Should You Do an Admissions Interview? Here's What You Need to Know

Welcome to the world of the RIT Tigers! Interviews are stressful, no matter the context. To relieve your anxiety about your application: admissions interviews are not required for any degree, at any step of the application process, to be granted admission to RIT. This means if you’ve submitted your application already, there’s no need to worry about an interview invitation that will never come. However, admissions interviews are still provided at RIT. Why is that? Should you do one? Let’s dive into how admissions functions at RIT to give you the best picture of how to handle the stressful yet exciting process.

The Purpose of Admissions Interviews

The word “interview” is incorrect for what they are trying to accomplish. They are far more akin to meetings where you and your family can ask questions directly related to the university. Doing your research and asking thoughtful, critical questions demonstrates that you care about coming here and shows terrific school spirit. Additionally, the admission counselor can put a face to a name among thousands of applicants. Simply knowing a face and a voice, along with hearing your strong questions and seeing your personality, adds another dimension to the application that the admissions counselor wouldn’t have had access to. This can set you apart from a pool of thousands of applicants. 

Importantly, your performance is not being judged during the meeting. All admissions interviews are initiated by you, the student, and can be conducted in-person or virtually. In-person interviews, also called Hometown Interviews, are conducted in major metropolitan areas in public spaces like hotel lobbies, coffee shops, and conference rooms. You should dress casually, bring a recent copy of your official high school transcript, and be prepared to speak for about 30 minutes. Virtual interviews are scheduled through the following portal and take place during RIT’s normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. They typically fill up 2-4 weeks in advance, so register as soon as possible!

Should you do an admissions interview?

Yes! No harm can come from doing one. As explained before, they are not required in the admissions process, but they can help you distinguish yourself. More importantly, interviews function both ways. The admissions counselor is learning about you and your interests. Still, it also allows you and your family to determine if RIT is the best fit for your educational goals. 

Do’s and Don’ts: Do’s

In-Person Admission Interviews:

• Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Being early is on time.
• Bring a copy of your most recent high school official transcript. This serves as your resume and will be the basis for some of the conversation.
• Be presentable. You don’t need to wear a suit and tie, but no sweatpants or sweatshirts. Jeans and a long-sleeve shirt will work, or a short-sleeve shirt, depending on the temperature.
• Get ready to talk about yourself! Not only your educational goals, but everything that makes you who you are, such as hobbies or fun quirks. RIT has a club for nearly anything you can think of, so asking lifestyle questions is a great way to talk about the university’s cultural life. 
• Respect other people’s time. You have 30 minutes with a counselor, and many other people will be scheduled before and after you. Don’t barge in on a student’s conversation. Once your time concludes, thank them for their time and allow the next prospective student to begin their interview.
• Bring a parent, family member, guardian, or another adult. Going alone can be highly courageous, but having people you care about to support you can ease the anxiety of the interview. They may also have other questions or steer the conversation in a particular direction if they feel you’re getting sidetracked or scared to speak up.

Virtual Admission Interviews:

• Test your equipment a day before the meeting. 
• Have resources open on your screen, such as the RIT admissions website of your desired major and notes you’ve taken to guide your questions.
• Set up in a quiet, distraction-free environment. If your parents or guardians are also attending the call, make sure they are present with you for the entire duration.
• Ideally, ensure you have a strong internet connection to prevent drops, stutters, and technical interruptions. If this is not possible, make sure to minimize bandwidth in your home.

Dos and Don’ts: Don’ts

In-Person Admission Interviews:

• Come unprepared without your transcript, any meaningful questions, or otherwise looking disinterested or bored.
• Go to the wrong location. Make sure to check the event planner to ensure you’re in the right place!
• Ask questions that could’ve been easily answered by going onto RIT’s website, or ask anything in relation to “will I get in,” “how much money will I make,” or “are there parties.” All of those questions can be informed by going to Reddit or asking friends.

Virtual Admission Interviews:

• Same thing as in-person, except not showing up on time or going to the wrong Zoom link
• Constantly being distracted or having loud noises in your surrounding area makes it difficult for both the admissions counselor to hear you and for you to listen to them.
• Blow off the admissions counselor or act like you didn’t hear a question.

Ultimately, don’t be stressed out about admissions interviews. They’re meant to be an informational, mutually beneficial meeting between you and the school. The fact that you’re concerned about them is normal. If you decide to sign up for it, which I highly recommend you do, you’re going to do fantastic. See you on campus!