The Role of the Personal Interview
At Willamette, we don’t believe that you can be summed up by a few pieces of paper in an application file. And we know you certainly have more dimensions than a grade point average, rank in class or SAT score might reveal. An interview lets you meet face-to-face with a member of the admission committee so that we can begin to know the “real” you. It is also your opportunity to “interview” Willamette and ask questions about the programs, opportunities and characteristics that will be important to your ultimate college choice.
Most interviews last between 30 and 45 minutes. We don’t ask trick questions; we aren’t looking for “right” answers. You can expect to be asked questions about your academic preparation and record.
We like to know what subjects interest you most and what you do when you’re not in class, studying for class, or eating and sleeping (presuming you find time for the latter activities!). Parents are not generally included in the interview, but the Willamette admission staff member will invite your parents to join in at the end of the conversation with you so that their questions can also be answered.
Most students schedule an interview as part of a campus visit. We also provide opportunities to interview with our staff during their travels to various parts of the country (usually during the fall months) and with alumni admission volunteers if we are not going to be visiting your area.
Since an admission interview is not required, we certainly will not penalize you if distance or an overwhelming schedule prevents you from meeting one of our staff. However, we do think you will have a much clearer idea of whether or not Willamette is a good match for you (and the same goes for us), if we can sit down together and talk about what it is you expect from your college experience.
