For seniors with an interview coming up
College Interview Questions and Practice
The 15 college interview questions you're likely to get, with answer notes from your own stories, questions to ask and a practice interview.
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How to prepare for a college interview on your own
Start with three stories, not 30 answers. Three good ones can carry most of an interview. MIT's admissions office tells applicants to think through stories or examples1 that give the interviewer a vivid sense of their passions and aspirations. Pick something you built or led, something that went wrong and what you did next, and something you do just because you love it. Look for them on your brag sheet or activities list. For each, note the numbers and one detail only you would know.
Next, read the college's interview page: who interviews, for how long, and whether the report counts. Then plan for the usual questions: tell me about yourself, why this college, what you want to study, a challenge you faced and what you do for fun. For "Why this college?", name one specific class, program or moment from a visit. Save one more thing for "Is there anything else you'd like me to know?" Write five questions only this person can answer, such as what they'd do differently as a student.
Practice out loud with someone who interrupts with follow-up questions, and talk from notes, not a script. Dartmouth's dean of admission says students with prepared answers2 can fall into "question, answer, question, answer like a tennis match." He also calls reciting your grades redundant: the college has them. Keep "Tell me about yourself" under two minutes. On video, test the link the day before and wear headphones, which Stanford says3 can help cut audio feedback. In person, arrive 10 minutes early. Send a short thank-you within a day.
Real examples
Interviews from both sides of the table
Each one was published by an admissions office: a dean's mock interview with a real senior, a student's account and an interviewer's view. Notice how much rides on specific stories rather than rehearsed speeches.
Interview Tips: Let Your Life Speak
Dartmouth Admissions Beat · Season 4, Episode 13 · Transcript, 2023
Dartmouth's dean of admission, Lee Coffin, runs a full mock interview with a Los Angeles senior, then gives feedback. He points to her specific examples and the openings she gave him for follow-up questions, which kept it a conversation.
Read the Dartmouth mock interview transcriptMy MIT Interview
Anna H. · MIT Class of 2014 · MIT Admissions blog, 2014
A student looks back on her alumni interview. She memorized nothing, practiced talking about her interests with friends and family, and tells you to bring your own questions about MIT.
Read “My MIT Interview” at MIT AdmissionsNotes on the Interview (the EC edition!)
Chris S. · MIT alum and interviewer · MIT Admissions blog, 2013
An alumni interviewer explains that he knew only each student's name, school, birthday and where they lived, and asked them to bring two or three questions about MIT.
Read an MIT interviewer's notes
Published by Dartmouth Admissions and MIT Admissions. MIT marks both blog posts as archived; its interview page has the current rules. Links checked October 29, 2026.
How it works
What questions do they ask in a college interview?
Most college interviews cover the same ground: you, your classes, your activities, why this college and what comes next. Georgetown lists the topics that may come up4: academic interests, extracurricular activities, summer experiences, family background, future plans and exposure to Georgetown. River's college interview prep reads your activities or résumé and writes the 15 questions you're most likely to get, in four groups. Each one comes with short answer notes built from your real stories, names and numbers.
The notes are bullets to talk from, not a script. Yale asks applicants to be an engaged conversationalist5 and to elaborate rather than give one-word answers. Where a note needs a detail you haven't given, River leaves a bracket instead of guessing. Your doc also holds three stories, each matched to the questions it answers. It adds five questions to ask, what to wear and bring, and how a video interview differs. Tell River whether you're meeting an alum, an admissions officer or a scholarship panel, and the questions change to match.
When your doc is ready, River can run a mock interview in chat, one question at a time. It mixes questions from your doc with two you haven't prepared. After each answer you get one thing that worked and one fix, and after eight questions, a scorecard in your doc. You can also ask for five harder follow-up questions, each with answer notes. Before the interview, the why this college essay tool can sharpen your reasons; afterward, the thank-you email writer drafts your note.
How it works
From your activities to practiced answers
Paste your activities
Paste your activities and why you like the school, or drop your résumé. Rough notes are fine.
Pick your interviewer
Tap alumni interviewer, admissions officer or scholarship panel, or let River work it out from your notes.
Get your prep doc
Fifteen likely questions with answer notes, three stories, five questions to ask and what to wear.
Practice with River
River plays your interviewer in chat, one question at a time, with feedback after every answer.
Interview prep · Georgetown alumni interview
15 likely questions · 3 stories · 5 questions to ask
- 1Tell me about yourself.Bike co-op Saturdays since 10th grade. Tune-up day, 40 bikes. Land it: why economics.
- 7Tell me about a challenge.Tune-up day with 3 volunteers: [what went wrong first] and what you changed.
- 13Why Georgetown?July visit: [one thing you saw or heard]. Then economics in Washington, D.C.
- AskWhat would you do differently as a student?One of five questions only your interviewer can answer.
- WearClean, everyday clothesBring your questions and a pen. Leave the résumé home unless asked.
What you'll get
The questions you'll likely get, with answer notes from your own stories
- The 15 questions you're most likely to get, each with answer notes from your own stories
- Three stories to have ready and five good questions to ask your interviewer
- What to wear and bring, how video interviews differ, and a live practice interview
Before and after
Your activities in. A prep doc out.
Senior in Baltimore. Georgetown alumni interview next Thursday at a coffee shop. Saturdays I volunteer at a bike repair co-op (since 10th grade). Last April I ran a free tune-up day at school: 3 volunteers, 40 bikes fixed in one afternoon. Model UN for 3 years. Favorite class is AP Macro. Want to study economics, maybe transportation. Visited Georgetown in July.
Interview prep · Georgetown alumni interview 15 likely questions · 3 stories · 5 questions to ask Alumni interview, next Thursday, at a coffee shop. Georgetown says the report is evaluative and joins your file. Your three stories 1. Tune-up day: 40 bikes, 3 volunteers, one afternoon. 2. Saturdays at the co-op since 10th grade. 3. AP Macro and [the idea that hooked you]. About you 1. Tell me about yourself. • Saturdays fixing bikes at a co-op since 10th grade. • Tune-up day: 40 bikes in one afternoon (Story 1). • Land it: why that points to economics. Georgetown and your future 13. Why Georgetown? • July visit: [one thing you saw or heard]. • Economics, maybe transportation, in Washington, D.C.
Every answer note comes from the paste. The visit detail the student didn't give becomes a bracket to fill before the interview.
What lands in your doc
What's in your prep doc
- The 15 questions you're most likely to get, grouped by topic and matched to your interviewer
- Answer notes for every question, built from your real stories as bullets to talk from, not a script
- Three stories to have ready, each linked to the questions it can help you answer
- Five questions to ask this interviewer that the college website can't answer for you
- What to wear and bring, following the college's own interview rules, plus five checks for video
- A short list of details only you can fill in, like what stood out on your visit
Questions applicants ask
Common questions
What questions are asked in a college interview?
Expect questions about you, your classes, your activities, why this college and your plans. Common ones include "Tell me about yourself," "Why this college?" and "What do you do for fun?" Stanford says its interviewers have no set list of questions3, so each interview is its own conversation, and alumni may add stories from their time there. River picks your 15 most likely questions from your notes.
What questions should I ask a college interviewer?
Ask what only this person can answer: what surprised them as a student, what they would do differently, or which class changed their plans. Yale says interviewers also learn about applicants from the thoughtful questions they bring. Skip anything the college website covers, and don't ask about your chances. River writes five questions matched to your interviewer and to the interests in your notes.
Do college interviews matter?
Often, yes. Yale says all of its interviews are evaluative, and Georgetown and Stanford interviewers write reports that become part of your file. Georgetown also requires the interview when one is assigned. Not being offered one doesn't count against you at Yale, Stanford or MIT, and MIT waives the interview1 when it can't offer one. Check each college's own interview page.
What should I wear and bring to a college interview?
Wear clean, neat clothes you're comfortable in. MIT says you don't have to dress up, and Stanford says typical high school attire is fine. For an admissions officer or a scholarship panel, business casual is the safer choice. Bring your questions and a pen, and a résumé only if asked. Stanford's interviewers aren't allowed to view or accept résumés, transcripts or test scores.
How long is a college interview, and when does it happen?
Most last 30 to 60 minutes. Yale says 30 to 60, Stanford about 40, and MIT typically an hour (anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours). At these three, most early-round interviews fall in November or early December, and regular-round ones between January and early March. Invitations usually come by email, so check your inbox and spam folder.
How do I prepare for a college interview with River?
Paste your activities and why you like the school in the box at the top of this page, or drop your résumé. Tap who's interviewing you if you know. River writes your 15 likely questions with answer notes, three stories, five questions to ask and what to wear, all in your free River workspace. Then it can practice with you, one question at a time.
Is the college interview prep free?
Yes, it is free to start. Your prep doc opens in a River workspace, where you can edit it, share it or ask River to change it, and run another practice interview the night before. Paid plans add more AI use and access to the most advanced models.
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