Colleges and Universities are places where people from all/many communities come together for a common goal – education. Hence the answer to the question “are interviews necessary when applying to university/colleges” is YES.

It is very important for the environment to be neutral and unbiased and the unity should come through the intellect, and to be able to admit the most appropriate student and for each student to be able to amply justify their place in the group. College interviews are very tricky and it is imperative to be able to impress the interviewers in the stipulated time frame.

Although everyone is not of similar opinion on the matter of interviews for college/university admissions, so here are few reasons that debate the need for the same:

Analyzing Behavior

It foretells the college how the applicant will behave in class and on campus. This is particularly very important for the college authorities to know before admitting a student and they need to ensure that their selected student is behavior wise sound or may prove to be a threat for the campus.

Giving A Face To An Application

Interviews are a good way to personalize an application, it’s an opportunity given to a student (prospective student) to wow the panel with his personality.

Understand the Real Personality Of A Candidate

A student who has received academic success but has zero interpersonal skills will not be an interviewer’s first choice after the interview which would have given them a good insight on this person’s capabilities, however only based on the application, he would have had precedence which would not be an accurate analysis.

Gives A Place For A Candidate To Advertise Himself

For an applicant, it is an early training for branding themselves. This is the best platform for them to be able to advocate themselves with an aim that selection becomes definite. Interviews also help a candidate in honing their interview skills as after this exposure the next would be for their jobs and at the time when they will all be let out into the industry and such experiences will give them an ample opportunity to shape up their skill to be able to ace future interviews.

Analyzing Personality in Depth

The main aim of the interviewer is to bring out the true self of a candidate, no pre-designed speech will work in such a case. In any other form of application analysis, it is very difficult to gauge that.

Discussion Both Ways

An interview is not only a place for a one way communication but it is a dialogue and a discussion wherein an applicant can also ask what they want to understand about the college or university (information such as that which is not mentioned in the brochures or sites, we don’t want the panel to think that the person doesn’t know anything about the college now, do we?).

Insightful Analysis

Interviews are ways wherein an interviewer has a good chance to understand how a candidate is, their turnout and their confidence during. How they behave under pressure and how they carry themselves. This is of great importance as the selected candidates today will be brand custodians tomorrow who will be recognized by the college they studied in and anyone who is not in sync with the mission of the college.

Academic Record Is Not Enough For Selecting A Candidate

Applications are all based on pretty standard guidelines and all applications will be pretty similar to all others. It will only showcase the academic successes of a candidate. It is meeting in person that will give a student an opportunity to impress for admission. They have many tools when a meeting in person happens, like body language, well turned out (formal clothes and polished shoes), voice modulations for effect, gestures to support what is being said and expressions to show keenness and confidence.

Personal Interactions Help In Knowing A Person Better

There can be a truth or a lie to what a person talks about during an interview, but whatever it may be it still tells something about the person who is being interviewed. In order to understand this, an interview is very important because unless there is a personal interaction, one cannot make out much and interviews are a way of doing that.

It is imperative to have the best turnout for a college interview and ensure the interviewers that selecting you will be the best decision for the college. Perception is everything and if played smartly, then selection is assured.