Do kids these days remember the scene in the 1980s classic Risky Business where an admissions officer does a house call on a young Tom Cruise to conduct his interview for Princeton? Probably not. And just as well — scenes like this overemphasize the importance of the college interview, a part of the admissions process that has faded into relative obscurity in the last few decades as admissions cycles have become increasingly competitive. Nowadays, movies and TV shows are far more likely to showcase job interviews (think The Devil Wears Prada, HBO’s Girls, and Aubrey Plaza’s iconic performance in Emily the Criminal) than college interviews gone awry.

The Fall of the College Interview

This shift in pop culture reflects that college interviews are not what they used to be. Back in the day, highly selective colleges would send out admissions officers to do a job now done almost exclusively by alums. These admissions officers would invite applicants to their homes or offices and come away with a genuine sense of the applicant’s merits. By the 1990s and 2000s, the standard interview venue shifted to local coffee shops, and universities began to rope in alums, which isn’t surprising. It all comes down to donations: alums who feel engaged with their university community are more likely to return their hard-earned money to their alma mater. Admissions officers are busy enough sifting through the thousands of applications they receive each year to conduct a job happily filled by alums.

As alums began conducting more interviews, acceptance rates began to drop precipitously, and applicants’ GPAs and test scores began to rise, the college interview slowly withered away into one of the least important parts of the process. In fact, for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, the UPenn’s alumni interviewers won’t even be submitting reports on applicants to the admissions office (these meetings have all but become straight up alumni fundraising opportunities). But does this mean students should stop caring about interviews altogether? Not so fast.

College Interviews Still Matter — Don’t Write Them Off!

Nowadays, the average college interview is conducted by an untrained alum over Zoom. These alums are prone to saying things like “admissions officers really care what I have to say,” and “I have the last word,” but this is just a bunch of egotistical nonsense. Still, suppose you make a significant flub during your interview, like saying something bigoted, wildly inappropriate, or otherwise indicating that you have not done a lick of research into the college. In that case, you run the risk of being denied. You should treat the interview with the same reverence you (ideally) give to your standardized tests, grades, admissions essays, and letters of recommendation.

Even so, a stellar performance on your part, in which you wow your interviewer and walk away with the utmost assurance that you’ve secured admission, will only go so far in helping your case. It’s more like checking a box that you’ve achieved the bare minimum Demonstrated Interest (which, whether they admit it or not, is a big part of how highly selective colleges make their decisions!). So, acing that interview is both necessary and unlikely to influence your outcome. It’s a precarious position that will continue to shift as the college admissions landscape transforms in the coming years. High school seniors should find reassurance that a lackluster interview performance will likely not sink their chances.

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Interview Like Pros

It’s crucial to approach the interview with professional preparation. This process involves understanding what your prospective school values in an applicant and the opportunities and programs they offer. Admissions officers want to see an alum’s interview report that shines with the applicant’s enthusiasm about utilizing all the resources their school provides. They want to be confident that you will not disappoint if they choose you. 

What answers, questions, and demeanor effectively convey this crucial posture? Ivy Coach’s team of elite former admissions officers are experts in these specifics. Fill out our complimentary consultation form to ensure your child is well-prepared for a highly competitive interview for admission to an elite school. With our guidance, you can feel confident that your child’s chances are optimized.