Good general questions to ask at a college interview?

[linnylu]

My DD has a few college visits and interviews lined up over the next 2 months.
She has been looking at each college's website and the major she is thinking about to generate some specific questions, but she also wonders if there are any general questions that are important to ask?

*Sorry, I just realized that I posted this on the budget board and not the community board where I intended it to go. Maybe a mod could move it?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Serious Questions to College Recruiters/Interviewers:
. . . Percentage of Freshmen who graduate?
. . . Number of classes each Professor teaches vs Teaching Assistants?
. . . Average number of hrs/week professors are available to students?
. . . Are serious legal infractions handled by campus cops or city police?

 

[clh2]

-Of the students who graduate - how many (or what %) graduated in 4 years, 5 years or 6 years?

-Safety on campus...as well as in town was a question from a parent's point of view.

-Average indebtedness after college.

-Is this a "suitcase" campus?

-How do AP credits apply (if that is applicable in your DD's situation)

-How many (or %) of students transfer out after the first year.

 

[MSSANDRA]

-Internship Programs and Job Placement Services- Goal of College is to get a job

-Scholarships and Finical Aid Programs

 

[Coll0610]

What percentage of students live on campus? How many stay there for weekends?

How does the dining plan work (all you can eat for a certain number of meals, or are you charged for what you actually eat)?

Is there a large Greek system on campus? Do students live in the frat/sorority houses?

Is wifi available everywhere?

Average class size for freshman? Are most introductory classes lecture halls?

 

[Sandy61]

The best information I got were the times my DS and I had lunch with students. At each college they asked if we would like to eat with a couple of students that work in admissions. You can ask them anything and they are very open and love to talk. We had great discussions about whether or not the college was a "party school" and what kids did on the weekend. They were very honest and I really had my eyes opened. One time several groups of parents were at a big table and there were several students and they decided not to go to their next class so they could talk to us. That in itself told us something.

How safe they feel at night walking on campus. What they like best and worst about things like dorms and classes and the cafeteria. Study abroad chances. How many assistants teach the classes. What the college is known for. What the most popular majors are.

 

[Bob NC]

Ask if there's a discount on tuition if your DD already knows everything.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Ask if there's a discount on tuition if your DD already knows everything.

But then EVERY college freshmen would get one!

 

[Janepod]

Serious Questions to College Recruiters/Interviewers:
. . . Percentage of Freshmen who graduate?
. . . Number of classes each Professor teaches vs Teaching Assistants?
. . . Average number of hrs/week professors are available to students?
. . . Are serious legal infractions handled by campus cops or city police?

I'm an alumni interviewer for a top 15 private university on the east coast and these questions are best saved for a recruiter, not an alumni interviewer. Typically we are people who graduated 10+ years ago and aren't up to date on these statistics. Plus, much of this information is available on the university Web site. If a student asked me these questions, I would feel like they did not research the school in detail. (And if they didn't do their research, they shouldn't be applying.)

The questions I hope to hear:
What were some of your best experiences at this school?
Why did you choose this school?
If you were going to do it all over again, would you still choose this school?
How did choosing this school affect your life/career?
What kind of networking does the school offer?

Open-ended questions that give us a chance to have a conversation. And definitely coach your child to ask *something*.

And no matter what people tell you, *do not* let your child wear jeans Even if it's an interview taking place at school during the day. At least have them wear cords or khakis. Some of the things kids have worn for interviews ...

 

[scra]

I would discourage asking anything that could be easily found out about the school from reading the college's website, Googling, or looking at a college directory from Princeton Review - e.g. graduation rates, most popular majors, the percentage of grads who are employed 6 months after graduation, number of fraternities/sororities, crime rates, etc. It will be seen as a waste of the interviewer's time that you did not do your research before coming to the interview.

I agree with the above poster. Ask questions that show an interest in the experience of attending the school:

- Is it a suitcase school? What's the social life like on the weekends?
- Are there any traditions you really loved about the school?
- Where did you find your community on campus?
- How are the health services on campus?
- Did you like the food/dorms/etc.?
- What's one of your favorite memories of attending the school?

And so on.

 

[Best Aunt]

I'm an alumni interviewer for a top 15 private university on the east coast and these questions are best saved for a recruiter, not an alumni interviewer. Typically we are people who graduated 10+ years ago and aren't up to date on these statistics. Plus, much of this information is available on the university Web site. If a student asked me these questions, I would feel like they did not research the school in detail. (And if they didn't do their research, they shouldn't be applying.)

The questions I hope to hear:
What were some of your best experiences at this school?
Why did you choose this school?
If you were going to do it all over again, would you still choose this school?
How did choosing this school affect your life/career?
What kind of networking does the school offer?

Open-ended questions that give us a chance to have a conversation. And definitely coach your child to ask *something*.

And no matter what people tell you, *do not* let your child wear jeans Even if it's an interview taking place at school during the day. At least have them wear cords or khakis. Some of the things kids have worn for interviews ...

Excellent advice.

I would add: your child should have several questions in mind. The interviewer will definitely ask, "Do you have any questions for me?" If your child just has 1 question in mind, it's possible that the question was already answered earlier in the interview. So have several in mind --

but DO NOT bring a notebook and refer to it. That suggests:
a) you can't remember a few questions, or
b) you feel like you are such a great candidate, that you are interviewing me, instead of the other way around.

 

[Moomduck1]

-Internship Programs and Job Placement Services- Goal of College is to get a job

-Scholarships and Finical Aid Programs

I work in a Career Development office at a local university. Most colleges/universities do not have Job Placement services. That implies that the college helps find the jobs for students, which is not the case. Most will teach the students how to do the job searches, where to look for jobs, go over resumes, give them mock interviews, etc.

 

[MAH4546]

And no matter what people tell you, *do not* let your child wear jeans Even if it's an interview taking place at school during the day. At least have them wear cords or khakis. Some of the things kids have worn for interviews ...

I'm an alumni interviewer at a top 5 private university and I specifically tell the student that jeans are fine when I schedule the interview. Since I'm usually wearing jeans, too, I don't want them to be uncomfortable if they came all dressed up. The 1950s are long gone.

 

[Jeff_G]

Ask how much total debt will I be in when I finish school and how long will it take me to pay it back. What will the monthly payments look like...

 

[linnylu]

Good questions so far and my dd is starting a list- although she won't bring it in with her. Right now her decision is between the honors college at a large state school and a very small (3000 undergrads) liberal arts school. Is it okay for her to ask the interviewer how the liberal arts program will benefit her more than the honors college at a large school? My D doesn't have any clue what she wants to do with her life- she just knows that she likes english, spanish, and latin.