Spotted on Reddit: A fantastic question about conducting your college admissions interviews over Zoom.
We loved this question so much, we wrote a post about it. (Because hello, new normal.)
Here are five tips from our Director of Admissions, Katie Szalda, to make your virtual college admissions interviews a success in real life.
1. Prepare just as you would for an in-person meeting.
It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to feel like you can wing a virtual interview and treat it a bit more casually. But trust us: We can tell! We still want you to read up on the college, prepare questions and come ready to talk about what excites you. This also includes picking out a presentable outfit. At Siena, we don’t expect a full-on suit, but please avoid wearing your PJs!
2. Be aware of your background.
Prep a clean space where you can take the video call without distractions or, needless to say, anything inappropriate within view. But don’t stress about having a professional office-like space. We know you’re home and don’t want you to worry having to find an alternate location. There’s a good chance we’ll be calling in from home too for now.
3. Let your family know your plans.
Of course, a private space is best, but we know that’s not always possible. Let your family know ahead of time that you’ll be on Zoom with an admissions counselor to mitigate any interruptions or loud noises. What also helps: Muting yourself when the counselor is talking and unmuting when it’s your turn!
4. Have your interviewer’s contact info on hand.
Even if you’ve used Zoom 100x before (and if you haven’t, we suggest joining a test meeting), technical difficulties can still happen. We totally get it! The best thing you can do if you’re having trouble logging in is call or text the admissions counselor and let them know. Then you can work out together how to continue.
5. Follow up after the call.
Typically, we’d say we loooove a genuine hand-written thank you note. But since you can’t be sure if anyone will be in the admissions office at any given time because of the pandemic, a thoughtful email is the next best thing.
Did you know that if you’re applying to Siena, you can actually request a Zoom chat with your admissions counselor? We love meeting with applicants and would be happy to hear from you!
For more tips, check out: “College Interviews: 5 Things The Most Impressive Students Always Do.”
