
- Listen
- Not only for the answers to the questions you ask but also for what they have to say about the college, and how they are asking you questions. People are receptive to people who listen to them and it will make the experience positive for both parties.
- Have fun
- I wanted to add this in because in the college application process it can be hard to remember to have fun. Don’t let the stress bring you down too much, you are going through the process and it will turn out okay, enjoy your time.
Below I am going to link the website to sign-up for interviews and show the process through screenshots.
Follow this link: https://www.scrippscollege.edu/admission/visit
Scroll down until you see a blue box with the word interview in it – click the box.
It will lead you to a page with a description of interviews and follow the link applicable to you 
When you click the link a fold-down menu will come up and when you click sign up here a page like the one pictured below will show up. From there pick a date – enter the requested information and submit. 
I hope these tips help and shed some light on how Scripps looks at interviews and uses them. If you find yourself having more questions about the interview process or anything else you can contact me through my email: [email protected].