Although the interview generally is not the most important part of the college application process, it certainly carries some weight when it comes to determining who gets in and who doesn’t. Therefore, you want to be absolutely certain that you do everything possible to leave a positive impression on the interview committee. For the most part, just being yourself and letting your personality shine through is all you need to do in order to do well at your interview, just be sure to avoid making these major mistakes.

Arriving Late

Showing up late to your interview is a sure way to leave a negative impression on the interview committee. Keep in mind that the people on the interview committee are quite busy. In fact, some may be alumni who had to take time off from work in order to participate in the interview process. Furthermore, college interviews are typically booked back-to-back, so showing up late will throw off the whole schedule while also showing a lack of maturity and responsibility on your part.

Dressing Too Casually

As a general rule of thumb, dressing in business casual attire is your best bet. Ultimately, your goal is to look neat and well put-together, so make sure your clothes are clean, are in good shape and present you in a professional manner.

Providing Short Answers

Simply providing “yes” or “no” answers will not leave a lasting impression on the interview committee. Even if the questions aren’t very open-ended, be sure to expound on your answers so the interview committee can really get to know who you are.

Preparing a Speech

While you certainly want to come prepared to your interview, you don’t want to come off as if you have prepared a speech or your answers. Sounding overly prepared will make your responses seem insecure. So, come prepared with an idea of the message you want to convey, but don’t memorize a speech word-for-word.

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum during your interview is not only distracting, but it makes it seem as if you are not taking the interview seriously. So, while chewing a piece of gum on the way to the interview may help freshen your breath and calm your nerves, be sure to spit it out before the interview actually begins.

Bringing Your Parents

College admissions officers want to see that you are capable of taking responsibility for yourself, so bringing your parents along to your interview is a big no-no. Furthermore, the interview committee wants to get to know you, not your parents, so leave your parents at home.

Failing to be Prepared

You will be sure to impress the interview committee by demonstrating a knowledge of the school. Therefore, when answering questions, be sure to tie the school into your answers. For example, when answering a question about the major you would like to pursue, mention that you are interested in attending this particular school because of the modern laboratory it has to offer or because of the extensive number of research opportunities that are available. Not only will this show that you are quite serious about attending that particular school, it also helps the interview see why you are a good match for the school.

Lying

While you certainly want to present yourself in a positive light, you should never exaggerate or lie in order to make this happen.

Being Rude

Finally, be sure to be on your best behavior when going for an interview. Shake hands with the members of the interview committee, address them by name, say “please” and “thank you” and show a genuine interest in attending the school. Afterward, send a thank you note to express your appreciation to the committee members for taking the time to meet with you. You just might be surprised to see what a little common courtesy can do for you.