There are different types of college interviews. You might meet with an admissions officer on campus or an alumnus in your area. Whoever you wind up meeting with, an interview helps to demonstrate your interest in a school and what you can bring to campus.

Here are 6 tips to keep in mind during a college interview:

1. Be confident but not cavalier; Be humble but not self-conscious
Confidence is not the same as cocky, and humble is not the same as stilted. Know the difference before you head into an interview. The trick is to be comfortable in acknowledging your accomplishments and your strengths, but not too comfortable in self-congratulating yourself. Even if you’re a bit nervous going into the interview, try to feel and look comfortable while sitting down with your interviewer.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s too cocky to say and what works:

2. Be specific
It’s easy to fall into vague and ambiguous conversation. So, instead, think of 4-5 specific accomplishments, facts about yourself or whatever it is that you want to say to the interviewer if it fits in appropriately. Having these in mind before your interview will make it easier to think of during the actual conversation. 

3. Avoid reiterating your resume
If your interviewer has a copy of your resume or application, do not simply repeat its contents verbatim. It will not only make you look like a robot, but the point of the interview is to put some life into your application. Tell your interviewer something about yourself that’s not in your resume or application already.

4. Explain flaws in your application
An in-person interview is a great time to explain some of the discrepancies in your application. For example, if you had a tumultuous sophomore year because you’d just moved to a new school and you had trouble keeping up with your grades, let them know. Be careful of getting into woe-is-me zone. You do not want to give a sob story or explain all of your hardships. Just state a couple facts that explain a bad semester.

5. Know about the school
Just like a job interview, it would be a pity to get the interview, and then not know anything about the company.  Have substantial knowledge about the school you’re interviewing for. This will let your interviewer know that you are seriously considering the school. Drop hints about a program the college offers that you’re passionate about or a special fact about campus that interests you.

6. Ask your own questions
Yes, the interview is about you, but showing interest in the person you’re talking to never hurt anybody. Whether it’s dry questions about the admissions process or questions about their experience at the university, asking your own questions demonstrates a deeper interest in the college than a person who’s just there to talk about themselves.

Have you had a college interview? Any tips? Leave a comment!

When it comes to college campuses, rural and suburban don’t mean lame or in the middle of nowhere or tumbleweed or Deadwood or no man’s land or super extra lame or “Good day, sir!” (because it definitely does not mean that)–a rural or suburban college campus just means it’s a more traditional-style campus.  It’s the kind of campus you’ve seen in the movies. Unless that movie was about an urban college. Any who, you get the picture.

So, now you ask:

Q: What Type of Student Goes to an Suburban or Rural College or University?

A: A student who…

Wants a sense of community
A suburban/rural college campus generally means that the college is one of the factors that the town is known for. As compared to New York University, where the university is in the city, in a smaller town, sometimes it feels as if the city has built itself around the campus. In that sense, the entire town becomes part of the university. Everywhere you go you see your college colors–even while you’re off campus, you feel like you’re in it.

Wants to bring their car
Parking at a traditional college is much more doable than it would be living in the city. Whether there’s ample free parking, permit parking, or a space you have to pay for monthly, if you desperately want your car at college for the occasional trip home or to the grocery store or just to have on tap for the sake of adventure and being young with the open road at your fingertips, then it’s worth the price! 

Wants a haven for the outdoors
Going to a rural or suburban campus gives you access to the wonderful wide world of nature in a way that going to city campus does not permit. Even if you’re not planning on becoming an environmental science major, you might enjoy the outdoor activities the area you’re in has to offer, like camping, rock climbing, relaxing on the beach, or taking a quiet walk through arboretum, getting all Darwin on us, and journaling every walk of life you see out there.

Wants school and friends in walking distance
At a traditional college campus, getting from Point A (Psych 101) to Point B (Library) to Point C (your dorm) to Point D (Archie’s Burgers) to Point C (that awesome theme party you’re definitely going to) is all usually within walking distance. Once you get used to campus and know where everything is, the only thing you need to get around is a good pair of walking shoes.

Wants school to be the center of academic and social life
In a big city, you’ll have so many distractions, like museums, events, clubs, and so many other things.  On a rural or suburban campus, it’s not as much the excitement of the town that will entertain you, but its the students, professors and staff itself.

What’s your opinion on going to a traditional college campus vs. a city/urban campus? Leave a comment.